Because everybody has a can of tuna, pasta, canned tomato and some sort of dried herbs in the depths of their pantry, everybody should have one wickedly delicious Tuna Pasta Bake recipe up their sleeve!
Pasta baked in a homemade tomato sauce topped with melted cheese, this Tuna casserole is juicy and full of flavour and bears no resemblance to the usual acts of desperation associated with canned tuna meals! After a CREAMY tuna pasta bake? Try Tuna Mornay!
Tuna Pasta Bake
Confession: I say “Everybody has a can of tuna” but I don’t. Well, I do have lots. But it’s not for me. It’s for Dozer. So on the odd occasion that I do want tuna, I swipe his.
So here’s the truth. This Tuna Pasta Bake in these photos is made with Dozer’s tuna. 😂
Oh, just to be clear – it’s normal human tuna. Whatever is on special at the time, and I get the little cans so I had to use a bunch of them to make this big batch of Tuna Pasta Bake.
You should have seen the look on his face as I was popping open can after can. His eyes were sparkling and he was wriggling like a puppy with excitement, thinking Christmas had come early. Then his tail slowly started sagging as he realised it was going into something I was making, and not into his food bowl!
I grew up in a household where I was sent to school with bento boxes when all I wanted was a peanut butter sandwich. So I totally missed the Tuna Mornay experience that many of my friends shudder at the memory of – some sort of white sauce in a jar mixed with pasta and tuna, then baked.
I shudder at the description.
And while actually, I do enjoy Tuna Mornay (made from scratch!), I prefer this tomato based Tuna Pasta Bake.
This recipe is almost a guide so I’ve provided suggestions for substitutions. Basically, you need tuna, pasta, canned tomato or passata and/or tomato paste, some sort of dried herb or spices, garlic or onion (or leek / shallots/scallions/green onions or eschallots) and that’s it. Everything else you see in the recipe is something that takes it up a notch, they aren’t deal breakers.
If that makes sense? 🙂
To be honest, my favourite part of this Tuna Pasta Bake is that golden crust on the surface. Yes, it is fantastic with a sprinkling of cheese, but even without it, it’s still fantastic (try panko or breadcrumbs if you don’t have cheese). Your mind will be telling you that it’s Cooks’ Privileges to pick at the top, but don’t do it because if you start, you may find you’ve picked all the surface off before it gets to the table.
Now that wouldn’t be very fair, would it? 😉 – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
Tuna Pasta Bake recipe video!
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Tuna Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small onion , finely diced
- 800g / 28 oz crushed tomato (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, thickens sauce slightly)
- 3/4 cup (185ml) water (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp Italian mixed herbs , or other dried herbs of choice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 425g / 15 oz can chunk tuna (preferably in oil), drained (Note 3)
- 200g / 7 oz spiral pasta (or other pasta of choice)
- 1 1/2 cups (150g) shredded mozzarella cheese (Note 4)
- Olive Oil , for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Cook pasta per packet directions, minus 1 minute. Drain, rinse under tap water to stop it sticking together, set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 3 minutes until golden.
- Add tomato, water, herbs, salt and pepper and tomato paste if using. Stir, bring to simmer, lower heat to medium and simmer energetically for 5 minutes (stir every now and then) until it thickens.
- Adjust salt to taste. Also add a touch of sugar if it tastes a bit sour (depends on quality of tomato).
- Turn the stove off, add pasta, stir in.
- Add tuna and GENTLY stir it in – don’t break up the tuna so it disintegrates into mush. Leave some chunks on the surface (nice when it is golden).
- Drizzle with oil, top with cheese then bake for 20 minutes until golden and you get those nice crusty bits you see in the photos.
- Stand for 3 minutes then serve!
