Storecupboard tuna, caper & olive spaghetti
A quick, pantry-friendly spaghetti with tinned tuna, capers and olives — ready in 25 minutes and packed with punch.
Short on fresh ingredients but still want something bold? This is your go-to: a pantry pasta that tastes like you spent longer in the kitchen than you did. Tinned tuna, capers and olives bring salt and umami, the lemon lifts it and Parmesan adds that finishing richness.
Perfect for midweek dinners or when you want to use up tins and storecupboard staples. Ready in under 30 minutes and entirely family-friendly (if they like tuna, that is).
Ingredients
- 320 g spaghetti
- 2 tinned tuna in olive oil — tins, drained
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes — one standard tin
- 30 ml olive oil
- 75 g black olives — pitted and sliced
- 30 g capers in brine — drained
- 3 garlic — large cloves, finely sliced
- 5 ml red chilli flakes
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml caster sugar — optional, balances the tomatoes
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 50 g grated Parmesan
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
Equipment
- large saucepan
- frying pan
- colander
- grater
Instructions
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil on a high heat. Add a generous pinch of sea salt, then add the spaghetti and cook uncovered until just al dente — follow the pack time but aim for 1–2 minutes less than the maximum.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red chilli flakes and gently fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and soft but not browned.
Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, dried oregano and caster sugar to the pan. Stir in the black olives and capers, then simmer gently for 6–8 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Meanwhile, open the tins of tinned tuna in olive oil, drain and flake the tuna with a fork into a bowl.
Add the flaked tuna to the sauce along with the lemon zest and about three quarters of the lemon juice. Warm through for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently so the tuna stays chunky.
Reserve about 100 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti in a colander. Return the drained spaghetti to the empty pan, add it to the sauce with a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss together over a low heat for 1 minute to marry the flavours.
Remove from the heat, stir in most of the grated Parmesan, then season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Divide between warm bowls and finish with the remaining Parmesan and an extra squeeze of lemon if you like.
Tips
- If you only have tuna in brine, use it but add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce for richness.
- Always reserve a little pasta water before draining — it’s the secret to a glossy, clingy sauce.
- If the sauce tastes too acidic, a small pinch of caster sugar will balance it without making it sweet.
- Make the sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days; stir through freshly cooked pasta to serve.
- To keep tuna in larger flakes, fold it through the sauce gently at the end rather than stirring vigorously.
Substitutions
tinned tuna in olive oil → tinned sardines in olive oil, drained and flaked
Noticeably differentspaghetti → penne or linguine, same weight
Stays closegrated Parmesan → Grana Padano or vegetarian hard cheese, same quantity
Stays closeblack olives → green olives, pitted and chopped
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 550
- Calories
- 36 g
- Protein
- 61 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use tuna in brine instead of tuna in olive oil?
Yes. Drain it well and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce to replace the lost richness.
How can I make this gluten-free?
Swap the spaghetti for a gluten-free pasta of the same weight — cook according to the pack instructions as timing varies.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes — cool and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Reheat gently on the hob and toss through freshly cooked pasta just before serving.
My sauce is too thin — how do I thicken it?
Simmer a little longer to reduce it, or toss the sauce with the pasta over low heat and add a splash more reserved pasta water; the starch will help thicken and bind it.
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