This tuna carbonara recipe is one of the best twists on a classic. It's creamy, comforting, and full of flavorโa real winner! It's ready in about 15 minutes.
My son loves pasta carbonara. We all do, actually, but he is a fan. He asks me to cook the dish again and again; hardly a month goes by without it. And lately, there is this new recipe for tuna carbonara that makes him happy!
This pasta dish is good!!!!! Really good! Better than you might expect at first, I would say. My son is 12, an age when kids are not exactly keen on canned tuna or capers, but he absolutely adores this recipe.
Check out more of my kids' favorite pasta dishes: Cream Cheese Pasta and Spaghetti with Ground Turkey.
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What do you need?
- Pasta: I like spaghetti for any kind of carbonara sauce, but other pasta sorts are perfectly fine as well.
- Tuna: Canned, either in oil or in brine/water. I recommend using the brined fish to save some calories. Any heavy cream dish is calorie-laden, and you will not notice a huge difference in taste if you use brined fish.
- Try our Tuna Mac and Cheese Recipe or Tuna Pesto Pasta, too.
- Capers and anchovies: They add the extra zing to this dish; I would not leave them out. If you canโt stand anchovies at all, you could leave them out, but donโt omit the capers; you will miss their flavor and acidity.
- You will not taste the anchovies in the dish; you will not be able to say, โOh, thereโs the darn anchovy!โ They will only increase the flavor and depth of the dish without you even noticing that they are there.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make carbonara with tuna?
- Step #1: Cook the pasta.
- Step #2: While the water cooks, prepare the sauce. Very finely chop the capers and anchovies. Place them in a bowl.
- Step #3: Pour in the heavy cream, and add the eggs, salt, pepper, and oregano. Whisk well. Add Parmesan.
- Step #4: Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Flake drained tuna and turn on the hob again on low heat. Pour the egg mixture on top and stir very quickly to combine everything for 30 โ 40 seconds. Remove.
- Step #5: Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Tips
To save time, fill the pot with really hot water from the tap or boil the water in a kettle first, then pour it into the pot.
Keep the heat on very low when mixing the pasta with the egg mixture. If the temperature is too high or if you keep the pot on the hob for too long, the eggs will scramble. Only keep the pot on the heat for as long as it takes for the eggs to coat the pasta and become creamy, one minute at most.
How to store and reheat?
Tuna carbonara is best served immediately. However, leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Add a splash of milk to the pot and reheat on low heat, stirring often.
What to serve with it?
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๐ Recipe
Creamy Tuna Carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 2 cans tuna in water/brine each about 4.5 oz/ 130 g, Note
- 3 teaspoons capers
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan freshly grated + more to serve
- ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs parsley, chives, basil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Set the water for the pasta. Once the pasta water is cooking, add salt generously. Cook the spaghetti according to the packetโs instructions. While the water cooks, prepare the rest. 1 lb spaghetti/ 450 g
- Prepare the ingredients for the sauce: Chop the capers and anchovies very finely. Place them in a bowl, pour in the heavy cream, and add the eggs, salt, pepper, and oregano. Whisk well.3 teaspoons capers 4 anchovy fillets + 1 teaspoon dried oregano + 1 cup heavy cream/ 250 ml + 2 large eggs + ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt + 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Grate the Parmesan and add it to the bowl. Stir again. Set aside.2 tablespoons Parmesan
- Drain the cooked pasta and return it to the empty pot.
- Add tuna: Flake the drained tuna on top.2 cans tuna in water/brine
- Heat the pasta dish: Turn on the hob again on low heat. Pour the egg mixture on top and stir very quickly to combine everything for 30 โ 40 seconds, until the sauce is creamy and the pasta is coated with it. Do it very shortly and on low heat, or the eggs might scramble.
- Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and serve immediately with more grated Parmesan if desired.2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
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