Kids Tuna Pasta

Tasty Kids Tuna Pasta recipe that's easy and quick to make. Kids, toddlers and babies love this last minute dinner idea. It's perfect for lunch boxes too.

Kids Tuna Pasta

My kids gobble down this tuna pasta whenever I make it. We all love the simplicity of this last minute meal.

This recipe is very flexible. In truth, it's not really a recipe you need to follow to the dot. I wanted to share the idea though, in case you are looking for a last minute dinner idea, or a back up dinner for your family.

We've eaten this Kids Tuna Pasta too many times to count in our house. I also make it when my kids have playdates. Unless a kid is specifically adverse to eating tuna, kids always enjoy this tuna pasta.

Make This Last Minute Quick Meal with Canned Tuna

This recipe comes together in just minutes. It takes only as long as it takes your pasta to cook.

Because of the simplicity, this recipe is one of our back up meals on rotation. We usually have all the ingredients on hand, so I make this recipe often when I need to get dinner on the table quick.

Want more ideas? Pasta and Peas with Bacon and Hot Dog Fried Rice are other favorite last minute back up meal.

Make it even faster

If you want to make this tuna pasta super fast, chose a pasta that cooks quickly. Try angel hair pasta, or one of our favorites, Mini Farfalle. Also, these tiny Pastina stars also cook in 6-7 minutes.

You'll just need to do a tiny bit of prep work as the water boils for the pasta, and as the pasta cooks.

Pack It To Go

Moreover, if there's an after school activity or sports that lasts until dinner time, I sometimes make this tuna pasta to bring along.

This Kids Tuna Pasta packs up neatly in a tupperware, and you just need a fork. The kids can eat it as a picnic or in the car.

It also means that this works as a kids lunch box idea. If we have leftovers, the kids often want to pack it for lunch the next day. It tastes good warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients Needed For This Kids Tuna Pasta Recipe

This Kids Tuna Pasta recipe only requires a few simple ingredients:

• Pasta
• Tuna
• Brocolli
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

We often buy the pasta and tuna cans in bulk, so we always have some in our pantry.

I used fresh broccoli for the photos and this recipe, but you can also use frozen broccoli florets. We've done both ways, and you can't go wrong with either type of broccoli. I just use what I have available.

The lemon is pretty crucial for the flavoring, but you don't need much. Just a squeeze will brighten up the flavor.

What Pasta Shape To Use with Tuna?

Any shape pasta will work for this Kids Tuna Pasta recipe, including long pastas such as spaghetti. Bits of tuna stick to all sorts of pasta, so it's unlikely kids will end up with all the tuna left at the bottom of the bowl.

However, some pasta shapes do hold the tuna better than others. Most importantly, chose a pasta that works for your kids age and taste.

In our home, we generally use the following pastas:

• Mini Farfalle is always a hit. They love the shape, and the mini version helps little kids eat neatly since it fits in little mouths.
• These Mini Wheels are also a favorite. I like to use them for tuna because little pieces of tuna get stuck inside the wheel. For that reason, even if a young toddler is eating this tuna pasta with their fingers, they get bits of tuna with each bite.
• We also frequently use these Veggiecraft Elbows, which are made with lentil, peas and cauliflower. My kids much prefer this brand over other healthy pastas, including whole wheat varieties.
• For a high fiber pasta, we love Good Wheat. It looks and tastes the same as regular pasta. See it in my Kids Pesto recipe.

At What Age Can a Child Eat Canned Tuna?

Kids can start eating canned tuna as soon as they start solids, usually around 6 months.

To minimize consumption of mercury that can be found in tuna, we use this Safe Catch Wild Elite Pure Tuna, which you can buy on Amazon. This brand tests every single tuna and has a mercury limit 10x lower than the FDA action limit.

How Do I Get My Child To Eat Canned Tuna?

This Kids Tuna Pasta recipe is a simple way to get your child to eat canned tuna.

If you use a fun pasta shape, such as these mini wheels, tuna bits will get stuck inside the gaps. Kids will be eating tuna with each bite of pasta.

Here's another delicious tuna omelette that kids often love.

Can I Get My 1-Year Old To Eat Tuna Pasta?

This Tuna Pasta recipe has been in our family's rotation of meals since my oldest child started solids, before the age of 1. He loved it then, and he still loves this recipe 8 years later!

I love this tuna pasta for little kids because it's quick to make, easy to eat, and can be enjoyed at any temperature - warm or cold. The recipe also scales down or up as needed.

If you are serving this tuna pasta to babies, chose an appropriate pasta shape that your child can handle. You can try these mini star pastas, if you are spoon feeding. Alternatively, for baby led weaning, these mini wheels or mini farfalle work well.

Kids Tuna Pasta Recipe

I really hope your family enjoys this recipe and meal idea. If you have some last minute dinner ideas to share, I'd love to hear them below.

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5 from 1 vote

Kids Tuna Pasta

Tasty Kids Tuna Pasta recipe that's easy and quick to make. Kids, toddlers and babies love this last minute dinner idea. It's perfect for lunch boxes too.

Prep Time2 minutes mins

Active Time6 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Yield: 4 people

Ingredients

• 8 oz pasta
• 1 5oz can tuna
• 1.5 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ small lemon
• fresh ground coarse pepper to taste
• salt to taste

Instructions

Cook the Pasta and Broccoli

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add in the pasta and a generous dash of salt. Turn down the heat as needed. Continue to boil until the pasta is almost done. For standard pasta shapes, about 5-6 minutes.
• As the pasta cooks, prep the broccoli florets. Wash and cut into small pieces, in a size suitable for your child.
• About 2 minutes before the pasta is tender, add in the broccoli florets. If you turned the heat down, turn it back up again until the water boils. Continue boiling the pasta and broccoli until both are tender. The broccoli florets only need to cook for about 1-2 minutes.
• Once the pasta and broccoli florets are tender, drain the pasta, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water.

Mix and Serve

• Open the can of tuna and use a fork to break the tuna into small pieces. Depending on the brand of canned tuna you use, you may or may not need to drain the tuna first.
• In a large bowl, mix the pasta, tuna, and olive oil together.
• Squeeze in the lemon juice and give it a mix.
• Top with fresh coarse ground black pepper and salt, as desired. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

Fresh or frozen broccoli work for this recipe.