Zucchini Noodle Puttanesca with Tuna & Capers

Zucchini Noodle Puttanesca with Tuna & Capers

Mia

This vibrant Mediterranean dish transforms traditional Italian puttanesca sauce into a low-carb powerhouse by swapping pasta for spiralized zucchini noodles. The classic puttanesca—whose name translates roughly to "in the style of a prostitute"—originated in Naples and is known for its bold, assertive flavors that come together quickly from pantry staples. Our version stays true to the sauce's signature combination of tomatoes, garlic, olives, and capers while adding protein-rich tuna for a complete meal.

The beauty of this dish lies in its contrasts: briny capers and Kalamata olives play against sweet tomatoes, while red pepper flakes add a subtle heat that awakens the palate. The zucchini noodles provide a fresh, light base that soaks up the robust sauce without weighing you down. Unlike traditional pasta, zucchini noodles add extra vegetables to your plate while keeping the carb count low, making this an ideal choice for those following a Mediterranean diet or simply looking for a lighter dinner option.

This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you want something satisfying but don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. The omega-3 fatty acids from the tuna, heart-healthy olive oil, and abundance of vegetables check all the boxes for Mediterranean diet principles. Best of all, despite being nutritious and low-carb, this dish delivers the kind of bold, comforting flavors that make you forget you're eating "healthy." It's proof that nourishing food can be absolutely delicious and deeply satisfying.

Nutrition

25 minutes
None servings
285 calories
Fat 14.00g
Carbs 18.00g
Protein 22.00g

Ingredients

4 mediumzucchini, spiralized into noodles
3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
4 clovesgarlic, minced
1/2 tspred pepper flakes
28 ozcanned crushed tomatoes
2 cans (5 oz each)canned tuna in olive oil, drained
1/2 cupkalamata olives, pitted and halved
3 tbspcapers, drained
1/4 cupfresh parsley, chopped
1 tspsalt
1/2 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
1 mediumlemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment

Wooden spoon
Cutting board
measuring spoons
measuring cups
paper towels
chef's knife
large skillet
colander
spiralizer
second large skillet

16:8 Diet

This nutrient-dense recipe is ideal for the 16:8 eating window, providing high-quality protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and abundant vegetables for sustained energy and satiety. The balanced macronutrients help practitioners meet their nutritional needs within the compressed timeframe while avoiding processed foods.

80/20 Diet

This recipe exemplifies the 80/20 principle with over 80% nutrient-dense whole foods including fresh zucchini, tomatoes, tuna, olive oil, and herbs, while the small amount of canned ingredients provides convenience without compromising nutritional quality. The anti-inflammatory ingredients and abundance of vegetables make this a solidly nutritious choice.

Ancestral Diet

This recipe follows Ancestral/Paleo principles by using only whole, unprocessed ingredients including wild-caught tuna, fresh vegetables, and healthy olive oil while completely excluding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The nutrient-dense ingredients would have been available to hunter-gatherer ancestors.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

This anti-inflammatory recipe features omega-3 rich tuna, extra virgin olive oil, and colorful vegetables while incorporating anti-inflammatory spices like garlic and red pepper flakes. It completely avoids refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and inflammatory ingredients, emphasizing whole foods that reduce inflammation.

Atkins Diet

This Atkins-friendly recipe keeps net carbs very low by using zucchini noodles instead of pasta, while providing high-quality protein from tuna and healthy fats from olive oil. The dish completely avoids grains, sugar, and high-carb ingredients, making it suitable for all Atkins phases.

Carb Cycling

This recipe is perfect for LOW-CARB days in a carb cycling protocol, featuring protein-rich tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and minimal carbohydrates from zucchini noodles and tomatoes. The dish keeps net carbs low while providing satisfying flavors and adequate protein to support training and recovery.

Cave Man Diet

This Cave Man Diet recipe features wild-caught tuna, fresh vegetables, and olive oil—all whole, unprocessed ingredients that would have been available to hunter-gatherers through fishing and foraging. It completely excludes grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods in favor of nutrient-dense natural ingredients.

Clean Eating

This clean eating recipe uses only whole, minimally processed ingredients in their natural state, including fresh zucchini, canned tomatoes, wild-caught tuna, and extra virgin olive oil. It avoids refined sugars, white flour, artificial ingredients, and processed foods, focusing on recognizable whole-food ingredients.

