Best 11 Penne With Tuna Basil And Lemon Recipes

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Penne with tuna, basil, and lemon is a light, refreshing, and flavorful pasta dish that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. The combination of tuna, basil, and lemon creates a bright and tangy flavor that is sure to please everyone at the table. This dish is also a great way to use up leftover tuna, making it a budget-friendly option.

In this article, you will find three different recipes for penne with tuna, basil, and lemon. The first recipe is a classic version of the dish that uses canned tuna, fresh basil, and lemon zest. The second recipe is a more elaborate version that uses fresh tuna, homemade basil pesto, and lemon juice. The third recipe is a vegetarian version of the dish that uses tofu instead of tuna.

No matter which recipe you choose, you are sure to enjoy this delicious and versatile pasta dish. Serve it with a side salad or soup for a complete meal.

Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!

GARLIC LEMON TUNA PASTA



Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta image

Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta is a 10-minute meal loaded with Mediterranean flavor. You can make it with basic pantry ingredients - a meal the family will love!

Provided by Yumna Jawad

Categories     Dinner     Entree

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 9

8 ounces spaghetti (or other pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
2 pouches 2.6 ounces tuna in olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice (plus zest)
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (divided)
Grated parmesan (for serving)

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return to the pot to keep warm.
  • In the wide pan, heat the olive oil at medium heat. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tuna, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper, and heat through for 1 minute.
  • Add the pasta, capers and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and continue to stir until the spaghetti is well coated. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce.
  • Garnish with remaining parsley and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 348 kcal, Carbohydrate 44 g, Protein 18 g, Fat 11 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 6 mg, Sodium 241 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g, ServingSize 1 serving

ITALIAN PENNE WITH TUNA



Italian Penne with Tuna image

Need a quick pasta dish that's flavorful and colorful? This penne pasta dinner-for-two combines leeks, baby spinach, tuna and sun-dried tomatoes--and it's ready in just 20 minutes!

Provided by EatingWell Test Kitchen

Categories     Healthy Pasta and Noodle Recipes

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 ounces dried multi-grain high-protein penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup thinly sliced leeks (white parts only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 2.6-ounce pouch albacore tuna in water, broken into large chunks
3 tablespoons reduced-calorie Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), snipped
Cracked black pepper

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return to saucepan.
  • Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet heat oil over medium-low. Add leeks and garlic; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat. Add spinach; stir until slightly wilted.
  • Stir spinach mixture into pasta. Stir in tuna, Italian dressing and dried tomatoes. If desired, sprinkle with cracked black pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 305.3 calories, Carbohydrate 41.1 g, Cholesterol 12.5 mg, Fat 10.6 g, Fiber 6.9 g, Protein 16 g, SaturatedFat 1.3 g, Sodium 421.8 mg, Sugar 5.6 g

TUNA, CAPER, AND BASIL PENNE



Tuna, Caper, and Basil Penne image

Infuse the flavors of Provence in to a bowl of penne tonight with this quick meal that comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Seafood Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 7

3/4 pound penne
1/2 cup capers
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cans (6 ounces each) drained tuna in olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Steps:

  • Cook penne, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water. In a medium skillet, saute capers and lemon zest in olive oil, 1 minute. Add tuna and cook until heated through. Add penne, pasta water, and lemon juice. Season, and stir in basil.

EASY PASTA WITH TUNA AND TOMATO SAUCE



Easy Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce image

This is my version of a tuna pasta dish with capers, anchovies, and tomatoes. I make it at least once a week as it is my husband's favorite and he proclaims it's restaurant quality. You can easy double the recipe if you're cooking for more people.

