Zuni's Pasta with Preserved Tuna

Delicious! I love lemon so I drizzled a finish of meyer lemon olive oil for an extra punch. Additionally I used the organic lemon torchiette pasta from Trader Joe's. It was an unexpectedly-can't-go-to-the-grocery-store weeknight dinner, and it was perfect.

This is my “go to” pantry pasta….it never disappoints. I sometimes add more of the aromatics cuz we love spice but it is wonderful as is.

This is a stellar recipe, much greater than the sun if it’s parts. That being said, I have made this countless times and have never used the pine nuts, at this point I think it would ruin what has become a go to favorite for our family

This is my desert island meal. It's perfect as is, although I usually throw in a handful of Nicoise olives.

So good. I added spinach and
Roasted Panko. Perfect additions.

Oh my goodness. So simple. So good. I've used the base of oil, garlic, fennel, bay, lemon zest for all manner of pasta dishes (sweet red peppers and onions for a start). I go back to this time and time again. Thank you!

This was an excellent dish. I looked at this dish and a recipe from the cookbook Urban Italian (which was more salad-like). I opted for this version but threw in a cup of halved cherry tomatoes for more brightness. Skipped the preserved lemon but added a small handful of chopped Italian parsley at the end. I used my A's Do Mar tuna (from Amazon) - it's super high quality but the price has doubled since my order in January.

Just made this with some short pasta I got from Trader Joe's. I mostly followed the recipe including the preserved lemon (which I just made last week) but excluded the pine nuts since I didn't have any. It's really good, even my 5 year old liked it and she's such a picky eater right now. Use a high quality tuna here. Mine was a souvenir gift from my brother's last vacation in Portugal.

Just made this with some short pasta I got from Trader Joe's. I mostly followed the recipe including the preserved lemon (which I just made last week) but excluded the pine nuts since I didn't have any. It's really good, even my 5 year old liked it and she's such a picky eater right now. Use a high quality tuna here. Mine was a souvenir gift from my brother's last vacation in Portugal.

This was damn good. I made with spaghetti, it was all I had. Also I couldn’t find preserved lemons (Amazon, you’ll be hearing from me). I halved the recipe as it was just for me and I still have a late night snack left. Delicious.

I was so excited to make this—the flavors looked amazing! Unfortunately, I used angel hair pasta (my favorite) and it was really dry—so dry that I even wondered whether I had used half the recommended amount of oil by mistake. The flavors were totally lost. Can anyone shed some light on what might have happened?

I wonder if someone can give me more tips on the preserved lemons. I have never bought them. Does anyone have a favorite store brand in the US? Someone mentioned some are sweet, and some are not? So I am confused, but would love to try them. I can't wait to try this recipe!

The tuna in the video appears to be Tonnino which comes in various flavors and is available nowadays at Whole Foods and other grocery store. I’d use some of whatever oil is in the jar for some of the oil in the recipe.

Do I drain the oil off the tuna, or toss it all in, oil and all?

This is my go to pantry meal. Winter or summer. Often with some broccoli blanched in the last minute of pasta cooking. Love it.

I used the infused oil part of this to inform a variation I made last night with a tin of mackerel and fresh pappardelle, with chopped green olives and balsamic-marinated baby cippollinis in place of the capers (which I don't like). My preserved lemons had turned, so I used the zest of a large lemon and squeezed fresh lemon on top when serving. Incredible flavors! The spices and warming steps are going into my own recipe now - thanks! :)

I skipped the bay leaf and lemon zest for lack of it, as well as the chili and pepper for the sake of the kids, and subbed the pine with hazelnuts. Still a winner.

My 5yo when I told her we were having pasta and tuna: "I don't like tuna". My 5yo after she'd had a bite, because I always insist they give each dish a chance before dismissing it: "I still don't like tuna. But you can put some of that in my plate". Made an effort to not lol, she could've changed her mind... :)

I used whole wheat shells and three cans of tuna in olive oil (15 oz. total). The tuna was three different brands: the Trader Joe's looked the best and the Cento looked the worst. I had barely enough lemon zest, but I did have preserved lemons, so that worked out. It was delicious both warm, and later that evening (he said guiltily) cold. I can't wait to make it for guests!

This was so damn good. The flavor profile is so much more complex than I imagined. I made a few small changes: no black pepper, I added 3 diced black kalamata olives, I used chopped caper berries because I had no capers, and subbed walnuts for the pine nuts. Really lovely. I thought it had an almost traditional Chinese flavor - I'm guessing because of the fennel seeds.

