Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta Toss

My Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta, loaded with bold flavors, is a wonderful fresh dinner idea for spring and summer.

   I haven’t been feeding my family enough fish lately. For some reason during the winter, I don’t cook much fish. We are not catholic, so we don’t observe those rules of the Lenten season. Another reason is it’s getting harder and harder to find naturally sourced fish from the waters around North America.  I also love to grill fish and it is just now starting to be grilling season. So the other day I was at my local grocery and they had some nice looking non-farmed raised tuna. It was about time to get back into fish mode! The health benefits of fresh fish, especially tuna, salmon and swordfish are remarkable. I take my Omega 3 daily but you can’t beat getting it from great fresh fish. So to ease my family back into eating fish I decided to make my Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta. The Moroccan flavors of turmeric, cumin and paprika are fantastic on fish and pasta. Turmeric is a super spice which can be an ingredient added to almost any food. I used some local pasta from Dorthy Lane Market, which we just love.

To make my Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta, first cook your pasta. Drain pasta and immediately stir in a little olive oil and allow the pasta to cool completely. While the pasta is cooling make the Moroccan sauce. Toss all the ingredients in to the food processor except the oil. Pulse until blended and while the processor is running pour in the oil. Heat your grill heat and bring the fish to room temperature. Season the tuna steaks with salt/pepper and grill on medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your steaks and how well you want them cooked. I like my tuna slightly pink on the inside. While the tuna is cooking chop the veggies you will be adding to the pasta. I added olives, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion. Remove the tuna from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Flake your tuna and place all ingredients in a large bowl. Add the Moroccan sauce and stir together gently. Try not to break up the pasta.

I love the spices that go into the Moroccan sauce especially turmeric and cumin. Have you read up on the health benefits of turmeric.  My Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta is a wonderful fresh dinner idea for spring and summer with its bold flavors. It also makes the perfect lunch the next day.

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Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

My Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta, loaded with bold flavors, is a wonderful fresh dinner idea for spring and summer.

Author: Quinn Caudill

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 oz . dried Orecchiette pasta
• 10 Tbs . extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 1-1/2 tsp . ground cumin
• 1 tsp . smoked paprika
• 1 tsp . sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp . turmeric
• 1/4 tsp . dill weed
• 1/4 tsp mint
• 1/4 tsp . cayenne
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup onion minced
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves divided
• tbsp Juice of two fresh lemons about 6 .
• salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 lb . fresh tuna about 1 inch thick
• 1 cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes seeded and sliced
• 1/2 red onion sliced thin
• 1/2 cup olives pitted and chopped

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring 4-6 quarts water and 3 tbsp. of salt to a boil. Water should taste salty.
2. Gently stir in pasta and cook until al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta and toss it immediately with 1 tbsp. olive oil.
4. Cool pasta completely in the refrigerator.
5. Heat grill to medium-high.
6. In a food processor, place cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, turmeric, dill weed, mint, cayenne, garlic, onion, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and the lemon juice. Process until smooth.
7. Slowly pour in 8 tbsp. of the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Blend until emulsified. Set aside.
9. Brush the tuna with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil, season it with salt and pepper.
10. Grill over a medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, turning once until it’s cooked to the doneness you like.
11. Remove from the grill. Allow tuna to rest for 5 minutes.
12. Slice tuna into strips or flake into 1-inch pieces.
13. In a large bowl, add the pasta, chopped vegetables, sauce and half the tuna.
14. Toss gently to combine.
15. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
16. Top with remaining tuna and cilantro leaves.

Recipe Notes

First published by Quinn Caudill for dadwhats4dinner.com © April 2016

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/morroccan-pasta-grilled-tuna.aspx

Please join me and bring your recipes and DIY projects to Throwback Thursday’s! with my co-hosts Alli @ Tornadough Alli, Meaghan @ 4 Sons ‘R’ Us and Mollie @ The Frugal Hausfrau

I also will be bringing my Moroccan Grilled Tuna Pasta Toss recipe to Freedom Fridays, Friday Favorites,  Fiesta Friday, Weekend Potluck,  What’s Cooking Wednesdays. Checkout my Link Parties Page for other great places to find new recipes.

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 Quinn is the author, photographer and recipe designer over at DadWhats4Dinner. He enjoys cooking for family and friends and being creative in the kitchen. He makes ordinary everyday food extraordinary. He lives just north of Cincinnati with his wife of 24 years, three kids and three cats. My kids have well-developed palates and my youngest daughter is now working with me on the blog creating recipes for her own page “Cooking with Ella“.  Follow me on: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

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