I always have some tins of tuna in the cupboard. They are perfect for those last minute dinners or if you are cooking for one. If I am cooking for just myself and don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen then I will often make some tuna and sweetcorn to stuff inside a baked potato. It did however take me some time to start eating tins of tuna again after finishing University. While I don’t actually find tins of tuna particularly cheap to buy, for some reason this was more or less all I ate as a student. I think it must have been because it doesn’t really involve any cooking! All I would have to do is boil up some pasta, drain then stir in chunks of tuna.
It also keeps forever which as a student I believe is key. I mean really, what student is going to honestly buy a whole weeks worth of fresh produce and commit to cooking it without letting any last minute lunchtime pub sessions, pre-drinks at a friends or a catch up shopping trip get in the way? And actually this is still an important point for me now. I do make meal plans and shopping lists but I purposely don’t cater for every single day or meal of the week. I like to be available for last minute plans but not having loads of food waste at the end of the week. It is why the weeks that this Tuna Chilli Spaghetti falls on the menu often results in this recipe being pushed back to the next week – because most if it just keeps in the cupboard! And that is what makes this one of my go-to dishes.
- 2 tins tuna (drained)
- Spaghetti (enough per serving)
- Half a jar of sun-dried tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- Small bunch fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- Salt/ pepper
- Olive oil
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
- Heat a dash of olive oil in a large frying pan. On a gentle heat add the garlic and lightly fry until golden. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes and then the tuna. Pour in the lemon juice and add another dash of olive oil.
- Drain the pasta. Add to the pan with the tuna. Add the parsley and season the whole pan with salt and pepper. Add a good glug of olive oil (don't hold back, this will stop the dish from being dry) and then mix the spaghetti with the tuna so that everything is properly and evenly mixed together. Serve right away.
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