Provided by barbara

Categories     Seafood     Fish     Tuna

Time 30m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 11

½ (16 ounce) box penne
1 (5 ounce) can tuna, packed in olive oil, drained
¼ cup olive oil, divided
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
½ large organic lemon, juiced and zested
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 ounce canned anchovy fillets, drained
2 teaspoons capers
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
½ bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
  • Empty tuna into a bowl and mash with a fork while pasta is cooking. Mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
  • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and fry the anchovies for 3 minutes. Add capers and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 3 minutes. Add tuna mixture and tomatoes; simmer sauce for about 5 minutes.
  • Drain pasta and add to the sauce. Mix well. Stir in parsley before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 919.4 calories, Carbohydrate 94.4 g, Cholesterol 49.5 mg, Fat 46.5 g, Fiber 7.8 g, Protein 37.9 g, SaturatedFat 7.2 g, Sodium 1301.2 mg, Sugar 8.7 g

PENNE WITH TUNA, BASIL, AND LEMON



Penne with Tuna, Basil, and Lemon image

Categories     Fish     Pasta     Low Fat     Kid-Friendly     Quick & Easy     Back to School     Lemon     Basil     Tuna     Summer     Gourmet     Small Plates

Yield Serves 2

Number Of Ingredients 5

1/2 pound penne
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
a 6-ounce can tuna in olive oil (not drained)

Steps:

  • Bring a 4-quart pasta pot three fourths full with salted water to a boil for penne. Mince garlic. Finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1 tablespoon and squeeze 1 teaspoon juice. Cut basil into thin strips. In a large bowl toss together garlic, zest, juice, basil, and tuna with oil from can.
  • Boil penne until al dente and drain in a colander. Add penne to bowl and toss with salt and pepper to taste.

GRILLED TUNA WITH BASIL PESTO



Grilled Tuna With Basil Pesto image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis Bio & Top Recipes

Categories     main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 (2-inch thick) tuna steaks (about 1 pound each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Steps:

  • Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.
  • Wash and pat dry the tuna steaks. Season with salt and pepper and brush both sides with olive oil. Place tuna on hot grill and sear each side for 2 minutes for rare. If you prefer well done, cook the tuna an additional 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and let it rest.
  • Into the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, basil leaves, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. With the blender still running, slowly pour 1/2 cup of olive oil. Check for a thick, yet smooth consistency, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan.
  • Slice the tuna across the grain and on a bias into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a serving plate and drizzle with lemon juice. Sauce tuna with pesto.

PENNE WITH TUNA AND RED ONION



Penne with Tuna and Red Onion image

The combination of tuna, anchovies, capers, garlic, and parsley is traditional in Mediterranean cooking, particularly in southern France.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Seafood Recipes

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 10

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne or other short tubular pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup half-and-half
3 anchovy fillets, mashed (optional)
2 cans (6 ounces each) tuna packed in oil, drained
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons capers, drained

Steps:

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot.
  • Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion is very tender and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add half-and-half and if using, anchovies; raise heat to high, and boil 2 minutes.
  • Pour mixture over pasta. Add tuna, parsley, capers, and reserved pasta water; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 465 g, Fat 12 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 27 g

TUNA PASTA SALAD



Tuna Pasta Salad image

Categories     Salad     Bean     Pasta     Quick & Easy     Buffet     Mayonnaise     Lemon     Basil     Tuna     Summer     Gourmet

Yield Makes 6 main-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 lb penne rigate, freshly cooked to tender, rinsed under cold water, and drained
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 (6-oz) can tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1 (15-oz) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Steps:

  • Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

PENNE WITH A PUNCHY TUNA SAUCE



Penne with a punchy tuna sauce image

This quick, zesty supper is packed with Mediterranean flavours. Leftovers will keep well for lunch the next day

Provided by Katie Marshall

Categories     Dinner, Main course, Supper

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 8

350g penne
1 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp caper , drained, rinsed and patted dry with kitchen paper
185g jar pitted black olives , drained and roughly chopped
zest and juice 1 lime
2 x 200g tins tuna in spring water, drained
4 tbsp grated parmesan
½ small pack basil , leaves picked

Steps:

  • Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the penne for 1 min less than pack instructions. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water, and leave the pasta in the colander.
  • Heat the oil in the same pan you cooked the pasta in over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the capers and stir to coat in the oil. When the capers start to pop, reduce the heat and add the olives, lime zest and juice and tuna. Stir together, then return the pasta to the pan with the reserved cooking water. Stir through the Parmesan and basil and season with black pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 537 calories, Fat 14 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 64 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Fiber 7 grams fiber, Protein 34 grams protein, Sodium 2.1 milligram of sodium

