Today’s recipe, Lemony Tuna and Olive Oil Pasta, was prepared by Kaitlyn Pirie, one of Real Simple’s reporter/researchers.

When I first saw the photo of the Lemony Tuna and Olive Oil Pasta in the October issue, I was worried that the dish might not be flavorful enough since most of the ingredients are the same color. I’m a big pasta lover, though, and I’m always looking for ways to incorporate new proteins into pasta dishes so I decided to give this one a shot.

The final was great, and I brought the leftovers to work for lunch several days in a row. The crushed red pepper gives the dish a nice kick and the lemon zest adds a refreshing touch. If I could make one change to the recipe I’d cook the tuna in the pan with the oil, garlic, and red pepper for a minute or two before adding the linguine because the fish didn’t absorb the flavor as well as the pasta did when they were added at the same time.

Join in on our Month of Easy Dinners by sharing your delicious photos on RealSimple.com, and of course check back tomorrow for the next recipe from our editors.