This is one of those dinners that feels like it should take ages to make, but somehow doesn’t. It’s fresh, fast, and feels a little coastal — like something you’d eat by the sea in Italy, hair still damp from a swim, with sand on your calves and a cold glass of white wine in hand.
I made it last summer when it was too hot to think, let alone properly cook, and it’s been a go-to ever since. The tuna gets a quick lemony marinade, the pasta gets all jammy with sweet cherry tomatoes and fennel, and then you top the whole thing with a punchy olive-and-rocket salad that makes it feel way fancier than it is. You’ll want seconds. Maybe thirds. No shame.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fast but fancy — 30 minutes from start to plate
- Fresh lemony tuna + garlicky pasta = win
- That rocket and olive salad on top? Absolute genius
- Makes you feel like you’re on holiday, even on a Tuesday
- Great for date nights or quick dinners that feel special
- High protein, high flavour, low fuss
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 30g black olives
- 30g green olives
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Sea salt
- 30g Parmesan cheese
- Small bunch fresh basil
- Olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 2 x 120g tuna steaks (about 1.5cm thick)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 150g dried spaghetti
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ fresh red chilli
- 35g rocket
How to Make It
Prep your flavour bits:
Finely slice the garlic. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Pit and roughly tear the olives. Bash the fennel seeds with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar until powdery. Set aside.
Make the tuna marinade:
Grate the Parmesan. Pick the basil leaves and set aside; chop the stalks and bash them into a paste with a pinch of salt. Stir in 2 tbsp olive oil, some lemon zest, and juice of half the lemon. Rub all over the tuna steaks and let them marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Boil your pasta:
Get a big pot of salted water boiling. Drop in the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Scoop out a mug of the pasta water before draining — don’t forget, I always do.
Cook the tomato base:
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic — once golden, toss in fennel seeds and tomatoes. Season, cover, and simmer for 5 mins on low until the tomatoes soften into sauciness. Stir in the cooked pasta and a bit of reserved pasta water to coat.
Toss the salad topping:
Tear the basil leaves into a bowl. Add olives, rocket, a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and the chopped chilli. Give it a toss — messy is good.
Grill that tuna:
Heat a griddle pan. Salt the tuna and cook 30 seconds per side for rare, or longer if you like it more done. Let it rest for a minute while you finish the pasta.
Finish and plate up:
Stir the grated Parmesan through the pasta. Divide onto plates, place the tuna next to the spaghetti, and top with a good handful of the olive-rocket salad. Serve with extra lemon wedges and smug satisfaction.
Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them
Why is my tuna dry?
You probably cooked it too long. Tuna’s like steak — it wants to be rare or just blushing inside.
The pasta’s bland — what happened?
Did you salt your water? That’s where most of the pasta’s flavour comes from. Also don’t skimp on the garlic, fennel, or Parmesan.
My salad’s too oily or soggy.
Dress it right before serving and don’t go overboard with the olive oil — a little drizzle is enough.
I forgot to save pasta water.
Been there. Just splash in a bit of hot tap water and stir — it’s not perfect, but it’ll loosen things up.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Leftover pasta (without tuna) keeps for up to 2 days. Store salad and tuna separately if possible.
Reheating: Gently reheat the pasta in a pan with a splash of water. Tuna’s better fresh, but can be eaten cold in a salad.
Freezer: Don’t. The tuna texture suffers, and the rocket salad doesn’t freeze well at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned tuna instead?
Technically yes, but fresh tuna makes this dish feel special. Tinned will work in a pinch, but won’t give you the same seared texture.
What’s a good fennel seed substitute?
A pinch of crushed anise seed or just skip it if you must — the fennel adds that whisper of Italian sausage vibes.
Can I skip the chilli?
Of course — but it adds a nice tickle of heat. You could also use a pinch of chilli flakes if fresh isn’t handy.
Do I need both black and green olives?
Not really. Just use whatever olives you’ve got — good quality is key.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: ~540
- Fat: 26g
- Carbs: 42g
- Protein: 36g
- Sodium: Moderate
- Sugar: 6g
Jamie Oliver Grilled Tuna With Tomato Pasta
Description
A quick and elegant dish of seared tuna on lemony tomato-spaghetti, finished with a zingy rocket and olive salad — light, fresh, and packed with flavour.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice garlic, halve tomatoes, pit and tear olives.
- Marinate tuna in basil stalk paste, lemon, and olive oil. Chill 20 mins.
- Cook pasta, saving pasta water.
- Sauté garlic and fennel seeds, add tomatoes, simmer. Toss with pasta.
- Mix rocket, basil leaves, olives, lemon, olive oil, and chilli.
- Sear tuna on hot griddle, 30 sec each side for rare.
- Stir Parmesan into pasta, plate with tuna and olive salad.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the tuna — treat it like a steak.
- Save your pasta water — it helps the sauce cling.
- Dress salad just before serving for best texture.
- Use the best tomatoes and olives you can get — they carry the dish.