PASTA WITH TUNA AND OLIVES



Pasta With Tuna and Olives image

If you want to make a complete meal of this, you can add a green vegetable to the mix (see the variation below). I like to use fusilli because I like the way the tuna gets lodged in the twists of the corkscrews, but other types of pasta, such as penne or spaghetti, will be just fine.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 6 1/2-ounce can water-packed light (not albacore) tuna, drained
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup fresh tomato sauce or a good prepared marinara sauce
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or slivered fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup pitted imported black olives, such as kalamatas, cut in half or into quarters lengthwise
3/4 pound fusilli, penne, farfalle, or spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan for serving (optional)

Steps:

  • Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. In a large pasta bowl, break up the tuna. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan or saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, and remove from the heat. Add to the tuna. Add the parsley or basil, and mix together.
  • Add the tomato sauce to the pan, heat through and season to taste with salt and add pepper and the red pepper flakes if using. Stir in the olives.
  • When the water for the pasta comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook al dente, until firm to the bite, following the cooking instructions on the package but checking the pasta a minute or two before the indicated time. Remove 2 tablespoons of the cooking water and mix with the tuna.
  • When the pasta is al dente, drain and transfer to the bowl with the tuna. Add the tomato sauce with the olives, toss everything together, and serve. Pass the Parmesan at the table.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 499, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 70 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 25 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 575 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams

TUNA WITH CAPERS, OLIVES AND LEMON



Tuna With Capers, Olives and Lemon image

This is not your mother's mayonnaise-laden tuna salad, but it's just as easy to prepare. Here's what you do: stir together some canned tuna, garlic, lemon juice, red onion, black olives, capers and fresh parsley, then spread it on buttered toast. Top it off with a round of ripe tomato or slivers of avocado and another slice of toast. That's it. If you want to make it into a dip, toss the mixture into a food processor with a few tablespoons of softened butter and a bit more olive oil. Purée until smooth and creamy and serve with carrots, fennel, bell pepper and seeded crackers. If you have a tin of sardines taunting you from inside your cabinet, we bet this recipe would work equally well with those.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     easy, lunch, quick, weekday, appetizer

Time 10m

Yield 4 sandwiches or 8 appetizer servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 garlic clove, finely minced
Juice of half a lemon, plus more to taste
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 4 more tablespoons if serving as dip
20 ounces canned tuna, preferably packed in olive oil, drained
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped black olives
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons minced parsley or basil
Salt to taste
Buttered toast, if serving as sandwiches
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, if serving as dip

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, mash garlic with the back of a spoon. Whisk in the lemon juice and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Combine with the tuna, onion, olives, capers, herbs and salt to taste.
  • Serve on buttered toast for sandwiches, or make into a dip: Pulse the tuna salad and butter in a food processor until it is creamy. With the motor of the processor running, slowly add the additional 4 tablespoons oil. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve with cut vegetables (fennel and bell peppers are nice) and crackers.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 273, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Fat 25 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 12 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 228 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Tips:

  • Select high-quality tuna: Opt for tuna packed in olive oil or water. Avoid tuna packed in vegetable oil or brine, as these options may contain lower-quality tuna and have a less desirable flavor.
  • Use fresh herbs: Fresh basil and lemon zest add a burst of flavor to this dish. If you don't have fresh herbs on hand, you can use dried herbs, but be sure to reduce the amount you use by about half.
  • Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but be sure to remove it from the heat a minute or two before it's fully cooked. This will prevent the pasta from becoming mushy.
  • Use a good quality olive oil: The olive oil you use in this dish will make a big difference in the flavor. Choose a high-quality extra virgin olive oil that has a fruity or peppery flavor.
  • Add some heat: If you like a little spice, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil to this dish.

Conclusion:

This penne with tuna, basil, and lemon is a quick and easy meal that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's light and flavorful, and it's sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a simple but delicious pasta dish, give this recipe a try.

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