Fresh Tuna with Linguini
Fresh tuna sauteed with anchovies, capers, garlic, and parsley, finished with lime juice or white wine and tossed with linguini. A 30-minute Italian seafood pasta.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minCubed fresh tuna sauteed just until cooked through with anchovies, capers, garlic, and parsley, then tossed with linguini. This is coastal Italian cooking that lets the fish be the star.
The anchovies melt into the butter and olive oil, creating a savory, salty base that seasons the tuna without overpowering it. If you’re skeptical about anchovies, trust the process. They dissolve completely and leave behind pure umami, not fishiness.
You get a choice for the finishing acid: a squeeze of fresh lime for brightness, or a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan and create a light sauce. The lime version is brighter and more citrus-forward. The wine version produces more pan sauce to coat the pasta. Both work, so pick based on what you’re in the mood for.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t overcook the tuna. It should be just cooked through and still slightly pink in the center. Overcooked tuna is dry and chalky.
- Chop the anchovies finely. They melt faster and distribute more evenly into the sauce.
- Press the garlic, don’t mince. Pressed garlic releases more flavor quickly, which matters in a fast sauté.
- Toss gently. The tuna cubes break up easily. Fold the pasta and sauce together rather than stirring aggressively.
Variations
- Seared tuna on top: Instead of cubing and sautéing, sear a whole tuna steak rare and slice it over the finished pasta.
- Add cherry tomatoes: Halve a pint of cherry tomatoes and add them to the skillet for color and acidity.
- Red pepper flakes: A pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic adds a gentle heat that complements the briny capers.
Ingredients
Directions
Fresh Tuna Sauce: Add olive oil to a hot skillet and reduce heat to medium.
Add butter, tuna pieces, pressed garlic, anchovies, capers and parsley.
Gently sauté until tuna is just cooked.
Remove from heat and squeeze lime over tuna mixture OR add ¼ cup white wine to skillet to deglaze and toss with linguini.
Arrange cooked and drained linguini on a large spaghetti platter.
Lightly toss tuna mixture with linguini and serve immediately.
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