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Lunch recipe · from the recipe book

Lemony Tuna Linguine with Tomato Basil

Flaky canned tuna folded into a bright, garlicky tomato-basil sauce with capers and lemon, clinging to tender linguine and finished with crunchy toasted breadcrumbs.

Lemony Tuna Linguine with Tomato Basil

Ingredients

  • 12⅔ cups3,000 gWater
  • 1 tsp6 gSalt
  • 12 oz340 gPasta, drylinguine
  • 2 tbsp30 gOlive oildivided
  • ¼ cup30 gPlain dry breadcrumbs
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicthinly sliced
  • ½ tsp1 gCrushed red pepper
  • 2 tbsp30 gTomato paste
  • 1¾ lb800 gDiced tomatoes, canned
  • 1½ tbsp15 gCapersroughly chopped
  • 14 oz400 gLight tuna, canned in water, drainedflaked
  • 2 tsp4 gLemon zest
  • 1½ tbsp20 gLemon juice
  • 1 cup leaves24 gFresh basiltorn
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper

Steps

  1. Prepare first: slice the garlic, chop the capers, flake the tuna, grate the lemon zest, measure the lemon juice, and tear the basil.
  2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the salt.
  3. Add the dry linguine pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package says, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the cooked linguine pasta and set it aside.
  4. Wipe the pot dry, set it over medium heat and add one-third of the olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Tip them into a small bowl.
  5. Add the remaining two-thirds of the olive oil to the pot. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the canned tomatoes and capers. Simmer, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
  7. Return the cooked linguine pasta to the pot with a splash of the reserved cooking water and toss for 2 minutes until the sauce coats it, adding more cooking water if it looks dry.
  8. Off the heat, gently fold in the tuna, lemon zest, lemon juice, half of the basil and the black pepper so the tuna stays in flakes.
  9. Serve topped with the toasted breadcrumbs and the remaining half of the basil.

Check labels: Dairy-free when you buy plain dry breadcrumbs made without milk.

Contains: Fish, Gluten. Some brands contain milk, egg, soy.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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