Diabetic Diet

This diabetic-friendly recipe features low-glycemic zucchini noodles instead of pasta, lean protein from tuna, and non-starchy vegetables that support stable blood sugar levels. The healthy fats from olive oil slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes, while the fiber-rich vegetables provide sustained energy.

Evolutionary Diet

This Evolutionary Diet recipe features wild-caught fish, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from olive oil while strictly avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The whole, unprocessed ingredients align with what would have been available to hunter-gatherers, emphasizing nutrient density and anti-inflammatory properties.

Flexible Dieting

This flexible dieting recipe emphasizes nutrient-dense whole foods including lean protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and abundant vegetables, making it easy to fit into various macronutrient targets. The recipe demonstrates how satisfying, flavorful meals can be created using whole ingredients that support balanced nutrition.

Gluten-Free Diet

This recipe is naturally gluten-free, using spiralized zucchini noodles instead of wheat pasta and featuring whole, unprocessed ingredients like tuna, vegetables, and olive oil. All components are free from gluten-containing grains, making it safe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Heart-Healthy Diet

This heart-healthy recipe emphasizes omega-3 rich tuna, monounsaturated fats from olive oil, and abundant vegetables while avoiding saturated fats and processed ingredients. The Mediterranean-style preparation supports cardiovascular health through anti-inflammatory ingredients and heart-protective nutrients.

High-Protein Diet

This high-protein recipe features two cans of tuna providing approximately 40-50 grams of protein per recipe, making it excellent for meeting daily protein goals. The lean fish protein is complemented by nutrient-dense vegetables and healthy fats for a complete, satisfying meal.

Hunter-Gatherer Diet

This recipe is Hunter-Gatherer compliant, featuring wild-caught tuna, fresh vegetables, and olive oil—all ingredients that could theoretically be hunted, fished, or gathered. It completely avoids grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods, focusing on whole foods available to prehistoric humans.

IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros)

This macro-friendly recipe provides a balanced combination of protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and low-carb vegetables from zucchini noodles, making it easy to track and fit into daily macronutrient targets. The nutrient-dense whole food ingredients support flexible dieting goals while providing excellent satiety.

Intermittent Fasting

This nutrient-dense recipe is ideal for intermittent fasting eating windows, providing high-quality protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and abundant vegetables for sustained energy and satiety. The whole, unprocessed ingredients support stable blood sugar levels and help practitioners feel satisfied throughout fasting periods.

Intuitive Eating

This recipe supports intuitive eating principles by offering a satisfying, flavorful meal that honors both taste preferences and gentle nutrition. The dish provides protein, healthy fats, and vegetables in a balanced way that promotes satisfaction without restriction or food rules.

Ketogenic Diet

This keto-friendly recipe replaces high-carb pasta with spiralized zucchini noodles, keeping net carbs very low while providing healthy fats from olive oil and tuna packed in olive oil. The dish is naturally high in fat (70%+ of calories), moderate in protein from the tuna, and contains minimal carbohydrates, making it ideal for maintaining ketosis.

Low-Carb Diet

Perfect for low-carb diets, this recipe uses zucchini noodles instead of pasta to keep net carbs well under 15g per serving while emphasizing protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and non-starchy vegetables. The dish delivers bold flavors without relying on high-carb ingredients.

Low-Fat Diet

While this recipe contains olive oil, it can be modified for low-fat diets by reducing the oil to 1 tablespoon and using water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed, keeping total fat under the recommended threshold while maintaining the bold Mediterranean flavors from herbs, capers, and olives.

Low-Sodium Diet

This recipe can be made low-sodium by using no-salt-added canned tomatoes and tuna, rinsing the capers and olives to remove excess sodium, and omitting or reducing the added salt while relying on fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, and red pepper flakes for bold flavor.

Macro Diet

This recipe is ideal for macro tracking, offering clear portions of protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and minimal carbohydrates from zucchini and tomatoes. The whole food ingredients make it easy to calculate and log macronutrients while providing a satisfying, nutrient-dense meal.

