Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake Recipe

My tuna pasta bake recipe is creamy, cheesy, affordable, and full of protein. With its silky texture, no roux (who has time for a roux on a weeknight?) and delicious crispy cheese on top, this easy tuna pasta bake needs to get into your rotation. If you’re looking for a lighter, zesty option, my 15 minute tuna pesto pasta is a quick winner too!

Why you’ll love this recipe

A tuna pasta bake is a classic oven-baked pasta dish made with cooked pasta, canned tuna, a creamy sauce and melted cheese. Here’s why you’ll love it:

• No roux:  This tuna pasta bake recipe is by far the cheesiest I have tried due to two types of cheese! Thanks to the cream cheese and pasta water, there is no need for a roux (flour, butter and milk), making this tuna bake so so easy.
• Comforting: It’s a childhood classic for a reason, it’s great for the kids but also good enough for adults to enjoy. Making this creamy tuna pasta bake a crowd pleaser all around! If you’re looking for a twist on the classic, try my easy tomato tuna pasta bake.
• Affordable:  At just £0.82 per serving, you can’t beat the price on this easy tuna pasta bake! It was loved so much by my followers on Instagram that I had to put it in my cookbook (which, pinch me, became a Sunday Times Best Seller!! Eeek)
• Protein packed:  The combination of cheese and tuna in this tuna bake recipe lend plenty of protein for a hearty dinner. After you’ve devoured this, try my creamy chicken and chorizo pasta for another high-protein, cheesy, pasta situation.

Try these other pasta bake recipes: Healthy Baked Ziti Inspired Pasta Bake, Aubergine Parmigiana Pasta Bake, Easy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake.

Ingredients for Tuna Pasta Bake Recipe

The main ingredients that make this tuna pasta bake recipe so good are:

• Tuna: I used tuna stored in brine in this recipe, which reduces the calories in comparison to oil packed tuna. It’s also more flavourful than tuna in water, in my opinion. For a different take using tinned tuna, check out my easy tuna fishcakes, a budget-friendly, crispy delight.
• Cheddar: Mild cheddar adds a perfect richness to the creamy sauce and provides thickness and body to the sauce once melted. It also obviously crisps up amazingly to form the most flavourful golden cheese layer on top of the tuna bake.
• Cream Cheese: With most creamy tuna pasta bakes, you’ll find that many people use a roux (flour, butter and milk) to form the base of the cheese sauce. I wanted to keep this recipe super simple by using cream cheese, cheddar and pasta water to create the cheesy sauce. This reduces the prep time before the oven for the pasta bake.

See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.

Love a creamy pasta dish? Consider making these other delightfully creamy recipes during the week: Creamy Philadelphia Chicken Pasta, Steak Pasta with Creamy Sauce, Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta.

Variations / Adaptations

This tuna pasta bake recipe is easy to adapt depending on what you have in the fridge:

• Tomato tuna pasta bake: If you prefer a lighter, more classic flavour, just stir through passata, chopped tomatoes or a spoon of tomato purée before baking for an easy tomato-based tuna pasta bake.
• Vegetable-packed: Add peas, sweetcorn, spinach or leftover roasted vegetables to your tuna bake to boost nutrition without changing the cooking time.
• Extra cheesy: For an even cheesier version of this easy tuna pasta bake, add mozzarella, extra cheddar or a sprinkle of parmesan on top before baking until golden and bubbling.

How to make this Tuna Pasta Bake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 180°C – Grill. You may want to prepare a side dish like my creamed cabbage to complement the meal.

1. Next, add the onions and olive oil to the pan on a low/medium heat (Image 1).
2. Gently fry for around 5 minutes until softened (not caramelised). Add the garlic in for a couple minutes to fry once softened (Image 2).

3. Add the rigatoni to salted boiling water, set the timer, follow the packet instruction time minus 2 minutes (Image 3).

4. In the same pan, add the drained tuna, cream cheese, grated cheddar and two ladles of pasta water. Stir until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce is achieved. Add extra pasta water as necessary (Image 4).

5. Add extra pasta water as necessary. Add the lemon juice and dijon mustard and stir into the sauce. Then season with salt and lots of pepper (Image 5).

6. To a large baking dish, add the drained rigatoni, sweetcorn and cheesy tuna pasta sauce (Image 6).

7. Stir to incorporate everything and top with the remaining cheddar (Image 7).

8. Pop the cheesy tuna pasta bake under the grill for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is crispy and golden brown on top. Top with fresh parsley and season with salt and lots of black pepper (Image 8).

If you have leftover tuna, consider making one of these yummy recipes: Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad, Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice (Budget Recipe), Tuna-Mayo Courgette Salad.

How to Meal Prep this Tuna Pasta Bake

To meal-prep, cook the whole batch as described in the recipe. Allow it to cool and then divide it into 5/6 meal prep containers. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Store the parsley separately.

When it’s time to eat, remove the tuna pasta bake recipe from the fridge/freezer and place in an oven-safe dish. Cook for 10 minutes or under the grill until crispy and golden. Season with salt and lots of black pepper and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Since this tuna pasta bake is so cheesy, I always go for something light & fresh on the side. A budget green goddess salad is honestly perfect here – crunchy, herby, & ready in 10 minutes. Or if you want something classic, my healthy Caesar salad dressing without anchovies over some romaine does the job. For a hot veg option, sautéed broccoli with garlic and lemon takes all of 10 minutes.

If you want to keep it really simple, tenderstem broccoli or air fryer frozen green beans both work brilliantly. And obviously – OBVIOUSLY – frozen garlic bread cooked in the air fryer with a pasta bake is never a bad idea. That crispy cheesy bread to mop up the sauce? Ugh so good.

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

Refrigerator:  You can refrigerate this tuna pasta bake recipe covered or in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you love meal prepping pasta dishes, you should also consider my easy boursin cheese pasta – it never gets old!

Freezer:  I’d cook the whole batch in one baking dish and then divide into individual portions and freeze once cooled.

Reheat:  You can either reheat the tuna pasta bake in the microwave or oven. If you pop your heat proof meal prep dish under the grill for a couple of minutes you’ll get a better crispy cheese layer, but the microwave works just fine in a rush.

Try some sweet recipes after the tuna pasta; Chocolate Tiffin Recipes, Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe, Simple & Easy Brownies

Tuna Pasta Bake Recipe FAQs

Try some other pasta recipes: Creamy Chicken & Bacon Pasta, Creamy Tomato Tortellini Pasta Soup and Creamy Gochujang Pasta.