This Creamy Tuna Pasta twirls hot fettuccine and sweet peas through a velvety garlic-Parmesan sauce, finishing with lemony olive-oil tuna for instant comfort.
Family Favorite
A Can Of Tuna Never Tasted So Good!
As soon as the weather cools, I reach for comfort food: soups, stews, a pot roast, and my personal favorite, Creamy Tuna Pasta.
Growing up, Mom loved creamy tuna over rice and it was always a hit. My twist swaps the rice for pasta.
This Creamy Tuna Pasta comes together fast. Hot noodles and peas mingle in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream, then get topped with flaky tuna and a bright squeeze of lemon. Hearty, simple, and full of flavor—it’s bound to become a family staple.
Creamy Tuna Pasta Ingredients
- Pasta: Use fettuccine or linguine (about 6 oz). These noodles hold sauce well.
- Canned tuna: Tuna packed in olive oil gives the best flavor and smooth texture.
- Frozen peas: Toss them in straight from the freezer for color and some veggies.
- Butter, onion, garlic: Cook these together until soft and golden for great flavor.
- Chicken broth & cream: Broth adds flavor, and cream makes the sauce thick and rich.
- Parmesan: Grate your own cheese—it melts better than the bagged kind.
- Seasonings: A mix of mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Finish it off: Stir in Dijon, lemon juice, and some chopped parsley at the end.
How To Make Creamy Tuna Pasta Tips
- Cook pasta al dente so it doesn’t turn mushy when mixed with the sauce.
- Salt the pasta water well since it’s your only chance to flavor the noodles.
- Don’t rinse the pasta after draining because the starch helps the sauce stick.
- Save 1 cup of pasta water before draining to thin the sauce if needed.
- Sauté onion and garlic until golden but not burnt for the best flavor.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan because pre-grated can make the sauce too salty.
- Gently stir in tuna and keep some bigger pieces for texture.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Mushroom Boost: Brown sliced mushrooms first, then follow the recipe.
- Spinach Sneak: Stir in two handfuls of baby spinach just before adding tuna.
- Spicy Kick: Sauté a pinch of red-pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Crunch Factor: Top each bowl with crushed crackers or chips.
What To Serve With Creamy Tuna Pasta
Salad: A crisp garden, Italian, or Caesar salad adds freshness.
Bread: Garlic bread, baguette, or cheesy bread is great for soaking up sauce.
Veggies: Try steamed or roasted broccoli, asparagus, or green beans.
Dessert: Mango sorbet or tiramisu keeps things light and sweet.
Storage
As with most pasta dishes, this recipe is best enjoyed the minute everything is tossed together. When reheating, you’ll likely need to add a splash more chicken broth to thin the sauce again. This dish doesn’t freeze/thaw particularly well.
More Seafood Favorites:
Salads With Meat
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Dinner
Honey Garlic Shrimp
Lunch
Tuna Salad Wrap
Dinner
Shrimp Tacos
Creamy Tuna Pasta
Creamy Tuna Pasta comes together fast with fettuccine, sweet peas, and a rich, garlicky Parmesan sauce. Topped with olive oil-packed tuna and a fresh squeeze of lemon, it’s an easy, comforting meal the whole family will love!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces fettuccine or linguine, not the whole box, see note 1
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup minced onion 1 small onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 3 cloves
- 1 cup chicken broth divided, see note 2
- 3/4 cup heavy cream see note 3
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese see note 4
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 (4 to 5-ounce) cans tuna in olive oil drained, see note 5
- 1/2 up to 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard optional
- 1 lemon optional
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley optional
Instructions
- Bring 12 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, stir in 1 tbsp fine sea salt and add the pasta. Cook for 1 minute less than the lowest time indicated on the package. When the timer rings, add the peas and continue to boil for 1 more minute. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and peas.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the onion and garlic. Cook until golden, around 3–5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and stir, scraping the skillet. Allow it to simmer rapidly until most of the broth has evaporated.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup of broth, cream, Parmesan, seasonings, and Dijon mustard if using (start with less; add more if desired). Season to taste (hold off on the salt and add 1/4 tsp pepper). Stir to dissolve the Parmesan and allow it to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the drained pasta and peas. Toss, using tongs, for 1–2 minutes or until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta nicely. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water. Once sauce clings nicely to pasta, add the tuna and some finely chopped parsley if desired (I add 2 tbsp). Gently stir to combine, trying to keep the flakes of tuna intact if possible. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt if needed.
