This Budget-Friendly Pantry Dinner Is Ready in 30 Minutes

It’s a pantry meal that’s bound to please.

By
Julia Levy
Julia Levy
Julia Levy
Julia Levy is a recipe developer and tester in the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She recieved her A.A. in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America in 2011 and her B.A. in Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University in 2013. Her journey in professional kitchens include working in several clean-eating kitchens,
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Published November 13, 2023
Julia Levy
Linguine with tuna and capers on a plate at a table setting with a bowl of parsley, a denim table napkin, salt and pepper shakers, and another plate of pasta

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

It’s six p.m. and you just got home from work. You’re starving. You pour yourself a glass of white wine and look in your pantry. You find a couple jars of tuna that you have left from that tuna salad kick you were on a few weeks ago, some pasta, a lonely shallot, and capers (always have a jar handy). You look at the white wine in your hands and think, “There can be some magic here.”

This pasta gives pasta aglio e olio vibes, mainly since that’s almost what it is, but with tuna. The basis of that recipe is to build flavor by cooking garlic in oil, using the oil in the tuna jar, and adding white wine. Then toss the pasta in the flavorful oil and starchy pasta water to coat it. Capers and white wine cut the richness of the oil by providing crucial acidity and, thus, balance. 

Linguine with tuna and capers on a plate at a table setting with a bowl of parsley, a denim table napkin, salt and pepper shakers, and a glass of water

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Go for Long Pasta, Not Short

Linguine is easily replaced by spaghetti, bucatini, or fettuccine in most aglio e olio recipes, including this one. It’s the length of the pasta that matters most here. Short pasta shapes do not usually work when the sauce is light and glossy. 

More Fast and Easy Pasta Recipes

5-Ingredient Linguine With Tuna and Capers

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings
Yield 6 cups

I love the Tonnino tuna in jars. If you can find them, use them here! You may need to add less olive oil to the recipe, as the jars have more oil in them than cans do.

I use shallots since they absorb the white wine so well, but you can use thinly sliced garlic instead.

If you don’t have white wine or avoid using it, look here for substitutes.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces uncooked linguine

  • 2 (5-ounce) cans solid tuna packed in oil 

  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

  • 1/4 cup drained capers

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving (optional)

Method

  1. Cook the pasta:

    Cook the linguine according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/3 cups cooking water. 

    Simple Tip!

    When boiling your pasta, put a 1-cup measuring cup by the colander. It will help remind you to snag some pasta water before you dump it all!

    Cooked pasta in a colander over a bowl for linguine with tuna and capers recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
  2. Make the sauce:

    Drain the oil from the tuna cans and reserve; set the tuna aside. Heat the tuna oil and extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the white wine and cracked pepper, and cook undisturbed, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the capers.

    Onions and capers cooking in white wine mixture in a pan for 5-ingredient linguine with tuna and capers recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
  3. Finish the pasta and serve:

    Reduce the heat to medium heat. Add the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, and salt. Toss and stir constantly to coat, about 2 minutes (add more pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time, if needed, for a creamy consistency).

    Remove the pan from the heat. Add the reserved tuna and gently toss to distribute. Divide evenly among serving bowls. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley, if using. 

    Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a review below!

    Pasta added to pan with the sauce ingredients for pasta with tuna and capers recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
    5-ingredient linguine with tuna and capers on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
383 Calories
21g Fat
31g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 383
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 376mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 250mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.