Pasta with Tuna and White Beans

When we go grocery shopping, we mostly shop the perimeter of the store. We stick to fresh produce (or frozen in the winter months), dairy, and the occasional meat. But there are some pantry staples we keep in the house for last-minute dinners and weeks when money is tight.

And that's how this meal was born. I shopped our pantry shelves, added a few fresh ingredients from the fridge, things we had bought for other meals but didn't finish, and voila. A meal that EJ and I loved and Ethan, well, he picked out the parts he liked and saved the rest of his room for chocolate cake. (We also gave him some peas so it wasn't a total bust.)

This recipe is for inspiration only. Experiment with the ingredients in your cupboard and let me know how it comes up!


Pasta with Tuna and White Beans
olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped,
1 can tuna fish, drained and flaked with a fork
1 lemon
1-2 tbsp capers
1 can cannellini beans
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 feta (more if you've got it)
1 box pasta (we used penne)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving a little pasta water.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat. Saute shallot until tender. Add tuna fish to pan. Zest lemon over pan, adding 1-2 tbsp juice (about half of the lemon). Add capers and cannellini beans to pan and mix well. Cook 3-4 minutes, just to heat through. Add pasta, olives, and feta to pan. Toss to combine.

Taste pasta and adjust seasonings accordingly. (Feta, olives, and capers are salty so it's best to add salt at the end.) Add reserved pasta water if it seems dry. I like to drizzle a little extra olive oil on top, as well.