Spaghetti with Tuna, Capers & Lemons

Spaghetti with Tuna, Capers & Lemons

Happy New Year!

When you’re a food blogger, there’s a good chance you might have gotten some food related gifts for Christmas.

This year one of my kids put together a gourmet foods basket packed with delicious looking items that I might not have picked up for myself considering my tight budget.  

Included among the items was a jar of Tonnino Italian tuna with capers and garlic.  At almost $5.00 a jar I guess my son knew I’d never pick this up for myself.  I almost always cringe when I spend almost $3.00 for the canned Italian tuna I often buy.  And I just can’t bring myself to exceed that cost while raising a daughter on my own.  

It might sound weird but this tuna was one of the most enjoyable things I received this Christmas.

Yep!  I’m definitely a foodie.

This spaghetti dish, with its bold flavors, will wake up your senses for sure.  The recipe itself was a no-brainer as it was heavily inspired by what was already in the jar.  The addition of extra fresh ingredients as well as some lemon to add the bright acidity that tuna screams for, put this over the top.  

And if you’re unable to afford the jarred Tonnino tuna, after all the holidays spending, you can always use a good quality canned Italian tuna packed in olive oil.  I would however increase the garlic and capers slightly from the amounts I gave in the recipe if you choose that route.

Spaghetti with Tuna Capers and Lemon

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 (6.7oz) jar of Tonnino Tuna with capers and garlic
• 8 oz spaghetti (I used gluten free Barilla spaghetti)
• 1 tbsp capers
• 3 thin slices of lemon quartered
• 1 clove of garlic sliced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1-2  tbsp butter
• olive oil & additional red pepper to finish the dish if desired

Video Tutorial:

Instructions

1. Bring  a pot of salted water to boil, drop in the spaghetti and cook it 1-2 minutes shy of the package instructions.
2. Simultaneously while cooking the pasta, add the tuna with its oil to a medium-large skillet, over a medium heat then toss in the capers, lemon, garlic and red pepper flakes and break up the tuna as it all sautes together. 
3. As the garlic just starts to achieve the faintest hint of color, add a few spoons of the salted pasta water to slow down the sauteing process.
4. Continue to add the pasta water as necessary to maintain about ¼ cup of liquid in the bottom of the pan then just before the spaghetti is done stir in 1-2 tablespoons of butter into the tuna mixture. 
5. Add the cooked spaghetti being sure to reserve some pasta water encase the skillet looks dry as you toss everything together. 
6. Finish the dish with a drizzle of olive oil and additional red pepper flakes if desired then serve.