Simple marinara sauce with herb-flavoured tuna meatballs.

There’s something so perfect about pasta and meatballs. The balance of pasta, sauce, and meat is simply perfection. Instead of the traditional veal, beef, or pork meatballs, I made Penne Marinara with Tuna Meatballs and it was a hit! My 2-year-old daughter was so excited when she first saw me rolling the tuna mixture into meatballs. She exclaimed, “Meatballs!! Woohoo!! Meatballs!!”

I don’t know why I never thought about making meatballs for her before. Toddlers love playing with toy balls, food shaped like balls is another level of excitement.

When my daughter finally tried the food, I asked, “What do you think?” Like an experienced food critic, she took a bite of the pasta, thoughtfully chewed a few bites, tilted her chin, and finally exclaimed, “Good!” “How about the meatballs?” I asked, hoping to get another positive review. With a big beaming smile on her face, she quickly replied, “Mmmm, good! Meatballs good!” Pint-sized food critics can be a tough audience, but his time, I felt like a culinary winner!

Penne Marinara with Tuna Meatballs is simple and delicious. You can prep the tuna mixture ahead of time, letting all the flavours blend together and taste even more scrumptious. I love that the meatballs finish in the oven, so you can walk away and let the kitchen alarm tell you when it’s all ready.

Don’t the meatballs look good? Tuna meatballs would also make a great appetizer for a party. Everyone loves bite-sized food and these are full of flavour.

I included a simple marinara sauce with this recipe. If you have a favourite store-bought one or another sauce that you enjoy, feel free to use it and let me know how it turns out. Unlike some marinara sauces, this one is not too tart. It’s perfectly balanced. Everyone will be impressed with your homemade dinner.

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Penne Marinara with Tuna Meatballs

Enjoy this simple, delicious meal that you can prep ahead of time. If there are any leftovers, it tastes even better the next day. With a meal this yummy, don’t expect much left over.

Author: Jessica
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 4 to 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

TUNA MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS:
2 (6 ounce) cans of tuna, drained and flaked
4 tablespoons egg whites
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
PASTA AND SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1 package of penne (or your favourite pasta)
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine tuna, eggs, garlic, bread crumbs, parsley, vegetable broth, lemon, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. (For best results, let sit for 1 hour in the fridge.)
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, over medium heat sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender.
Stir in remaining pasta and sauce ingredients. Heat to boil and then reduce to simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With an immersion blender, carefully puree pasta sauce.
Set oven to 375 F (190 C).
Form tuna mixture into balls. Over medium heat, gently sear balls in nonstick skillet.
Top tuna meatballs with sauce and bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
Plate pasta, sauce, and meatballs. Enjoy!