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Creamy Tuna Mushroom Pasta

Creamy Tuna Mushroom Pasta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 3 to 4 servings 1x

Description

This creamy tuna mushroom pasta recipe is tossed with the coziest lemon garlic cream sauce and easy to make in just 30 minutes. Feel free to double the batch if you would like to use a full pound of pasta.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used farfalle)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 16 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh rosemary*
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (optional*)
  • 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 small lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
  • 2 (5-ounce) cans of canned tuna, drained
  • fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta al dente. Cook pasta in a large stockpot of generously-salted water until it is just 1 minute shy of al dente. (For ideal timing, I recommend adding the pasta to the boiling water after the mushrooms have been sautéing for 3 minutes, as indicated below.) Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water for later, then drain the pasta.
  2. Sauté the mushrooms. Meanwhile as the pasta water heats, melt the butter in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so, until browned. Add the garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Put it all together. Add the heavy whipping cream, Parmesan, lemon juice and zest, and 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water to the mushrooms and stir until combined. Add the baby spinach and canned tuna, followed by the pasta, and toss gently until the spinach begins to wilt.
  4. Season. If the pasta seems at all dry, add another 1/4 cup of starchy pasta water as needed. (Or you are welcome to add extra cream too.) Give the pasta a taste and season with salt and/or pepper as needed.
  5. Serve. Serve warm, garnished with extra Parmesan and freshly-cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

Notes

Rosemary: I always love the flavor of rosemary paired with mushrooms. But feel free to use whatever favorite Italian herbs you love best (amounts adjusted as needed).

Heavy whipping cream: If you would like to lighten this dish up, you’re welcome to skip the cream and add in some extra lemon juice and Parmesan (plus extra starchy pasta water, as needed) to make this a simple lemony pasta.

Canned tuna: I also recommend purchasing good-quality canned tuna packed in olive oil.