- Add pasta to plates topped with additional parsley if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy promptly.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: We’re using just 6 ounces of pasta—if you’ve got a food scale, it’s a great tool for nailing the perfect amount.
Note 2: Chicken broth contributes a depth of flavor to the sauce. Opt for a quality brand for a richer, more robust flavor—I’m a fan of Swanson’s! If you’re worried about saltiness, use low-sodium, then add any extra salt as needed.
Note 3: Heavy cream is the key ingredient that lends the sauce its creamy texture. Other milks simply won’t thicken the same way.
Note 4: Grab a block of Parmesan cheese, grate it on the small holes of a cheese grater, and gently pack it into a measuring cup. Avoid jarred Parmesan—it’s too salty and will overpower the flavor!
Note 5: Tuna packed in olive oil is richer and has a fresher flavor. My favorite is Genova’s® albacore tuna. There is a lot of tuna in this dish (just how I like it!). If you’d prefer less, reduce according to preference.
Storage: As with most pasta dishes, this recipe is best enjoyed immediately. When reheating, you’ll likely need to add a splash more chicken broth to thin the sauce. This dish doesn’t freeze well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 728kcal | Carbohydrates: 54.1g | Protein: 46.2g | Fat: 35.6g | Cholesterol: 109.3mg | Sodium: 569.7mg | Fiber: 4.3g | Sugar: 6.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So happy to have discovered this!!! Couldn’t believe how yummy it was for being so quick and easy to make. Turned out AMAZING and my husband couldn’t stop saying how good it was. I agree :). Will definitely add this to the rotation.
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for the comment and review Sarah 🙂
Oh no!! So sad to hear you didn’t enjoy the Dijon in this; sorry Katie! We love it with it, but sad it ruined it for you!
This was absolutely delicious! It was my 8-yr-olds night to make dinner.
My son now calls this ‘his dinner special’ and requests to make it weekly.
Tonight I decided to try another tuna last and man do I regret it. I’m making sure to bookmark this so I don’t lose it again.
Awe this made my day!! Thanks so much for the comment Amy! I’m thrilled your son loves this dinner! 🙂 Thank you!
Super easy. I followed the recipe completely (except I halved) and I would say there was plenty for two people for a nice lunch. I loved the flavor the Dijon Mustard added. This will be great to make ahead this fall before returning to the classroom for a great “on-the-go” teacher lunch! Thanks for sharing!
Ahh I’m soo happy you enjoyed this!! Thanks so much for your comment and thanks for being a teacher (you guys don’t get enough appreciation for all you do!)
Delicious. I had to leave out the mustard since my husband doesn’t like it. It was still amazing. I’ll have to add some mustard to my own serving.
My only question: Can this be frozen? We are only two people and a pound of pasta could give me three meals : )
In my experience, pasta never freezes and reheats very well so I don’t think this would be a great dish to freeze. That said, I haven’t personally tried freezing this dish; wish I could be of more help!
For a non-dairy choice, oat milk is a good substitute and tasted great.
This was great!!! Made it for a family gathering and it was devoured.
I’m so glad to hear you guys enjoyed this! Thanks! 🙂
Very simple and delicious dish! Thanks for the recipe ?
You are welcome! Glad it was enjoyed 🙂
I made this, and it was great!
Thanks so much for the comment Megan! Glad you enjoyed this dish 🙂
hey girl- this looks so yummy!