Name: Spaghetti Tuna Puttanesca
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Cuisine: Italian

Jule’s Menu Verified

January 28, 2026

This delicious Spaghetti alla Puttanesca combines the bold Mediterranean flavors of olives, capers, and anchovies with the hearty addition of tuna, creating a savory, protein-packed pasta that’s both satisfying and surprisingly healthy. Bright cherry tomatoes, a hint of balsamic, fresh parsley, and a touch of lemon add freshness and balance, making this Italian classic a flavorful and vibrant dish perfect for any occasion.

From the Cook

1/7

Spaghetti Tuna Puttanesca

Jule’s Menu Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 6 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Peel the garlic and shallots, finely dice the shallots, and slice the garlic thinly. Pit the olives and slice them into strips, wash and halve the tomatoes.

Wash the parsley thoroughly, shake or spin dry, and chop finely. Grate the cheese and set both aside.

Heat olive oil and shallots in a large, deep frying pan or wide pot and sauté with a generous pinch of salt. Meanwhile, bring a large pot or deep frying pan of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water, then add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

Once the shallots are translucent, add the garlic and sauté. After 30 seconds, add the olives and anchovies and sauté briefly. After another 30 seconds, add the halved tomatoes to the pan and sauté for about three to four minutes, until the tomatoes are nice and soft.

Add capers and deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar, let it reduce briefly, and then add about 80 to 100ml of pasta water. Simmer the sauce over medium heat.

One to two minutes before the end of the cooking time, use kitchen tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the pasta water to the sauce, add another 80ml of pasta water to the pasta sauce and stir well, let it simmer in the sauce for one minute.

Add the tuna, parsley, and cheese, stir well, and season with puttanesca seasoning, a few turns of freshly ground pepper, salt (if needed), and the juice of half a lemon. Add more pasta water if necessary.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Anchovy Umami Boost 🐟
Finely mince the anchovies and let them melt completely in hot olive oil to create a rich, deep flavor base without any fishiness.
Pasta Water Magic 💧
Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water before draining to help create a silky, clingy sauce that perfectly coats the spaghetti.
Capers Crushing Technique 🔪
Lightly crush capers before adding to release their briny flavor and ensure they distribute evenly throughout the dish.
Tuna Timing Trick 🕒
Add drained tuna at the very end of cooking to prevent it from becoming dry and to maintain its delicate texture.
Acid Balance Mastery 🍋
Finish the dish with a bright squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to cut through the richness and enhance overall flavor complexity.

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About the Cook

Jule’s Menu

Hi, I’m Julia, and I’m the recipe developer, photographer, and author behind Jules’ Menu. I’ve spent the last eight years perfecting healthy everyday recipes so they strike the perfect balance between healthy and nourishing, simple and practical, and gourmet-level delicious.