Senior-Friendly Healthy Recipe: Tuna on Angel Hair Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

A Flavorful Senior-Friendly Meal: Tuna on Angel Hair Pasta

It’s handy to have a container of cherry tomatoes around to jazz up a salad or brighten up a sheet pan meal. Toss a couple of containers-full into a pan of sizzling olive oil and cook for a few minutes until they burst and release their juices, and you’re halfway to dinner.

This recipe, lightly adapted from Simply Tomato by Martha Holmberg, employs this technique to delicious effect to create a bold-flavored, nutrient-rich sauce for pasta with just a few pantry staples and a shower of herbs. A can of tuna supplies protein and omega-3s, although it’s surprisingly meaty-tasting without it. Serves 2-3. – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 cups (about 1 ¼ pounds) cherry or grape tomatoes

• Kosher salt

• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1/8 teaspoon dried chili flakes, plus more to taste

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

• One 5-ounce can light tuna in oil, drained and broken in chunks

• 1 teaspoon cold butter

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta

• ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to collapse and their juices run and start to thicken, crushing them a bit with a spatula if needed, about 6 to 10 minutes.

3. Season with about ½ teaspoon of salt, add the garlic and chili flakes, and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, tuna, and butter.

4. Once the water boils, add 2 tablespoons of salt, then add the pasta. Cook until a minute shy of al dente according to package directions. Just before the pasta is ready, scoop out about ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside.

5. Drain the pasta well, then add it to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta, splashing in enough of the pasta water to create a creamy consistency. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes.

6. Taste and season with more salt, chili flakes, and/or lemon juice, if needed.

7. Serve in shallow bowls or plates and sprinkle with basil.

Why This Recipe Supports Senior Fitness

• Protein for Muscle Health – Tuna provides lean protein to maintain muscle strength and support recovery.

• Heart-Healthy Omega-3s – Omega-3s in tuna and olive oil promote cardiovascular wellness for active aging.

• Light Yet Satisfying – Easy-to-digest pasta and tomatoes make this meal energizing without being heavy.