Spicy Tuna Pasta - is really easy and makes a light meal that tastes great any night of the week! It reheats nicely too!

I've had a different work schedule for several months, and it has been a challenge trying to make the new hours fit in with our lifestyle. I tried making meals on the weekend and eating leftovers all week, which left us with a lot of...well, leftovers. I don't know what we were eating, but it wasn't the leftovers!

Clearly that wasn't the answer! Then I came up with what I thought was truly genius! I prepped something during the day and Don did the cooking while I finished up at work! He did a fantastic job! That man can cook a steak like none other, and he learned how to roast chicken breasts to perfection! I was getting spoiled, but I could tell he wasn't into it quite as much as I. What a bummer! This girl could get used to being waited on every night! It was fun...while it lasted! 


I was pretty much giving up on finding a solution, when one afternoon before work I made a pasta dish, Spinach Artichoke Pasta to be exact, and it was soooo good. I mean serious deliciousness! We reheated it when I got off work and I think it tasted even better!! Thus began my quest to dream up creative and tasty carb laden dinners like Chicken Fajita Pasta, Creamy Pesto Spinach Pasta, Chicken Pot Pie Pasta, and even A Delicious Beef Stroganoff recipe! Pasta is so versatile and a great option when you have to make ahead and reheat later.

I've never been a fan of Tuna Noodle Casserole like Don, so I tried to make a version we could both eat. I thought he would complain this was 'girl food', but he says he liked it and he gobbled it up! He ate so much he was even too full for popcorn! That doesn't happen often!

Spicy Tuna Pasta Recipe

By Life Tastes Good
Published 03/28/2014

Ingredients

• 1 pound Cavatappi Pasta (the curly, swirly, spirally noodles)
• 1 cup peas, frozen
• 1/3 cup First Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 to 2 (5 ounce) cans white albacore tuna packed in olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup Paremsan Cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add 1 cup frozen peas to the boiling water about 1-2 minutes before the pasta is done. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water and then drain pasta/peas and set aside.
2. In the empty pasta pot heat 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to oil (reduce red pepper if you like less heat). Stir for about a minute and add in 1 to 2 cans good quality tuna packed in olive oil. Be sure to add the entire contents of the tuna - no need to drain. Break the tuna up into chunky pieces. I used 1 can and thought it was enough, but 2 wouldn't hurt if you like more protein in there.
3. Add the pasta back into the pot with about 1/2 cup pasta water and stir to combine.
4. Toss in 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon juice and stir gently to coat the pasta.
5. Toss in 1/4 cup chopped parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Enjoy!

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Prep Time: 20 mins.

Total time: 20 mins.