Pappardelle with tuna sauce recipe

Pappardelle with tuna sauce is so simple to make and it's ready in under half an hour. 

Cooking with tinned fish is one of our favourite budget food hacks, making this recipe one of our great cheap family meals. Pappardelle is often a little more expensive than more common types of pasta like spaghetti or penne, but it's a great partner to this sauce because the tuna and tomato really coat the wide lengths of the pasta. However, if you're on a budget, this will taste just as nice with any kind of pasta you choose to buy. You can even go for wholemeal pasta if you'd like a healthier choice. This recipe serves four and it's a real family favourite. 

Ingredients

• 4tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 500g ripe tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 198g can tuna in brine, drained
• 1 tbsp each green and black pitted olives, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 400g pappardelle
• Fresh chopped oregano or parsley to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion gently for about 5 mins. Add the garlic, tomatoes and oregano, cover and simmer gently for 10 mins.
2. Break up the tuna into small pieces and add to the tomatoes together with the olives, capers and seasoning.
3. Cook the pappardelle according to pack instructions.
4. Drain the pasta and divide between 4 bowls. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle with chopped oregano or parsley to serve.

Top tips for making pappardelle with tuna sauce

Capers are sold in brine or salt-packed. If using the salt-packed variety, rinse them under cold running water to decrease the saltiness before using.

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