Add Canned Tuna To Your Alfredo Pasta For An Even More Filling Dish

Tuna salad is the obvious choice for canned tuna, using mayo as the creamy condiment to bind tuna with other crunchy aromatic ingredients. But Alfredo sauce is another creamy and flavorful vessel to incorporate canned tuna into a filling, well-rounded meal.

Alfredo sauce is cheesy, bold, and thick, complementing an umami-rich tuna. Chicken is a more well-known choice for an Alfredo sauce pairing, but canned seafood is often the secret weapon behind the most flavorful pasta dishes. Tasting Table staff have argued that some of the best ways to use canned tuna in pasta include butter and cream-based sauces like Alfredo sauce.

Since it's pre-cooked, canned tuna is an easy addition to Alfredo sauce, whether you're making it from scratch or buying your favorite store-bought brand. If you're using a scratch-made Alfredo sauce like this easy Alfredo sauce without a roux, you can add drained canned tuna after the spices and parmesan cheese. As the Alfredo sauce thickens, the canned tuna will disperse and bring even more heft to the sauce. For store-bought Alfredo sauce, warm the sauce in a saucepan, bringing it to a slow simmer. Then, add the tuna along with drained pasta to a saucepan, stirring to combine.

You can also make tuna casserole with jarred Alfredo sauce by stirring drained canned tuna into cold Alfredo sauce, followed by cooked and drained pasta. Once combined, pour the mixture into a baking dish, top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan, and bake.

Just as you can use canned tuna to upgrade a simple pasta Alfredo, you can also elevate the taste of your tuna Alfredo with the help of additional seasonings and vegetables. The richness of the sauce coupled with the robust umami flavor from canned tuna would benefit from a pop of tangy or even spicy tasting notes. Lemon zest and juice would bring an aromatic and tangy pairing to round out a tuna Alfredo. You can also add Dijon mustard, mustard powder, crushed red pepper flakes, or even a dash of hot sauce to the Alfredo for a bit of spicy heat. Stir in some capers for a pickled and floral element and a slightly crunchy textural contrast.

You can turn tuna Alfredo into a one-pot meal by adding frozen or canned veggies. Peas, broccoli, green beans, and asparagus are great options to provide a pop of green, texture, and savory vegetal flavors.

If you really want to elevate the flavor of your tuna Alfredo, swap water or brine-packed canned tuna for oil-packed canned tuna. Oil-packed canned tuna has a meatier chew and more depth of flavor. Plus, you can use the tasty tuna oil along with the butter as the base of your Alfredo sauce.