Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno)
Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno) balances briny anchovy and capers with a gentle heat from red pepper and cayenne, all mellowed by sweet San Marzano tomatoes and rich oil-packed tuna. A splash of white wine brightens the sauce while parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano add freshness and savor. Serve this satisfying pasta for a cozy weeknight dinner or an unfussy weekend meal.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook35 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 33 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 58 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 42
- Heart Health
- 78
- Metabolic
- 57
- Digestive
- 34
- Inflammatory
- 40
- Performance
- 46
- General Wellness
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir the anchovy and capers in the hot oil until the anchovy breaks down, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 2
Pour the white wine, oregano, and red pepper flakes into the skillet and raise the heat to high; cook until the mixture reduces and about 3 tablespoons of liquid remain, 2 to 4 minutes.
- 3
Stir the tomatoes into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Season the tomato mixture with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Stir the tuna and 1/4 cup parsley into the tomato sauce, breaking up the tuna with a wooden spoon as you stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- 5
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through and still slightly firm to the bite, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain and return the spaghetti to the pot.
- 6
Pour the tomato sauce over the spaghetti in the pot; stir to combine, cover the pot with a lid, and let sit until the spaghetti is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Ladle the spaghetti into bowls, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley on top.
- Calories 680.26 kcal High 34%
- Protein 29.43 g Good Source 59%
- Carbohydrate 94.87 g 35%
- Total Fat 18.32 g High 23%
- Saturated Fat 4.52 g High 23%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 27.87 mg Moderate 9%
- Sodium 885.88 mg High 39%
- Dietary Fiber 8.11 g Good Source 29%
- Total Sugars 9.25 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 320.08 mg Good Source 25%
- Iron 5.95 mg Good Source 33%
- Potassium 868.99 mg Moderate 18%
- Vitamin A 65.23 mcg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin C 36.77 mg Good Source 41%
- Vitamin D 0.84 mcg Low Source 4%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Fish 🐟
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Sulfites
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno) is made with 15 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 55 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Anchovy, Canned Tuna in Oil, Capers, and Cayenne Pepper. Each serving provides about 680.26 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno) made of?
- The main ingredients are Anchovy, Canned Tuna in Oil, Capers, Cayenne Pepper, Crushed Tomatoes. The full list of 15 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno)?
- About 55 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 680.26 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 15 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno) healthy?
- Chef John's Tuna Spaghetti (Spaghetti al Tonno) has an easyChef Pro health score of 49/100. Per serving, it provides 680.26 calories and 29.43 g of protein, or 59% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 885.88 mg (39% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 4.52 g (23% of the Daily Value). It contains Fish, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Sulfites, Tomatoes, Garlic and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required