BACK TO ALL RECIPES

No-Salt Lemon-Chili Spaghetti with Tuna and Tons of Herbs

Photo: Tucker Shaw

BY Tucker Shaw

PUBLISHED April 11, 2024

Tossing the just-cooked noodles with chili oil, rather than waiting to add it at the table (though you should do that, too), delivers heat in every bite. I like about 3-4 tablespoons of oil, but I like it hot—feel free to adjust down (or up!) to suit your taste.

 

The following may contain affiliate links for which we earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting us in this way!

You will likely have leftover chili oil (lucky you); keep it in a tightly-sealed jar in the fridge and it will last for a couple of months. You can also buy chili oil—there are endless varieties—but read the labels carefully to avoid stealth sodium. Same rule applies for canned tuna; many brands offer a no-sodium product. Use whatever herbs you love. My druthers here is parsley, because I love its bitter edge, but marjoram, dill, basil, oregano—alone or in combination—would be great too. Just don’t skimp. Zest the lemons before you juice them.

This recipe is from Tucker Shaw’s piece, “Turns Out Not Eating Salt Is Not the End of the World.”

Print

No-Salt Lemon-Chili Spaghetti with Tuna and Tons of Herbs

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes 4 servings 1x

Time about 45 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1 chubby shallot, sliced thin
  • 2–3 fat garlic cloves, smashed and minced
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice plus 2 tablespoons zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 cans or jars (5 to 7 ounces each) tuna packed in olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs

Instructions

  1. Make the chili oil. Put the red pepper flakes into a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until very hot but not smoking, about 3 minutes. (If you have an instant-read thermometer, oil should read 375 degrees F.) Carefully pour oil over chilies. Set aside to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Return noodles to now-empty pot and toss with 3-4 tablespoons chili oil. (This makes a pretty hot dish; add less if you’re not a fan of heat.) Cover and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons chili oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds, and reduce heat to low. Stir in lemon juice and zest and simmer, allowing liquid to reduce by half. Add another spoonful of chili oil, scooping deep into the bowl to bring up plenty of chili flakes—you want those too.
  4. Add noodles to the skillet with a glug of pasta cooking water and toss, adding more water in small splashes if needed for consistency. Add most of the herbs and toss. Use a fork to break up tuna into large-ish chunks, then throw that in too. Shower the rest of the herbs on top. Serve in hot bowls, with extra chili oil at the table.

— Recipe developed by Tucker Shaw

Log in, or become a member today.

Join in: enjoy 7 days free, plus 40% off your first year with access to 1,000+ highly vetted recipes from the How To Cook Everything series and beyond, essays from Mark, and original pieces from our contributors.

Join annually and save 40%
Log in to your account

GetBetterFasterHealthierSmarterTastier

in the Kitchen

Through our (more than a thousand, and growing) highly vetted recipes from the How to Cook Everything series, original food essays and reporting, thoughtful podcast conversations and introductions to new and responsible food products, we aim to showcase what’s possible, from farm to fork, and power a growing movement that encourages people to think about food not as a commodity, but as central to our health and happiness.

Start your free trial

We hope you join us on this journey. We’d love to have you as a part of the Bittman community. As a member, you'll have access to:

  • New recipes every week
  • 1000s of recipes from How to Cook Everything and beyond
  • First access to in-person events with Mark and Kate
  • Exclusive discounts from our favorite brands
  • Q&As with Mark and the team

 

Subscribe to our free newsletter

Join over 105,000 passionate individuals who receive our weekly emails. It’s 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Plus, we’ll email you a sampling of what premium members receive on a weekly basis.