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Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

If you’re looking for a simple, creamy tuna pasta bake recipe, this is the one! Absolutely easy, cheesy and loaded with veggies!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 670 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

  • 400 g rigatoni pasta
  • 50 g butter
  • 50 g all-purpose flour
  • 600 ml fresh whole milk warmed
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • a generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 125 g strong cheddar grated
  • 125 g Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 220 g tuna fillets in jars (or canned tuna chunks) drained and flaked
  • 200 g frozen sweetcorn drained
  • 200 g frozen peas
  • handful fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C (fan) or gas mark 4.
  2. Place a large pan of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Lightly season with sea salt, then add the pasta and cook for about 7-9 minutes.
  3. Look at the instructions on your pasta packaging. See how long it tells you to boil the rigatoni for, and drain the pasta three minutes before this time.
  4. For the white sauce, melt the butter in your saucepan and stir in the plain flour to make a “roux”, which is basically the base of the sauce.
  5. Once you have cooked the roux for a minute (don’t let it brown), slowly stir in 600ml of milk, and stir, gently but continuously, until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
  6. If the sauce starts bubbling, turn the heat to low and continue to stir until the sauce has reached a silky creamy consistency.
  7. Turn the heat off and season with sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.
  8. Once the white sauce is ready, stir in ⅔ of the cheddar and ⅔ of the parmesan cheese, and set the sauce aside.
  9. By this time, your rigatoni should be ready and super al dente.
  10. Drain and transfer the pasta into a large bowl, add in the tuna, sweetcorn and peas.
  11. Stir in ½ of the white sauce and mix until combined. You can also add some chopped parsley if you like.
  12. Transfer the ingredients in a 6x8 inches baking dish, and top with the remaining white sauce.
  13. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and parmesan cheese on top, and your pasta is ready to hit the oven.
  14. Bake for around 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown. If you want some nice crunchy brown spots, set the baking dish under the grill for 2-3 minutes extra.

Notes

  • Can you freeze it?
  • You can safely freeze it. I love to make a big batch store it in individual freezer-friendly containers in the freezer. They keep well for about 1 month (but usually disappear earlier than that).
  • Just take care when you reheat it to stop the pasta from drying out.
  • Use a single large freezer-friendly container, or use several smaller ones to protect the quality of the food.
  • Can you reheat it?
  • Yes, you can. I personally prefer to reheat it in a hot oven for 4-5 minutes, rather than in the microwave, as it keeps its crunchy texture much better.
  • Leftover storage tips:
  • Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep well for a couple of days.

Nutrition Information

Calories 670kcal (34%) Carbohydrates 74g (25%) Protein 37g (74%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Cholesterol 79mg (26%) Sodium 710mg (30%) Potassium 570mg (16%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 1084IU (22%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 539mg (54%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 670

% Daily Value*

Calories 670kcal 34%
Carbohydrates 74g 25%
Protein 37g 74%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 710mg 30%
Potassium 570mg 12%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 1084IU 22%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 539mg 54%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.