Sicilian Tuna and Anchovy Pasta

This Sicilian tuna pasta couldn’t be easier or more delicious. It’s all about the right ingredients—garlic, anchovies, capers, and tuna—coming together for a quick and delicious meal.

This simple Italian recipe is one of my go-to recipes when I need to prepare something quick and delicious without using a lot of ingredients.

You will get surprised by how easy this recipe is and what taste you will get on your plate.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Why you will love this recipe?

• It is a classic Italian pasta recipe that you can put on the table in under 15 minutes.
• You can make it from ingredients that we usually keep in the pantry. So this recipe is a lifesaver when your refrigerator is empty, but you need to prepare something simple, quick, and delicious.
• The ingredients are easy to find and not expensive, but you will be surprised by the taste you will get in the end.

What type of tuna should I use?

I used canned tuna preserved in oil because I had it under my hands, but you can also opt for tuna preserved in its own juice. If you opt for the second variant, add an extra tablespoon of oil.

What type of pasta should I use?

You can use any type of pasta you have at home. I prefer linguini or spaghetti.

Quick Note: I would not advise you to use pasta with eggs. Because these types of pasta do not go well with fish sauces.

Tips for making a better tuna pasta

• If you want to get a more flavorful taste, remove the pasta 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package, and these 2 minutes, prepare the pasta in the sauce you have prepared. By doing that, the pasta will get a more intense taste.
• Be careful not to boil the pasta too much because it will become sticky, and the Sicilian pasta will lose all its charm. It is best to prepare them “al dente.”
• Use a minimum of 34 fl. oz (1 liter) of water and a teaspoon of salt for every 3 ½ oz. (100 grams) of pasta.
• Be careful not to burn the garlic and hot peppers because they will give a bitter taste to your food.
• Even if you are not a fan of anchovies, I will recommend not exclude it this ingredient completely because during the preparation, it melts, but it will give an extra taste to the food that will be incomparable.
• You can also add to the recipe zucchini and broccoli. They fit perfectly in this recipe, and you will get extra nutrients into your plate.

Ingredients Needed for The Sicilian Tuna Pasta?

• 7 oz. (200 grams) of Pasta.
• 3 ½ oz. (100 grams) of Canned Tuna.
• 2 tablespoons of finely Chopped Parsley
• Lemon zest from one lemon
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of capers
• Chili Peppers to taste
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 3 fillets of Anchovies
• Salt & pepper to your taste.

Ingredients Swap:

• Chili pepper. You can replace it with dried chili flakes.
• Pasta. I used linguini pasta, but you can replace them with any other shape you prefer.
• Capers. If you can’t find capers, you can replace them with olives.
• Parsley. I consider this one of the cases in which parsley cannot be replaced with other aromatic herbs. If you don’t have parsley, then you better avoid it altogether.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

For two servings of this Sicilian-style tuna pasta, here’s how I do it:

First, I fill a large saucepan with about 9 cups (2 liters) of water and bring it to a boil.

Once it’s boiling, I toss in a tablespoon of salt and drop the pasta in. I always check the pasta package to see exactly how long it should cook.

While the pasta’s doing its thing, I grab a frying pan and heat up 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Then I add 2-3 anchovy fillets, some garlic cloves, a tablespoon of salted capers, and a bit of hot pepper (dried chili flakes work great, too).

I fry everything just until the garlic smells awesome—careful not to let it burn though, or it’ll taste bitter.

Next, I throw in the tuna and some lemon zest, give it a good stir, and take it off the heat.

Back to the pasta, once it’s al dente (just follow the box’s timing), I scoop it out and add it to the frying pan with all the other ingredients.

I pour in about ¼ – ⅓ cup of the pasta water to get the sauce to the consistency I like.

A few drops of lemon juice go in next, just to brighten everything up.

Finally, I sprinkle some finely chopped parsley over the pasta, mix it all up, and it’s ready to serve.

Simple, quick, and delicious! Enjoy!

😻 Other Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy

• 4 Ingredient Zucchini And Tomato Pasta
• 4 Ingredient Eggplant Pasta (Pasta Alla Norma)
• One-Pot Pepperoni Pasta
• Pasta With Prawns And Spinach (5 Ingredients)
• Creamy 4 Ingredient Carbonara Pasta

Answering Your Questions:

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