Spaghetti with Tuna, Tomatoes, Capers, and Basil

I used lots of ground dried basil flowers bcz fresh basil is expensive. With a 1/2 hour soak in the mix it tasted nicely basilyt. This is a wonderful, quick weeknight recipe.

• Anonymous

• 80526

• 1/1/2022

Delicious and easy. I didn't add anchovies, but only because I didn't have any in the pantry.

• lemonchess

• gainesville, fl

• 2/5/2018

This was terrific, even with "meh" tomatoes!! Nothing with garlic, capers and anchovies can be bland in my book. Healthy, quick, and delicious -- a real crowd-pleaser!

• lccmalone

• Paris, France

• 10/30/2016

For those who say it's bland, are not using good quality tuna in oilive oil. I use the Italian brand Rio Mare, and just chuck in the whole can with the olive oil. I don't add any extra oil. And I use cherry tomatoes for more flavour. My kids like it without anchovies, I love anchovies. It's easy. It's pantry food (apart from the cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, which I always have anyway). And it's healthy. What more do you want?

• Nadine

• Brussels, Belgium

• 4/19/2013

This is one of only a few dishes in rotation at our house. It's fresh and balanced, and tasty enough to make you forget you're eating healthy food. The recipe is great as written, but can be modified depending on what's in your pantry. I usually double the tuna, and use anchovy paste if I don't have any anchovy fillets. Add some pesto if you don't have enough basil. You can also make the tuna-tomato mix ahead of time in order to make a really quick dinner.

• shirasawanum

• Morgantown, WV

• 11/1/2010

An absolute must when your garden is overflowing with ripe summer tomatoes (or the local market is...) I prefer the addition of 1 T good-quality balsamic vinegar,a minced green onion, and extra pepper and don't skimp on the anchovies :O)

• kateboyd

• 3/12/2009

Yummy weeknight meal. I doubled the garlic (crushed, rather than minced) and served with grated Parmesan.

• HudsonGal

• Seattle, WA

• 9/8/2008

I've made this dish many times and each time it turns out excellent. You can make it with or without the anchovies. Be sure to let the first 6 ingredients stand at room temperature for 1 hr. I didn't do that once and the pasta turned out bland.

• BonoChef

• Dublin, Ireland

• 8/26/2007

BLAND! I FOLLOWED OTHER REVIEWERS. I ADDED CHOPPED KALAMATA OLIVES, RED PEPPER FLAKES AND USED GRILLED FRESH AHI TUNA WITH TOP GRADE OLIVE OIL, AN EXTRA CLOVE OF GARLIC AND IT WAS STILL JUST OK. SOMETHING .MISSING, MAYBE IF THE TUNA WERE BLACKENED? MAYBE SOME LEMON ZEST? DON'T KNOW BUT WON'T MAKE IT AGAN.

• Anonymous

• SAN FRANCISCO

• 6/16/2007

I'm never too excited about tuna recipes, but I have a surplus, saw the great reviews, and gave this dish a try. Not only did it look beautiful in color with the fresh basil, tomatoes and capers, but it was delicious! I did use water packed tuna (fewer calories), I skipped the anchovies, put lots of extra garlic, and took the advice of a couple other reviewers by adding balsamic vinegar, mixing the basil into the tuna mix, and heating the mixture up for a minute before adding in the "penne" pasta. Really great, quick and easy!

• kimshink1

• Vista, CA

• 10/10/2006

This is our favorite meal when I don't feel like cooking. It goes together quickly and the flavor is out of this world. Serve it with a garden salad and you have a complete meal. We prefer to use penne pasta instead of the spaghetti.

• Anonymous

• Kansas City, MO

• 8/10/2006

Very delicious. A great weekday quick meal. I added peas, and shaved some parmesan on before serving.

• ascoli

• Minneapolis

• 4/3/2006

We love this easy dinner and so does my picky picky picky three year old! Easy to play around with, too. I've used chopped canned tomatoes too, and it is still pretty good. I disagree about having to use the Italian tuna-- the supermarket albacore (in water, drained) works great with some good EV olive oil. It's a great weeknight dish.

• Anonymous

• Dee in San Jose CA

• 1/5/2006

This dish was delicious although I did use fresh tuna, grilled, instead of canned and I'm sure this made a big difference. This dish is extremely flavorful and just as good leftover.

• susancooks2

• 9/20/2005

yummmm, this is super easy to prepare and so tasty. I prefer to gently cook all the ingredients together(except the basil) for 3-5 minutes to meld the flavors. Also good with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a grating of asiago cheese. This dish really needs the oil packed tuna, IMO, water pack tuna does not work in this dish.

• katerags

• Ann Arbor

• 11/22/2004