Mediterranean Diet

This recipe is a quintessential Mediterranean dish featuring extra virgin olive oil, omega-3 rich tuna, heart-healthy Kalamata olives, fresh vegetables, and herbs. It emphasizes fish as the primary protein, uses olive oil as the main fat source, and incorporates traditional Mediterranean ingredients like capers, garlic, and lemon while avoiding processed foods and refined grains.

Mindful Eating

This recipe is perfect for mindful eating, featuring varied textures from tender zucchini noodles, briny olives and capers, and flaky tuna, along with vibrant colors and aromatic herbs that engage multiple senses. The whole, minimally processed ingredients encourage slow, conscious consumption and sensory appreciation.

Neanderthal Diet

This Neanderthal/Paleo recipe uses only whole, unprocessed ingredients including wild-caught tuna, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy olive oil while completely avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The nutrient-dense ingredients focus on what would have been available to hunter-gatherers.

Paleo Diet

This recipe is fully Paleo-compliant, featuring wild-caught tuna, fresh vegetables, and healthy olive oil while completely avoiding grains, dairy, legumes, and processed ingredients. The zucchini noodles provide a grain-free alternative to pasta, and all ingredients would have been available to hunter-gatherer ancestors.

Paleolithic Diet

This Paleolithic recipe is fully compliant, featuring wild-caught fish, fresh vegetables, and healthy oils while completely excluding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed ingredients. The zucchini noodles provide a grain-free alternative to pasta, and all components could theoretically be hunted, fished, or gathered.

Pegan Diet

This recipe aligns with Pegan principles by featuring vegetables as the primary component (zucchini and tomatoes), wild-caught fish for protein, and healthy fats from olive oil while being completely free of dairy, gluten, and processed ingredients. The low-glycemic vegetables and absence of grains support stable blood sugar and reduce inflammation.

Primal Blueprint

This Primal Blueprint-compliant recipe features wild-caught tuna for high-quality protein, abundant non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats from olive oil while completely excluding grains, legumes, refined sugars, and processed foods. The nutrient-dense whole food ingredients support optimal health and metabolic function.

Primal Diet

This Primal-compliant recipe features wild-caught tuna, fresh vegetables, and healthy olive oil while completely avoiding grains, legumes, refined sugars, and processed foods. The nutrient-dense whole food ingredients support metabolic health and reduce inflammation in line with Primal principles.

South Beach Diet

This recipe fits South Beach Diet principles by emphasizing lean protein from tuna, healthy fats from olive oil, and non-starchy vegetables while completely avoiding refined carbohydrates. The zucchini noodles provide a low-glycemic alternative to pasta, making this suitable for all phases of the diet.

Stone Age Diet

This Stone Age/Paleo recipe uses only ingredients available to hunter-gatherers: wild-caught fish, fresh vegetables, and healthy oils, while completely avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. The simple preparation highlights the natural flavors of high-quality whole food ingredients.

Whole30

This recipe is Whole30-compliant, featuring only whole, unprocessed ingredients including wild-caught tuna, fresh vegetables, and compliant fats from olive oil. It contains no added sugars, grains, legumes, dairy, or processed ingredients, meeting all Whole30 requirements while delivering bold, satisfying flavors.

Wild Diet

This Wild Diet-compliant recipe emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods including wild-caught tuna, organic vegetables, and high-quality olive oil while avoiding refined sugars, grains, and processed ingredients. The nutrient-dense ingredients could theoretically be hunted or gathered in nature, focusing on foods that support optimal health.

Instructions

1

Spiralize the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer. Place the zucchini noodles in a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes to release excess moisture, then gently press with paper towels to absorb the liquid.

12 min
2
1 min

Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

3

Add the crushed tomatoes to the skillet and stir to combine with the garlic and oil. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer.

2 min
4
5 min

Add the drained tuna to the sauce, breaking it up gently with a wooden spoon. Stir in the halved Kalamata olives and capers. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

5
3 min

While the sauce simmers, heat a separate large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drained zucchini noodles and sauté for 2-3 minutes, tossing frequently, until just tender but still with a slight bite. Do not overcook or they will become mushy.

6

Divide the zucchini noodles among four serving plates or bowls. Spoon the puttanesca sauce generously over each portion of noodles.

1 min
7

Garnish each serving with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the top. Serve immediately while hot.

Frequently Asked Questions