A quick and easy midweek pasta with tuna and spinach in a rich tomato sauce. It’s a comforting, family-friendly meal that comes together in just 30 minutes.
This pasta dish is full of flavor, protein, and iron from the tuna and spinach, making it both nourishing and satisfying. It’s made without any cream or butter, so it’s a great option for little ones with dairy allergies.
I start by making the sauce in one pot, and while it cooks, I bring water to a boil and cook the pasta. This way, you can have a delicious meal ready in just 30 minutes.
If you’re making this for little ones under 12 months, simply leave out the salt and add it to your own plate after serving. I also recommend using short pasta, like fusilli or penne, as it’s easier for little hands to hold and less messy.
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👩🏻🍳 Why you should try my recipe
- Great for the whole family to enjoy.
- You could freeze the sauce for busy days.
- Made with simple ingredients that we all have in our pantry.
- Dairy-free & Egg-free for little ones with alergies.
- Suitable for babies that follow the BLW method.
🥘 Ingredients
To make this delicious pasta sauce, we are going to use crushed tomatoes or passata, spinach, tuna in water, onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, cinnamon stick, black pepper and salt (NOT for babies under 12 months).
- Tuna: I'm using canned tuna in water as I'm already using oil to cook the veggies in the pot.
- Tomatoes: I like to use crushed tomatoes or passata that cook fast. You could also use fresh tomatoes or diced tomatoes but might have to adjust the cooking time.
- Cinnamon: I'm using a cinnamon stick that adds a nice flavor to the tomato sauce. You could leave it out or add a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon powder if you prefer.
- Spinach: I like to use fresh spinach and cook it with the rest of the ingredients to blend the flavors. If you decide to use frozen spinach, you can add it towards the end as it's pre-cooked.
For full quantities and to print the recipe, see the recipe card below.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
So get your ingredients ready and let's get started!
01. I start with cooking the diced onion with the olive oil for a few minutes to get all its sweetness and flavor out. Then I add the chopped garlic cloves and continue cooking for a minute.
02. Next, I add the tomatoes, tuna, and about 1½ cups of water. Although the tuna doesn’t need much cooking, I like to add it early so it can infuse the sauce with more flavor.
03. For extra flavor, I add a cinnamon stick and a little bit of black pepper. At this stage, you could add some salt if you are making the sauce for older kids and adults.
04. Finally, I add the spinach leaves and give everything a good stir to combine. If you prefer to use frozen spinach, you can add it later on, about 5 minutes before the sauce is ready.
05. It takes about 20–25 minutes for the sauce to cook over medium-low heat. While the tomato sauce with tuna and spinach is simmering, I cook the pasta al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions.
06. When the pasta is ready, I add it to the pot with the sauce along with a little bit of the pasta water, about a quarter cup. I mix everything together for a minute or two, and it's ready to be served.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this tuna and spinach pasta sauce with short-shaped pasta, as it holds all that delicious sauce really well. It’s also easier for little ones who are still learning to use a fork, and much less messy than spaghetti.
You could serve it on its own, with some veggies or salad on the side and a little bit of grated cheese on top for more flavor.
🧰 Storage
If you’d like to save some sauce for the next day, let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply reheat it and add freshly cooked pasta, and enjoy while warm.
❓ FAQ
If you would like to add some more veggies to the tomato sauce, then I some of my recommendations are grated carrot, peas, chopped mushrooms and chopped peppers.
If you tried my pasta with tuna and spinach recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📋 Recipe
Pasta With Tuna & Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes or passata
- 1 can tuna
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (NOT for babies under 12 months)
Instructions
- Place a pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the chopped garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
- Add the tuna and tomatoes. Mix to combine. Add about 1 ½ cups of water.
- Season with black pepper and salt, if using any. Add the cinnamon stick.
- Add the spinach leaves and mix to combine. Simmer for 25 minutes, occasionally stirring and adding more water if needed.
- In the meantime, place a pot filled with water on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add half a packet of pasta, about 2 cups and cook al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions.
- When the pasta and sauce are ready, add the pasta to the sauce along with about ¼ cup of the pasta water. Toss to combine and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until everything comes together.
Video
🥣 More to try
If you liked my pasta with tuna and spinach, you should try some of these recipes too:
Julia Droulia
I really loved creating this recipe and post for you; I hope you make it and enjoy it as much as I do. Please leave me a comment here and share your feedback with a star rating as well