Tuna Sweetcorn Pasta with Mayo Sauce
Short pasta tossed with flaked tuna and sweetcorn in a light, glossy mayo sauce loosened with starchy cooking water. A fast, protein-forward pantry dinner.
- Total
- 18 min
- Prep 4 · Cook 14
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Emulsifying · Cooking al dente
- Savory
- Quick
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 0.5 tsp salt. Add 180 g pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
~10 min
Salting the water seasons the pasta from within as it hydrates, rather than only on the surface.
Cooking al dente Cook until the pasta still has a slight firm bite at the center; check a minute before the package time to avoid mushiness.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the pasta cooks, drain 1 can tuna and flake it into a small bowl. Stir in 150 g sweetcorn, 3 tbsp mayo, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 0.25 tsp black pepper until evenly combined.
~3 min
Flake the tuna with a fork rather than mashing it, so you keep visible pieces that hold up against the pasta.
-
Scoop out 120 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta in a colander.
~1 min
Starchy cooking water contains gelatinized starch that emulsifies the mayo into a smooth sauce instead of a clumpy dressing.
-
Return the drained pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the tuna and sweetcorn mayo mixture and 60 ml of the reserved pasta water. Toss with a wooden spoon until the sauce turns glossy and coats every piece, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 60 ml pasta water a splash at a time if it looks thick.
~1 min
Tossing off the heat prevents the mayo from breaking, while the starch in the water helps it cling glossily to every piece.
The starchy pasta water is what makes the mayo turn into a real sauce instead of a clumpy dressing, so add it off the heat and toss fast.
Emulsifying Add starchy water off the heat and toss fast so the mayo disperses into a glossy sauce; if it looks thick, add water a splash at a time.
-
Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt and black pepper if needed. Serve immediately while hot.
~1 min