Dill Pesto Pasta With Tuna
Published May 13, 2025
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 7½ounces buttery crackers, such as Ritz, finely crushed (about 2½ cups)
- 3tablespoons butter, melted
- 3tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
- 1teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 2packed cups dill leaves
- 4garlic cloves, peeled
- ⅔cup finely grated Parmesan
- ⅔cup raw cashews
- ⅔cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1pound gemelli or other short pasta
- ½cup finely diced celery (from about 2 stalks)
- ½cup frozen peas
- 12ounces canned tuna, drained and flaked (see Tip)
- 1lemon, cut into wedges
For the Topping
For the Dill Pesto
For the Pasta
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
899 calories; 50 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 26 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 81 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 642 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the topping: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed crackers, butter, Parmesan, paprika and garlic powder; toss to combine. Lay the crumbs out evenly on a sheet pan and bake until crisp and lightly toasted, 15 to 18 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 2
While the topping bakes, prepare the pesto: In a food processor, combine the dill, garlic, Parmesan, cashews, olive oil and lemon zest; process until a coarse paste forms, scraping down the bowl as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the pesto seems too thick, blend in more olive oil to loosen.
- Step 3
Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gemelli for one minute less than the package instructions suggest. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta water, and return the pasta to the pot over medium heat. Add the celery, peas, tuna and 1 cup of pasta water; stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peas are warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Step 4
Stir in the pesto, adding more pasta water if the pasta is too dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 5
Divide among bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with the cracker mixture. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for squeezing.
- Cans of tuna vary in size and this recipe works just fine with slightly more or slightly less fish.
Private Notes
Comments
Tasty, unique pasta recipe. My toddler even enjoyed it. I would skip the cracker topping next time, for less effort and calories some extra grated parmesan and lemon zest on top would have been better. Used 12 oz of pasta and halved the pesto and thought it was a good amount of each. I'd make it again!
@rachel I do! Don’t fret including the stem. Just rip or chop off the most woody bits from the bottom of the dill and use the remaining leaves/softer stems. The flavor will not suffer
Does anyone have a time-efficient way of getting 2 packed cups of dill leaves? That alone would take me more than 15 mins i’m sure.
Can I have this with salmon, instead of tuna as I don't eat tuna?
Very tasty! I would want to add a little more greens to the overall--maybe some arugula mixed in at the tail end of the recipe. Makes a lot--probably 5-6 servings in my opinion.
This dill pesto and tuna combo is absolutely stunning!! Such an amazing and creamy surprise. You could sub in a lot of different veggies in - I added sautéed zucchinis and mozzarella pearls to my pasta, tuna, and pesto and am thrilled with this recipe