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By Sarah Rossi
on Apr 23, 2019, Updated Jan 08, 2024
4.93 from 39 votes
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An oldie but a goodie… This super easy Tuna Pasta Bake recipe is an absolute classic. Not only is it amazingly budget-friendly, it’s also made up of those pantry basics for ultra dinner convenience for the whole family.
Straight out of the store cupboard and into the oven for a comforting, good-for-the-soul, no-nonsense dish. Satisfaction all the way.
I’m not kidding when I say that this Tuna Pasta Bake recipe is the pinnacle of quick and easy midweek favourites.
This has been a regular go-to dish on many a weekly meal plan, and my love of it started when my lovely mum discovered pasta (many moons ago)!
Everyone in our house loves it, which is good news for me because it’s so bloomin’ easy to make.
When I get requests to make a healthy Tuna and Broccoli Pasta Bake, I know it’s going to be a stress-free dinner time.
It has so much flavour without the calories, the broccoli brings a delicious and vitamin-packed addition, and the tomato sauce and cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake topping just finishes it off with that nourishing goodness that warms the co*ckles.
A perfect go-to pasta recipe you’ll be making without your eyes closed in no time!
Why you’ll love this recipe for Tuna Pasta Bake
⭐️ Inexpensive, simple store cupboard ingredients
⭐️ Comforting and delicious
⭐️ SO easy to make!
How we came up with this recipe
I absolutely LOVE a simple pasta dish and I know they go down well with families for many reasons.
I knew my Tuna Pasta Salad was a big hit, so I decided to come up with a recipe that was a hot meal, was perhaps more suitable as a dinner recipe, but that still incorporated all store cupboard ingredients, so we could throw it together on evenings that call for it.
I tried and tested this to see what the best results would be versus the simplicity of the method.
In the end my verdict was that it’s best to pre-cook the pasta and broccoli in a pan together. It takes just a few minutes extra but it’s worth it, I promise.
The rest is about 15 minutes altogether in the oven.
Go ahead and try some slightly modified versions below – and enjoy!
Variations of this Tuna Pasta Bake recipe
If you’d like to mix this up a little, you could try:
➡️ Tuna Pasta with crisps – I know… RETRO! One of my friends swears by this. Simply crumble a bag of smashed crisps with your cheese for added crunchy texture
➡️ Spicy Tuna Pasta Bake – Add 1tsp of dried chilli flakes (or more if you dare!) to the tomato sauce
➡️ Breadcrumbs – Add 4tbsp of breadcrumbs when you sprinkle your cheese on top for added crunch
➡️ Tuna Pasta Bake WITHOUT cheese – Fee free to omit the cheese from the top if you prefer. (You could add a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs instead)
➡️ Higher fibre – Replace your normal pasta with wholemeal pasta to up the fibre content of your dish. Use the same quantities
Other pasta recipes with fish
My other favourite fishy pasta dishes are my Prawn Pasta with Creamy Garlic Sauce and my Smoked Salmon Pasta.
NOTES ON Ingredients
- Pasta – You can use whichever pasta you like in this recipe, but bear in mind it will need to be a relatively sturdy pasta so it doesn’t break apart before it’s cooked!
- Tuna – We’re using the tinned variety for this recipe, because why wouldn’t we? It’s economical, delicious and healthy
- Mature cheddar – I recommend something with a slightly stronger taste for this so the flavour doesn’t get lost, but do feel free to use another kind of cheese to your preference
How to make Baked Tuna Pasta
1. Cook the pasta and add the broccoli into the water when it’s almost cooked. Drain, add the sauce, canned tuna and tomatoes and mix well.
2. Pour everything into a roasting dish, sprinkle cheese on top and pop it in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown on top.
Substitutions
- Veggies – If you don’t have broccoli, add another vegetable you think might work. Sweetcorn or peppers would be nice.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can either reheat this thoroughly in the microwave or in the oven, or eat it cold. It’s an ideal lunchbox filler!
