Pasta with tuna and tomatoes is a budget-friendly Italian mainstay

A wave of gratification washes over me whenever I manage to whip up an enticing meal from a bunch of random pantry and refrigerator staples.

This might come across as overly self-congratulatory, especially when you consider that humans have been cooking great food with the most basic supplies for thousands of years, and making something from nothing has included some of the world’s most beloved dishes, including French toast and fried rice. That kind of creative thriftiness is as helpful as ever when you want to make the most of your budget, and this pasta recipe is a prime example.

A mainstay of Italian home cooking, it’s delicious and easy to pull together from affordable pantry ingredients — canned or jarred tuna, canned tomatoes and a box of pasta — all quite nutritious, too. Canned fish has protein, mineral and omega-3 levels that are comparable to fresh. (Feel free to splurge on top-quality tuna in olive oil, but basic, inexpensive, canned oil-packed tuna also works well.)

Canned tomatoes pack even more of the antioxidant lycopene than fresh ones do, plus they’re rich in vitamins A and C, and potassium and fiber. Finally, dried pasta supplies complex carbs, protein, B-vitamins and fiber. (Whole-grain pasta has a whopping 7 grams of fiber per serving.)

It’s the kind of meal you can pull together even on the busiest of weeknights. Simply sauté sliced garlic in olive oil, then add a couple of anchovies or anchovy paste, if you’d like. The tiny fish ultimately dissolve into the sauce, infusing it with loads of umami without tasting fishy.

Next come the canned tomatoes — I crush them by hand for an appealing rustic texture, plus it’s fun — and simmer for about 20 minutes, until they turn into a thick, luscious sauce. Stir in the flaked tuna and sliced olives, which add a complementary brininess, then toss in the cooked pasta to coat in the sauce.

Once everyone digs in, you can sit back and take pride in making the most of the simplest ingredients.

• Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author who hosts public television’s “Ellie’s Real Good Food.” Learn more at www.elliekrieger.com.

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Rigatoni in Tomato Sauce With Tuna and Olives

One (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2 anchovies (optional)

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Fine salt

12 ounces dried rigatoni or other short pasta shape, preferably whole-grain

Two (5-ounce) cans oil-packed tuna, preferably no-salt-added, drained

½ cup (1¾ ounces) sliced pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano (12 olives)

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use your hands to crush each tomato, allowing its juices to fall into the bowl. Transfer any juices left in the can to the bowl.

In a large (12-inch), deep skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the anchovies, if using, and cook, stirring, until they fall apart and melt into the oil, about 30 seconds. (If not using anchovies, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt.) Add the tomatoes with their juices and the red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

When the water comes to a boil, season it to taste with salt, if desired. Add the pasta and cook 1 minute shy of al dente according to the package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Once the sauce thickens and while the pasta is cooking, add the tuna and olives to the tomato sauce, stirring to combine, then remove from the heat. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring to combine and coat the pasta with the sauce and adding some of the reserved pasta water, if the sauce seems too thick, about 1 minute. Taste, and season with more salt, if desired.

Divide among shallow bowls, sprinkle with the parsley and serve warm.

Servings: 4 (makes about 10 cups)

Substitutions: For anchovies, use 1 teaspoon anchovy paste. Gluten-free? Use gluten-free pasta.

Nutritional Facts per serving (2½ cups) | Calories: 585, Fat: 19 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Carbohydrates: 74 g, Sodium: 735 mg, Cholesterol: 18 mg, Protein: 28 g, Fiber: 12 g, Sugar: 10 g

— Ellie Krieger