Some nights you just want pasta—not just any pasta, but a bowl that’s cozy, craveable, and feels a little fancy without requiring a culinary degree or a trip to the store. This Creamy Calabrian Chili Tuna Pasta is that bowl.
It’s silky, spicy, briny, and bright, and nope, there’s no cream in sight. The sauce comes together with Calabrian chili oil, pasta water, good tuna in olive oil, and my homemade sazón with saffron. This is pantry cooking meets Italian vacation, and the flavor is layered enough to convince anyone you spent hours planning it.
The first time I made this, we’d just come back late from my son’s basketball game - tired, starving, and absolutely not about to hit the store. By the time the fusilli was done boiling, the sauce was ready, and we were diving into a bowl that tasted like Heaven on a Tuesday. It’s been a weekly staple ever since.
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💛 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ready in under 30 minutes – Or faster, if you’ve got sazón on standby like the weeknight pro you are.
Creamy without cream – It’s pasta sorcery. A little pasta water, a good drizzle of oil, and suddenly you’ve got a sauce that clings like it was born to.
Pantry-friendly – Tuna, pasta, olives, chili oil, the real MVPs of “I have nothing to cook” nights.
Layered Mediterranean flavor – The Calabrian heat, pop of lemon, and warm sazón spices hit all the right notes.
Creamy Calabrian Chili Tuna Pasta Video
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Ingredient Highlights
Fusilli pasta – Perfect for holding onto sauce; whole wheat or regular works.
Calabrian chili oil – Smoky, fruity heat; more complex than chili flakes.
Shallots & garlic – Sweet, savory base for the sauce.
Sun-dried tomato paste – Rich umami and tang in a single spoonful.
Homemade sazón with saffron – Warm, earthy, aromatic; the saffron adds a subtle floral note. Or you can use store bought Sazon.
Tuna in olive oil – Rich and silky; reserve some oil for extra flavor.
Green olives – Briny bite to balance richness.
Lemon zest & juice – Freshens the whole dish.
💡 Pro Tip: Make sure to reserve pasta water for that silky sauce.
Creamy Calabrian Chili Tuna Pasta Instructions
Full recipe and instructions in the recipe card at the end of post
Step 1: Boil fusilli in salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 ½ cups pasta water, then drain.
Step 2: Warm Calabrian chili oil, then sauté shallots until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Step 3: Stir in sazón for 30 seconds, then add tomato paste and cook until darkened.
Step 4: Pour in white wine, simmer 1–2 minutes, and scrape up browned bits.
Step 5: Flake in tuna with a little of its oil, then stir in sliced green olives.
Step 6: Add fusilli and pasta water, tossing until glossy and coated.
Step 7: Stir in lemon zest, juice, parsley, and top with cheese if desired.
Substitutions & Variations
Swap Calabrian chili oil for olive oil + pinch of chili flakes.
Use canned salmon or cooked shrimp instead of tuna.
Replace green olives with black olives for a mellower brine.
Add spinach or arugula at the end for extra greens.
FAQ
Yes! Fusilli holds the sauce beautifully, but penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti also work well.
It’s best fresh, but you can cook the sauce up to 1 day ahead and store it in the fridge. Reheat gently, then toss with fresh pasta and reserved pasta water.
No — you can use store-bought sazón, but the homemade blend with saffron has a fresher, more aromatic flavor.
Yes — replace it with chicken broth with a teaspoon of lemon.
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⭐️ Recipe
Creamy Calabrian Chili Tuna Pasta
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 12 oz fusilli pasta whole wheat or regular
- 1 ½ cups reserved pasta water from cooking pasta
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili oil
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chilis or less if want less spice
- 2 tablespoon butter optional. Can add olive oil instead but butter makes sauce velvety.
- 1 medium shallot finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1.5 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste or regular tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon homemade Sazón or store bought recipe below
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth with a teaspoon of vinegar
- 3 5–6 oz cans tuna in olive oil, drained (reserve 1–2 teaspoon oil)
- ½ cup green olives pitted & sliced
- juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
For the Homemade Sazón with Saffron
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- A pinch about 10–12 threads saffron
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground annatto achiote (or paprika if you can’t find annatto)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1–2 tablespoons kosher salt (until the water tastes like the sea). Add fusilli and cook 1 minute shy of al dente — it will finish in the sauce. Before draining, reserve 1 ½ cups pasta water. Drain and set aside.12 oz fusilli pasta, 1 ½ cups reserved pasta water
Heat the Chili Oil
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the Calabrian chili oil and 1 tablespoon of the Calabrian chili. Use less if sensitive to spice. Let it heat for 30 seconds to release flavor.1 tablespoon Calabrian chili oil
Sauté the Aromatics
- Add in butter. Add finely minced shallots and cook 3–4 minutes until soft. Add sliced garlic and sauté 1 minute, just until fragrant.1 medium shallot, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoon butter
Make the Homemade Sazón (if using fresh)
- In a dry skillet, toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds for 1–2 minutes. Grind with saffron threads using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, annatto (or paprika), kosher salt, and black pepper. Store extra in a jar.1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, A pinch, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon ground annatto, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Toast the Sazón & Tomato Paste
- Add 1 teaspoon sazón to the shallots and garlic, toast 30 seconds. Stir in 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until darker and caramelized.1.5 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste, 1 tablespoon homemade Sazón or store bought
Deglaze
- Pour in ½ cup dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer 1–2 minutes until reduced by half.½ cup dry white wine
Add the Tuna & Olives
- Drain the tuna, reserving 1–2 teaspoon oil. Flake into the skillet along with ½ cup sliced green olives. Stir gently to combine.3 5–6 oz cans tuna in olive oil, drained (reserve 1–2 teaspoon oil), ½ cup green olives
Toss with Pasta
- Add the cooked fusilli to the skillet with about 1 cup reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat until the sauce emulsifies and clings to the pasta, adding more water if needed.
Brighten & Finish
- Off the heat, stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more chili oil if desired.juice of 1 lemon
Serve
- Plate with an optional sprinkle of finely grated Pecorino Romano (rule-breaking, but worth it). Serve immediately.½ cup fresh parsley, Kosher salt & black pepper
Harry says
This looks so easy and quick. I love the idea of making the sauce without cream. Definitely adding it to my rotation.