Pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna

Name: Pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Whole wheat Tortiglioni pasta 3 ¼ cups; Tuna filet in olive oil (drained weight) 7 oz; Green beans 1.8 cups; Lemon peel to taste; Basil to taste; Basil 1.6 cups; Extra virgin olive oil for preserving the tuna 4 ½ tbsp; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz; Pine nuts 1.1 oz; Garlic ½ clove

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Lulù Gargari

Pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna came out of a collaboration between cook Lulù Gargari and nutritionist Federica Federici for their vodcast, and it shows—in the best way. This is a tuna pesto pasta built with intention: whole wheat pasta for fiber and staying power, green beans for color and bite, and a basil pesto made with pine nuts, Parmigiano, and olive oil that pulls everything together.

A finish of lemon zest lifts the whole bowl. The tuna matters here. Good tuna in olive oil brings protein alongside iodine, phosphorus, and B12—nutrients that often get overlooked in a quick weeknight dinner. The fat from the oil and the pesto is the point, not the problem. Choose it well, use it in the right amount, and a 30-minute pasta can also be a genuinely complete meal.

INGREDIENTS

Whole wheat Tortiglioni pasta 3 ¼ cups (320 g)

Tuna filet 7 oz (200 g) - in olive oil (drained weight)

Green beans 1.8 cups (220 g)

Lemon peel to taste

Basil to taste

For the pesto: Basil 1.6 cups (40 g); Extra virgin olive oil 4 ½ tbsp (60 g) - for preserving the tuna; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g); Pine nuts 1.1 oz (30 g); Garlic ½ clove

Preparation

How to prepare Pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna

To prepare pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna, first trim the green beans and steam them for about 5–10 minutes; they should not become too soft 1. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the whole-wheat pasta al dente 2. While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: place the basil leaves, previously washed and dried, into a food processor 3.

Add the pine nuts 4, grated Parmigiano Reggiano 5 and half a clove of garlic, with the inner sprout removed 6.

Add the oil from the tuna jar 7, close 8 and blend until you obtain a creamy consistency 9, taking care to pulse the processor intermittently to avoid overheating the basil.

Once cooked, drain the green beans and cut them into small pieces 10. Drain the pasta as well and transfer it to a bowl 11, then add the pesto 12.

Mix using a little of the cooking water to properly coat the pasta 13, then add the green beans 14. Combine everything again 15.

Plate 16 and perfume with grated lemon zest 17 and a few basil leaves 18.

Finally, top with the whole tuna fillets 19 and a drizzle of their oil 20. The pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna is ready to be served 21!

Storage

Pasta with pesto, green beans and tuna can be stored in the refrigerator for one day.

Basil pesto can be kept in the refrigerator, in a jar well covered with oil, for 4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze it in convenient single portions.