Elevate your pasta night with this simple one pan tuna arugula pasta with roasted garlic, sundried tomatoes, Calabrian chili, tinned fish, and fresh arugula, made mostly with pantry ingredients.
We’ve had some wild Spring weather swings in New Jersey, where just last week we went from a several day hot and sunny heat wave, down to the 50’s for a rainy Memorial Day Weekend.
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I’m always looking for ways to get a healthy one pot pantry dinner on the table fast, without having to light the oven when it’s hot out, and with minimal mess and clean up.
This Easy One Pan Mediterranean Tuna Arugula Pasta checks all the boxes!
Does Eating Pasta Cause Weight Gain?
Many Observational Studies About Pasta and Weight Gain have shown that you can enjoy your pasta. Ever notice how when you go to Italy or anywhere in Europe people enjoy carbohydrates daily and remain at a healthy weight. If you are concerned about the glycemic effects, aim to cook your pasta al dente to slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, and pair your pasta with plenty of non-starch vegetables, and resistant starches like beans, plus a protein.
What Tuna is Best for Pasta?
I stock up on premium tinned fish when it goes on sale, but you can certainly use your favorite store bought brand. If it is a premium variety packed in oil, be sure to use the oil in this dish. I am using Donostia tuna belly, which is rich and fat, resulting a buttery mouth feel, and Tonnino yellowfin, which has a firm texture, and a more mild flavor compared to some other varieties, such as bluefin.
How Long Does Pasta Last in the Frig?
We all remember the tuna pasta we had growing up with mayo and celery, served cold, which was the ultimate comfort food dish. Some variations may have had hard boiled eggs or peas or other pantry items for extra protein.
This pasta is served hot, comes together in minutes and there’s only one pan to clean! It does hold over well as leftovers, and can be served cold, or gently reheated.
Refrigerate leftovers immediately, and consume within three days.
Ingredients in One Pan Mediterranean Tuna Arugula Pasta
Pasta – You can use any shape you like, but I prefer short pastas. Shown is a short rigatoni called mezze rigatoni. Short pastas will grab onto the arugula, tuna, and sundried tomatoes, while using long pastas like linguini, spaghetti, angel hair, and bucatini will likely cause the heavier ingredients to fall to the bottom of the bowl. The rigatoni has a hole in the center which will grab onto the sauce. Other types I like are orecchiette aka “little ears,” and curly cut like fussolini.
Consider choosing bronze die cut pasta. This is a time honored method of extruding pasta through a bronze die to create a course and porous texture so the pasta surface will grab onto the sauce, enhancing every bite.
Always, always cook al dente!
Tuna – I am using some high-end tuna here, but you can certainly use your favorite canned tuna, as shown in my Instagram reel tutorial below. If your tuna is water packed, discard the water, but if it is in oil, you can use the oil cooking the ingredients in this dish. Just strain it out and put the tuna aside for later. You will need about 8-10 ounces total, or two standard cans.
Tinned fish is all the rage these days! Not only is tinned fish economical, it is shelf stable and high in heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids, so perfect to stock in your pantry. I wait for tinned fish to go on sale and buy in bulk.
Garlic – I am roasting a whole head of garlic. It’s so easy to do and will mellow and sweeten the flavors, so you can’t overdo the garlic. You do need to plan ahead for this. Just slice the top off a garlic bulb head, lay on a piece of parchment cut side up, sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, pepper, dried Italian herbs if you have them, and a drizzle of olive oil. Loosely wrap parchment around the bulb, and slow roast in a 300°F oven for about 45 minutes, or until the garlic caramelizes. You can do this ahead of time, and do several bulbs at once. It’s delicious smeared on crusty bread with brie, blended into dressings, or spread on sandwiches. You can also wrap the garlic bulbs in foil, but I personally do not cook in aluminum.
Garlic has bioactive compounds like allicin that protect cardiovascular health, lower cholesterol, boost immune, and protect against certain cancers, so don’t be afraid to be liberal!
You can use a bulb of fresh garlic in this recipe if you do not have time to roast the garlic.
Tomatoes – I am using sundried tomatoes today. If I had cherry or grape tomatoes, and the time, I would roast one pound on a parchment lined pan with olive oil salt, some fresh or dried Italian herbs, and a few cloves of fresh garlic until it becomes sweet and jammy. This recipe is so versatile, either will do. In the Instagram reel below, I have used fresh tomatoes, but the sundried variety will save you some time, and are a delicious and convenient pantry ingredient to keep around.
Tomatoes become more nutritious when cooked because it allows our bodies to access the lycopene, a red pigmented antioxidant carotenoid that supports cardiovascular health, and has been shown to prevent prostate cancer.
Fresh Arugula – I am using a whole pound of fresh arugula, which sounds like a lot, but it wilts down to just a fraction of its’ volume. I have lots of arugula from the garden, so have an abundance for this dish. The peppery flavor compliments the sweetness of the tomatoes.
Arugula is a nutrient dense cruciferous vegetable that is rich in micronutrients like A, C, K, folate, and calcium, and supports bone health and cardiovascular function, supports a healthy immune response, and fights inflammation.
Instagram Tutorial: Easy One Pan Mediterranean Tuna Arugula Pasta
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Easy Mediterranean Tuna Arugula Pasta
Healthy, delicious, one pan and on the table fast!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta any variety but preferably a short bronze die
- 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes OR 1 cup sundried tomatoes in oil drained
- 1 head garlic cloves peeled and chopped OR 1 head roasted garlic
- 1 pound fresh arugula leaves
- 2 cans solid white tuna drained OR 8-10 ounces of your favorite tinned tuna*
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- Extra virgin olive
- Optional: Good grated Parmesan cheese hot pepper flakes or other hot pepper like cherry or Calabrian chili
Instructions
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-Roast garlic and tomatoes on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven with a generous amount of olive oil and 1/4 tsp sea salt until caramelized, about 45 minutes*
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-If you are using roasted garlic instead of raw, and cherry or grape tomatoes instead of sundried tomatoes, skip this step
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-Meanwhile, boil, pasta, in heavily salted water until al dente, drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta cooking liquid
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-Return pasta to pan, fold in arugula until wilted, then add tuna, garlic and tomato, plus reserved pasta water, stir to combine, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed
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-Add grated Parmesan cheese and hot pepper flakes, if desired
Recipe Notes
*Chef Notes: If you are using a high end tuna packed in oil, toss it with your pasta when you fold in the arugula
