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Homemade Tuna Helper Recipe from Scratch

Author: Laura Bais
Try this homemade heavenly-tasty tuna pasta recipe inspired by Tuna Helper boxed pasta we all adored as kids!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 795 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 blender
  • 1 Large pan

Ingredients
  

Spice Mix

  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper

Pesto

  • 2 ½ oz walnuts (70 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves (20 g)
  • 1 lemon Freshly squeezed.
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (50 ml)
  • 1 oz grated parmesan (30 g)
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper

Pasta

  • 1 cube vegetable bouillon Dissolve it in 17 oz (500 ml) of water.
  • 1 tbsp starch corn
  • 10 oz water (300 ml)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
  • 8 oz pasta (227 g) That's one packaging. Use dry elbow pasta.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 can tuna (230 g) Use tuna in water.

Topping

  • 10 oz cherry tomatoes (283 g)
  • 8 oz mozzarella (226 g) That's one packaging. Use mini mozzarella balls.

Instructions
 

Pasta

  • Dissolve vegetable cube bouillon in hot water and add a tablespoon of cornstarch to it, as well.
  • In a large pan toast the spice mix: garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, and thyme (or Tuna Helper spice mix bag) over a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
  • Pour the broth into the pan along with some water, and bring it to the boil.
  • Add the dry elbow pasta and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer it lightly for about 7-10 minutes and stir it occasionally.
  • Pour in heavy cream and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until you’re satisfied with the sauce consistency and pasta density.
  • Remove from the stove.

Pesto

  • Combine walnuts, basil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, fresh garlic cloves, sea salt, and ground pepper.
  • Pulsate the blender until the texture is creamy and slightly grainy. About 1 or 2 minutes of blending is enough.

Putting Everything Together

  • Combine the pesto and canned tuna with the pasta.
  • Arrange it onto the plates and top it with mini mozzarella and sweet cherry tomatoes.
  • Serve with a glass of wine or sparkling lemon water for a fancy dinner. And enjoy!

Notes

You can store leftover pasta in the fridge for a day. Make sure to use airtight containers to keep the aroma in, as it’s pretty strong due to garlic and basil. Don’t heat it more than one time!
Advice plus: Don’t mix the tuna into the whole batch if you’re planning on storing it – do it before serving!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 795kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 35gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 1026mgPotassium: 570mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1752IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 377mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Homemade Tuna Helper, Pesto Pasta, Tuna Helper, Tuna Pasta, Tuna Pesto Pasta