Recipe Notes:
– 700g / 1.2 lb tomato passata or American Tomato Sauce (NOT Aussie / UK Tomato Sauce)
– 400g/14 oz crushed tomato + 1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth + 3 tbsp tomato paste + 2 tsp sugar 2. Broth – If you have chicken or vegetable broth, that would be a terrific addition, or add a crumbled bouillon cube or 1 tsp chicken or vegetable powder. 3. Tuna – I find Tuna in oil has better flavour for a recipe like this, but any canned tuna or salmon is great for this recipe. “Chunk tuna” is my preferred because it comes in chunks which I think is nicer than the fragile tuna that disintegrates through the pasta. 4. Tomato paste thickens the sauce slightly which is what I used in the recipe I made for the photos. I did not use it in the recipe video – but you can see that it’s still lovely and tomatoey, not watery and thin. 5. Topping – Try using 3/4 cup panko / breadcrumbs sprinkled with salt and drizzled with oil instead of cheese. Crunch is fantastic! 6. STEP IT UP A NOTCH: Finely chop 2 anchovies and add them in with the onion, they will disintegrate and add a savouriness that is no fishy at all. Add 1 tsp of red pepper flakes – or more if you dare! Use Chicken or vegetable broth in place of the water and stir through fresh basil with the pasta. This is no longer a basic pantry Tuna Pasta Bake, but I thought I’d share what I do if I am making an effort! 7. DIET TUNA PASTA BAKE – pursuant to reader request, here are recipe adjustments for a healthier version with 251 calories per serving (5 servings), 23g carbs: Reduce oil to 2 tsp, add 1 cup each finely chopped carrot and celery plus 1.5 cups diced zucchini with the onion and saute on low heat for 10 minutes until soft and sweet. Then proceed with recipe but REDUCE pasta to 100g/3.5 oz and stir through 2 handfuls of spinach when you add the pasta. Spray surface with oil then top with low fat mozzarella. Healthy AND delicious!!! 8. Make ahead – best way to make ahead for freezing:
- cook and cool pasta
- make sauce per recipe, add extra half cup water at end. Cool.
- assemble per recipe, cover then freeze. Thaw before cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Canned tuna CAN make a delicious meal!
Life of Dozer
It’s been 13 days since he shredded his paw when he bolted across a bed of oysters in pursuit of a pelican (🙄) and it’s still not fully healed because this dog is unable to refrain from bolting around the yard like a psycho when he goes out to pee.
As an alternative to getting stitches, he’s currently on chill-pills in an attempt to keep him quieter during the days. So he’s spending his days half asleep, like this.
I want his life.
Hi Nagi, could you replace the tuna with pork mince?
I love your recipes Nagi and make many of them frequently. I’ve been making a very similar one from Neil Perry for a few years. We all have different dietary requirements in my family. I’m vegetarian so I take out my portion first and add olives, marinated artichokes and bocconcini. Next my son has very plain tastes so I add the tuna and some bocconcini and take out his portion. The other two family members like it spicy so I add all my vego add ins and some chilli. Everyone ends up with a meal they enjoy.
So quick, easy & versatile. I need to concentrate on Christmas but still feed my love & I! Used up a couple of mushrooms, 1/4 zucchini & a small piece of capsicum. More vegies in tucker & more space in the fridge, we loved it & he has enough for 2 x lunches. Winner!
Made as per the recipe and it was delicious. Have enough left over for another meal – it is only my husband and I at home now. So good and easy to make – much appreciated Nagi x
As with all the other RecipeTin Eats recipes I’ve tried, this was marvellous! The kids loved it, we all had seconds! I added the anchovies and had a few lonely capers in the fridge that I chucked in. Simple, tasty weeknight meal!!
Absolutely delicious!! I add sliced kalmata olives for an extra flavour hit!!
Nagi you are a wiz. Beautiful and simple recipe. Thanks
Seriously good !!
Surely Dozer gets some of the pasta bake ? Our labrador helped ensure there was none left….
Quick, simple, tasty, easy to bulk it up with veges (I didn’t have enough tuna) and goes a long way. Another winner Nagi!
I make a lot of Italian dishes and love Lidia Bastianich! I tried this tonight it was delicious! Key is Italian tuna and good olive oil! Great recipe!
Thanks Ellen!! I am happy that you liked it! N x
So easy and delicious!
Easy and tasty recipe. I didn’t have mozzarella, so instead I used cheddar and parmesan cheese. My family loved it. Thank you
This is delicious i make it regularly now thanks for a great easy recipe! sometimes the simplest recipes taste the best I use chicken stock in mine and add olives
So Delicious. Quick and easy to put together with plenty of flavour. I added some diced carrots and cooked them with the onions.
It’s a great Winter warmer meal.
I’m so glad you loved it Donna, that’s awesome!! N x
Hi Nagi! Do you think this would work with cheddar instead of mozzarella? Thanks!
Hi Caroline, yes definitely!! N x
Instead if Italian herbs, I used a combo of oregano, cayenne pepper and paprika, the last two giving it a bit of a spicy kick and it was awesome! Will definitely make it again. Thanks for another great recipe, Nagi 😃
As long as Dozer got some as a treat…..
Delish! I added a bit of wine to the onion/garlic at the start, reduced it down, then added some cream cheese before the sauce. I also mixed in a bit of cheese with the mix as well as on top.. plus mixed in a bit of parmesan on top (makes it go crispy).
Thank You Nagi. Made this recipe tonight it was delicious, just added zucchini and red capsicum. Family loved it.
Cannot decide what to have for meal tonight and came across this in my bookmarks so tonight this will be on the menu
Trying this tonite
Enjoy Valerie!! N x