Pasta With Garlic, Lemon, Capers, and Tuna

May 29 2022

This quick and easy and delicious recipe for pasta with oil-packed tuna, garlic, white wine, capers, and lemon is the perfect weeknight meal.

Ingredients

3
tablespoons olive oil
3
teaspoons finely minced garlic (about 3 cloves), divided
½
teaspoon dried red chile pepper flakes (or 1 small, dried red peperoncino, crushed with your fingers)
3
tablespoons salt-packed capers (soaked in water for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinsed thoroughly a few times to remove excess salt)
½
cup dry white wine
2
(6-ounces each) cans extra-virgin-olive-oil-packed yellowfin tuna (drained)
Fine sea salt to taste
¼
cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (chopped)
1
teaspoon lemon zest (grated)
3
tablespoons unsalted butter (broken into several pieces)
1
pound short pasta (cooked to al dente and drained, 1/4 cup of the cooking water reserved)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step 1
In a skillet large enough to hold the pasta, heat the oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the garlic, the red chile pepper flakes, and capers over medium heat until fragrant (but not browned), about 1 minute.
Step 2
Add the wine and bring to barely a simmer; cook for 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the tuna and salt to taste and sauté over low heat for 1 minute.
Step 4
Toss the tuna-caper mixture with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic, the parsley, lemon zest, butter, cooked pasta, and as much of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to form a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.