In the freezer You can but I wouldn’t recommend it as pasta is never at its best once it’s been defrosted. If you really want to freeze it, make sure you slightly undercook the pasta to begin with, so you don’t then overcook it when you’re reheating it.
Top tips
Grilling
If you’re making this easy Tuna Pasta Bake to serve straight away, pop it under the grill to melt the cheese instead of the oven. It’ll be quicker.
Make in advance
If you want to make this ahead of time to save time later, you can. Just cook it until it’s time to go in the oven, then you can bake it to heat through and melt the cheese on top when you’re ready.(180C for about 20 minutes.)
You can do this with my other pasta bake recipes too: Meatball Pasta Bake, Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake, Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake.
Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
To get a more creamy sauce, add 100g of cream cheese or creme fraiche to the tomato sauce at the end of cooking when you add it to the pasta, and stir well.
FAQ
Do you pre-boil the pasta for Tuna Pasta Bake?
Yes, my recipe does involve pre-boiling the pasta beforehand. I know some pasta bake recipes don’t but trust me on this one.
I have tried and tested this recipe to make sure it’s just right, and this way gets the best results by far.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
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4.93 from 39 votes
Tuna Pasta Bake {Easiest Ever Recipe!}
By Sarah Rossi
There's a reason this is the ultimate Tuna Pasta Bake recipe. A budget-friendly classic that’s super easy, healthy and good for the soul.
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 People
Ingredients
- 300 g Dried Pasta, See notes
- 300 g Broccoli, One medium-sized head of broccoli
Sauce ingredients:
- 500 g Passata
- 2 tsp Garlic granules
- 3 tbsp Tomato puree
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano
- 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
- 200 g Tinned tuna, Two regular-sized tins, drained
- 300 g Cherry tomatoes, Halved
- 150 g Mature cheddar cheese, Grated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Add the broccoli into the boiling water with the pasta about 4 minutes before the end of its cooking time.
Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl or jug.
Drain the pasta, add the sauce, the drained tuna and cherry tomatoes and mix well.
Pop into a roasting dish with the cheese on top and pop into the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
Notes
Pasta shapes: Use whichever pasta everyone loves the most!
Grill: If you’re cooking this straight away, you can pop it under the grill instead of putting it in the oven to finish. It will be quicker.
Make ahead of time: If you want to make this for speed later, cook until you’re ready to put it in the oven (step 4), cover and refrigerate until it’s time to bake.
Make crunchy: You could try adding a bag of crumbled crisps to the topping for crunch
Make spicy: Add 1 tsp of dried chilli flakes to the tomato sauce for a bit of spice
Breadcrumbs: Add 4 tbsp of breadcrumbs when you add the cheese on top for extra crunch
Creamy: You could add 100g of cream cheese or creme fraiche to the tomato sauce if you want a creamier dish
Nutrition
Calories: 574kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 33gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 425mgPotassium: 1250mgFiber: 7gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1802IUVitamin C: 76mgCalcium: 370mgIron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food
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Categorized as:
Cheap Eats, Comfort Food, Fish, Main Courses, One Pot, Pasta, Pasta Bake Recipes, Recipes
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5 Comments
Delicious! Easy peasy to make and quick. There was tonnes for everyone and had enough to freeze a portion for later. Been doing the meal plans for a couple of weeks and an over the moon with everything I’ve tried. Thank you so much for making life a little easier.Reply
Another evening of the weekly meal plan done and another satisfied family with full belly’s! Delicious, easy, quick and nutritious! You can hide additional veg in the sauce too and use up all the bits you’ve left over in the fridge!Reply
Great simple mid-week tea. I switched the tuna for a tin of chickpeas which I mashed to make the meal veggie.Reply
We all love this recipe, it’s fabReply
This looks amazing! Hubby won’t touch tuna but this is the perfect meal for me to cook for the kids and I when he’s working later. I’m sure it won’t look half as good as that though! x
Reply
