Any vegetable, together with pasta and tuna, makes it such an easy and quick meal to prepare whenever you have depleted your stocks. Canned tuna recipe skeptics – you have to read this; it's high time to trust our instincts! This really is seriously delicious, very frugal and incredibly swift which means that it takes a mere 15 minutes from start to finish.

Yes indeed – yes – canned tuna can be downright delicious!

I can't really imagine the words "tasty meal" and "canned tuna" together in the same context. Reminiscences of low wage bare surviving university times and low calorie diets, rushed tuna and rice meals, tasteless tuna salads, tunnel Tuna sandwiches soaked in mayo.

Still, you can prepare canned tuna to be enjoyable!!! A few moments of consideration, some ideas on how to accomplish the task, a tiny amount of work and a whole lot of enthusiasm for there being a delicious meal waiting for you at the end.

Today's reward in question? Tuna pasta. Squeezed lemon juice, few drops of capers and dressing it up with the tuna's own oil. You never thought that a canned tuna pasta can be so tasty!!!

Isolation and identification of ingredients that are found in canned tuna pasta

No capers? Chop pickles instead. No lemon? Add a dash of vinegar. No anchovies? Still worth making! By using the oil from the cans of tuna, we get a really good (free) flavour boost. Just a little bit of anchovies will enhance it even more!

• Canned tuna: Tuna in oil is the go here! From the can of tuna we take the oil to fry the garlic until it turns golden brown in color. No tuna in oil? It's ok! It is done so simply; just replace the olive oil for the liquid and pour the contents of the can of tuna onto the sauce.
• Anchovies: Yes, anchovies – in everything! Ground first then cooked in oil until tender and the taste of fish is gone and all you get is a burst of delicious flavours in that dish.
• Capers: For that sour zing to the recipe! I like to use baby capers. If all you have are large ones, it's best to tear them into even larger pieces, a rough chop would do.
• Lemon: For sour to make it juicy and zest to make lemon flavor. It really does lift the dish so I hope you have it!
• Garlic, crushed; Paprika; Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes: Basic stuff for a hint of warm. This isn't a spicy pasta.
• Parsley: For freshness. Not critical.

How to make canned tuna pasta

1. Start setting the pasta boiling then move to preparing the ingredients for the sauce.
2. Boil pasta in salted water according the packet instruction but for 1 minute less.
3. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water right before draining the pasta.
4. Squeeze all the remaining oil inside the tuna can(s) and place the pot back on the stove with medium heat on.
5. First brown the garlic for one minute followed by the anchovies and chilli flakes.
6. Add the pasta, capers and 1/3 cup of reserved pasta water. Turn with two spatulas for 2 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat. Stir in tuna, parsley, lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Stir it carefully while it is cooking to prevent the tuna from breaking into many small pieces that are very fine.

TIP: Not all can tuna is created equal. A tin of quality canned tuna steep will cost more than home brand canola oil and cost a fraction of a decent fruity olive oil. But also, ever simple – premium canned tuna on crusty breads with the oil from the can poured over it is such a delight. I hope you try it one day. 🙂