Recipe & Video: Zucchini and Tuna Pasta

Wafu Pasta is an Italian-influenced Japanese fusion specialty that is popular in Japan but still not widely known in the west. Learn how to create one right here with our easy to follow authentic Japanese food recipe and video.

Ready for an authentic Japanese fusion pasta recipe? Then you are going to love this Zucchini and Tuna pasta that is a real fusion specialty. While pasta is from Italy, the fact is that noodles themselves were brought there by Marco Polo. That means that this Wafu Fusion Pasta is a cross-continental culinary masterpiece that has been perfected by both east and west. Easy to make and to boast a hint of soy sauce, this pasta will be your go-to healthy pasta recipe in no time!

What is Usukuchi Soy Sauce?

There are many Wafu different types of soy sauce used in traditional Japanese food culture. But the main two categories are light and dark. This zucchini and tuna pasta recipe calls for usukuchi (light) soy sauce. Light one is better when you want to add a salty taste to a dish, but you don’t want to add that dark color of soy sauce. Usukuchi is actually saltier than the Koikuchi (dark) style. So remember that a little bit goes a long way!

Tofu as a Substitute

Are you a vegetarian? Maybe just like tofu instead of tuna? It is easy to substitute tofu into this dish, but make sure you change your cooking style a bit to get the best out of tofu. The last thing you want is for it to turn out too chewy and flavorless. The best way to do this is to marinate the tofu first. By doing this, all that flavor is sealed into the tofu before you even begin cooking. Then, you want to sear the tofu in already hot oil so that it keeps a good texture and locks in the flavor. Finally, adding seasoning to the tofu as it is cooking is a great way to add even more taste to the dish!

More About Wafu Pastas

There are many different dishes in Japan that have Western recipe influences. Many of these have names that are very similar to those in the west as well. When it comes to pasta, many times, Japanese chefs and home cooks use spaghetti in place of rice for traditional Japanese food recipes. The result is Wafu Pasta, a yummy way to enjoy Japanese flavors with Italian style noodles. After mastering this wafu zucchini and tuna pasta, try your hand at cooking this spinach and bacon wafu pasta. When you feel like you have the knack of Japanese cooking, get ready to impress your dinner guests when you make this Shio-Koji mushroom and salmon wafu pasta.

Ingredients

• ½ Green Zucchini
• ½ Yellow Zucchini
• 1 Canned Tuna in water
• ½ Small Tomato
• ½ Small Onion
• 2 Portions Pasta
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Soy Sauce
• ½ tsp Salt
• Dash of Pepper
• Parsleyfor garnishing

Instructions

1. Chop onions, zucchinis, and tomatoes into tiny pieces.
2. Lightly cook zucchinis in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil over low heat.
3. Open canned tuna and drain excessive oil and water.
4. In a large bowl, mix in tuna, onions, tomato, and zucchinis.
5. Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Rest it in the refrigerator until later.
6. Cook pasta as directed in the box. Drain and cool pasta with ice cold water.
7. Mix pasta and vegetables. Garnish with parsley and serve.