Easy Tuna Pasta Recipe Everyone Will Love!
This lightened up tuna pasta recipe is creamy and delicious without the guilt! Plus it uses one skillet so clean up is a breeze.
Are you craving a tuna pasta recipe that is tasty but light? Don’t you just love an easy family dinner that is crazy-simple to prepare, even crazier-simple to clean up, and lightens up a comforting, creamy, classic?
For me the answer to both these questions is yes, which is why this one-skillet, pretty quick, delicious creamy tuna pasta skillet is on regular rotation at my house.
Creamy Tuna Pasta
My favorite thing about this recipe is how creamy it is, despite the fact that it’s lighter in calories. It’s satisfying and also delicious. Here are a few more details!
Pasta to Use
I really love the Barilla White Fiber shells for this recipe – that’s because there’s so much fiber packed into one serving of the pasta (6 g). I’m 41 so I’m all about fiber these days! :0
Barilla pasta is my absolute favorite. I don’t get paid to say that, either. I just love the texture and the taste, and it never falls apart on me. It tastes very good “al dente,” which is how I like my pasta to be.
More on why it’s good for you: instead of using lots of heavy cream and cheese, this dish uses 1% milk and the absorption method – and a bit of light butter and cheese – to create a creamy sauce that’s lighter on fat and calories while still delicious and satisfying.
It takes less than 30 minutes to throw this together, making it a perfect weeknight meal.
Your family is going to love this tuna pasta recipe, and they won’t even know that anything is “missing” from it (like fat and calories!).
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. light butter
- 5-ounce can of high-quality albacore tuna in brine, drained
- ½ medium white onion, minced
- 8 ounces high fiber pasta shells
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup 1% milk
- 3 cups frozen peas
- 1/4 cup light jack cheese
- Salt and pepper
Serve, eat, enjoy!
The whole family is going to love this . . . I promise! Get the printable recipe card below.
Tuna Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Saute pan deep
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta shells
- 2 tsp light butter
- 5 oz high-quality tuna in brine 1 can, drained
- 1/2 white medium onion minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup 1% milk
- 3 cups peas frozen
- 1/4 cup light jack cheese
- 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice up an onion into small pieces.
- Heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until fragrant, then cook over low heat until translucent.
- Add the pasta, peas, vegetable broth, and milk to the pan with onions. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.
- Cook for 20 – 22 minutes, stirring regularly, until the pasta is fully cooked and the liquid has been absorbed to create a creamy sauce. If a little dry, add some more 1% milk.
- Stir in the light jack cheese until melted.
- Gently toss in the drained tuna, and stir until combined.
- Separate and add to bowls. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Video
Nutrition
For more delicious-ness, visit some additional recipes here:
The list says Parmesan, the instructions say light jack cheese. Which one should I use?
Sorry, it’s light jack!
I found this recipe when I was abroad during lent this year and didn’t have access to my usual ingredients and kitchen appliances and absolutely fell in love with it! It’s so easy and versatile, it’s so easy to modify – I’ve used different proteins, broths, milk, pastas, veggies, cheeses, etc. and all are great. My favorite includes penne, tuna, and mixed veg with a bit of extra cheese. It usually takes me a bit longer to cook than it says, but that could be due to the pasta I use. I could not recommend more, it’s definitely my favorite comfort meal.