This was excellent, everything went so well together.
I did add an anchovy as somebody suggested and used less oil. Also I didn't have pine nuts, so I used sliced almonds. It was delicious, will definitely make it again.

Holy smokes, this is good. A perfect weeknight meal, plus tomorrow's lunch. I didn't change a thing.

this dish sounds great, however i do not have tuna (and don't really like it) i have canned salmon. would that work in place of tuna?

This was brilliant. Honestly. I didn't add anything (which I ALWAYS do). This was so incredibly delicious as is. Having said that, melting an anchovy or two in the oil would probably add EVEN more of an umami element. Not that this dish really needs it, but still.
While I didn't add anthing, I made some slight changes in quantity:
1. I upped the fennel seeds a bit to somewhere between half a teaspoon and a whole one (I don't really measure spices, just shake the jar until it looks like an amount I'm happy with. This tends to be rather a lot).
2. I used the rind of half a preserved lemon (which was probably more than a tablespoon).
3. I used 1/3 cup oil. Cause we all love olive oil but... I dunno. Just letting the oil-weary know that it was delicious with less oil, too.
THANK YOU for this recipe.

This was so good my husband, who hates tuna, loved it.

SO GOOD and so simple. Will certainly become a staple now that I have preserved lemons on hand (I feel they really add to the flavor complexity). Also, makes a great tuna salad - add chopped onions and a tiny bit of good mayo, served on toast or lettuce.

This was very good and so simple. I can't wait to try it again with preserved lemon.

This was an excellent recipe! My very picky almost-4-year-old even liked it. I used tuna that was in water, and will definitely use the oil packed tuna the next go round. The preserved lemon was very much worth it, nicely rounded out the flavors.

fantastic delicious amazing! it's gonna be a staple in our house from now on - thank you for posting this genius recipe. and i also loved that i could infuse the olive oil and then come back to it after an unexpected pause before going on to making the pasta, tossing in the tuna/capers/pine nuts, and blending it all at the table... it's nice to have something so tasty and so flexible...

I made this tonight and it was good, but was I supposed to drain the canned tuna or use the tuna from that for the 1/2 cup at the start?

Delicious and addictive. Added chopped kalamata olives. Couldn't wait to have it again the next day. I can my own albacore tuna, which makes this over the top great. Good enough for company.

Great recipe for canned tuna - delicious!

To quote my husband, "this is an over-the-top wonderful recipe." I subbed in chopped green olives, as I didn't have enough capers on hand. Thanks to all who vouched for the preserved lemon. It was the first time I've cooked with it, and it won't be the last.

Delicious and easy. I had everything I needed in my pantry. The leftover tuna was even better the next day.

Can you make this dish with spaghetti squash rather than pasta?

This was great! We just got back from being out of town for a week and had all the ingredients for this recipe without having to go to the store. It was our favorite "pantry bottom special" ever. Thanks for the great recipe. We used the fancy jarred tuna in water and it was fantastic.

Delightfully presented, thank you. I especially enjoy the opportunity to infuse and nudge.
Hadn't previously thought of putting in a bay leaf, which is odd since I'm from New Orleans and it is often used especially in seafood dishes. Grows well there too.

This sounds so delicious and easy - perfect "kid-raising" food. I'm going to give it a try. Nicholas, I enjoy your writing and sense of humor so much - the article that included this recipe had me in stitches!

don't want to seem ignorant but what is preserved lemon??

I too really enjoyed reading Cynthia in Puglia's descriptions.
I added a packed tablespoon of finely chopped simple sundried tomatoes and it was wonderful.

What is preserved lemon (or is it reserved lemon??)...

I live in the South of Italy (Puglia) where this dish, and other simple but luscious fare, is a staple in all households. The ingredients change according to taste and what you happen to find in your pantry that day with the exception of the tuna, it simply must be in extra virgin olive oil and the pasta of choice is spaghetti. Every family has their own version, ours is: tuna, small black olives preserved in oil (taggiasca variety), salted capers (rinsed), lemon zest and juice, hot peppers, pink peppercorns (in brine), EVO all of which is combined at room temp while the pasta is cooking and then mixed along with a little of the cooking water saved from the pasta. This dish never fails to be a huge hit especially to those that initially turn their noses up when you offer them tunafish pasta and end up cleaning out the bowl with a slice of crusty bread.

This looks awesome! I make a similar dish with grainy mustard. Going to try this one soon.

Does it matter if I use tuna packed in water (I prefer the taste)?

Either way, it looks awesomely delicious!

I think the recipe title meant to say "preserved lemon"....

how much olive oil? from the tuna? thanks, nt