Switch Up Your Classic Pasta Puttanesca With Canned Tuna

Pasta puttanesca, or spaghetti alla puttanesca, is an Italian classic whose risqué origin story is a testament to its utterly irresistible appeal. Pasta puttanesca is a glorious medley of salty anchovies, garlic-laden tomato sauce, briny capers, and meaty olives. While this dish may feel complete, a small part of you might wonder if there's some way to bulk it out. A reliable addition that won't ruin the flavors is canned tuna.

The trusty pantry staple strikes again. Canned tuna can effortlessly be incorporated into a standard puttanesca sauce for a fishy burst that isn't overpowering. While classical puttanesca delivers bold flavors, this ingredient seamlessly complements everything else miraculously well without overshadowing the traditional aromas.

It is also a handy alternative if you're not particularly keen on anchovies. However, if you are a salt fiend, combine the two; the anchovies will elevate the fishy essence of the tuna and give the pasta a classically assertive taste. To the pantry!

Achieving the most flavorful puttanesca with tuna involves leaning on some handy tips. First, it's essential to think about your preferred consistency. Do you want thick chunks dotted throughout the sauce or flaky pieces blending into the tomatoes? Achieving either depends on when you place the canned tuna into the sauce. If added at the beginning, the tuna will moisten and break apart. However, if you add it toward the end, it will retain some of its shape.

Fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, or even premade marinara sauce can be used to build the foundation of your puttanesca. However, suppose you're worried that adding a can of tuna into the mix will diminish some of the rich, tomatoey flavors. Using passata instead of a mixture of tinned tomatoes and puree might be preferable, as it's less watery and will provide a bolder taste.

While puttanesca sauce is traditionally eaten with spaghetti, you'll commonly see it coating penne pieces, linguine strands, or other intriguing pasta shapes. When you introduce tuna to the puttanesca, it thickens. While you can choose any pasta you enjoy, many suggest hollow or curvy pasta as an ideal option for thick sauces; thinner pasta tends to complement simple oil or cream-based sauces.

While you may consider throwing any can of tuna into the puttanesca mix, this small decision does impact its taste and consistency. If you are using tuna canned in water, it's essential to drain the tuna water before adding it to the sauce; extra water may dilute some of those passionately intense flavors. Ideally, canned tuna in olive oil is recommended as the entire contents of the tin can be used. Olive oil blissfully melds with the other flavors. If you're feeling organized, you may even use the olive oil from the canned tuna to fry your ingredients at the start.

From there, consider how the different varieties of tuna will subtly impact the flavor of your puttanesca sauce. Albacore tuna has a milder flavor but a gloriously meaty texture, while yellowfin or skipjack have more pronounced flavors and a softer, delicate consistency. If you're leading the sauce with a tuna-anchovy combo, opt for an albacore tuna that harmoniously pairs with the more robust anchovy flavors. If you're not using anchovies, why not pick tuna with a little more punch?

Ultimately, if you're looking for ways to bulk out your puttanesca sauce, canned tuna is a fantastic place to start. Get cracking.