Spaghetti al Tonno with Brown Butter Lemon Breadcrumbs

Spaghetti al tonno built on slow-cooked fennel, anchovy oil, and three tins of Fishwife lemon tuna. Brown butter breadcrumbs with lemon zest finish the bowl.

Why You'll Love Spaghetti al Tonno

This is the version of tuna pasta that earns its place. The fennel disappears into the sauce - you barely recognize it, but you'd notice if it were gone. Anchovy melts into the oil before anything else hits the pan, giving the whole dish a backbone that's invisible and essential. The tuna goes in last, with all its liquid, so the lemon oil has time to emulsify into the sauce. The brown butter breadcrumbs are the finish that makes it feel composed - nutty, crisp, bright - not an afterthought.

Tips and Tricks

• The anchovies are non-negotiable. They dissolve completely and just make everything taste more like itself.
• Tear the olives by hand - irregular pieces hold up better in the sauce than clean knife cuts.
• The key to the breadcrumbs: wait for the milk solids to turn deep amber before adding the panko, and get them off the pan immediately after toasting. They keep cooking if you leave them.
• Don't drain the tuna. The lemony oil it's packed in is half the sauce.

Variations

• Add a pinch of Calabrian chili to the anchovy oil for heat.
• Swap spaghetti for linguine or spaghetti alla chitarra for a slightly different texture.
• Try a butter finish stirred into the pasta at the toss stage - echoes the breadcrumbs and adds gloss.

Substitutions

• Castelvetrano olives → Nocellara del Belice works well; avoid anything too sharp or briny.
• Fishwife Spanish Lemon Tuna → any high-quality oil-packed tuna; do not substitute water-packed.
• Carbone Mediterranean Marinara → any good jarred marinara with body and some sweetness.

Best served with

• A simple bitter greens salad with lemon vinaigrette.
• Crusty bread to drag through the bowl.
• A glass of Vermentino or dry Sicilian white.

How to Store Leftovers

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a small splash of water to loosen. The breadcrumbs are best made fresh - they soften overnight. Make a quick new batch if reheating.

Common Questions

Spaghetti al Tonno with Brown Butter Lemon Breadcrumbs

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Spaghetti al tonno built on slow-cooked fennel, anchovy oil, and three tins of Fishwife lemon tuna. Brown butter breadcrumbs with lemon zest finish the bowl.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Californian, Italian

Calories: 899

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

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• 1½ tablespoon unsalted butter
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• kosher salt
• 1½ tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 anchovy filets oil-packed anchovy fillets
• ½ fennel bulb medium fennel bulb - top and core removed, very thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup olives castelvetrano olives - pitted and roughly torn
• ½ Marinara jar Carbone Mediterranean Marinara
• 3 Tuna tins Fishwife Spanish Lemon Tuna - do not drain
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• ½ lb spaghetti cooked al dente, pasta water reserved
• olive oil olive oil for drizzle
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh lemon juice
• 1 basil handful fresh basil - whole leaves
• sea salt flaky salt

Equipment

• large wide skillet
• Small Skillet
• Large pot
• fine grater or microplane
• Plate (for cooling breadcrumbs)

Method

 

1. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until foam subsides and milk solids turn deep amber.
2. Add panko and stir constantly until evenly golden and crisp. Pull off heat immediately.
3. Add lemon zest and a pinch of kosher salt off heat. Toss to combine.
4. Spread on a plate to cool completely.
5. In a large wide skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add anchovy fillets and cook, pressing with a spoon, until completely dissolved - about 2 minutes.
6. Add fennel and sea salt to the anchovy oil. Cook gently for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully softened, translucent, and sweet.
7. Add olives and let warm for 1 minute.
8. Add marinara, stir well, and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes.
9. Gently slide in tuna with all of its liquid. Fold once or twice to keep tuna in large pieces. Simmer for 5 minutes until warmed through.
10. Add cooked spaghetti directly to the pan. Toss to coat, adding pasta water a splash at a time to loosen and gloss the sauce.
11. Cook together for 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in parsley.
12. Twirl into warm bowls and drizzle with olive oil.
13. Finish with brown butter breadcrumbs and flaky salt at the table.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 899kcalCarbohydrates: 96gProtein: 66gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1503mgPotassium: 1006mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 735IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 7mg

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