4.59 from 75 votes

Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake Recipe {So easy!}

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This quick and easy tuna pasta bake recipe is creamy, cheesy, affordable, and full of protein.ย  A classic comfort food your family will love
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
ยฃ0.82
Makes: 6
mains
Italian
Freezable

This cheesy, creamy tuna pasta bake recipe will satisfy any comfort food craving you have. With its silky texture, no roux (who has time for a roux on a weeknight?) and delicious crispy cheese on top, this is 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!

Close up photo of baked tuna pasta with golden browned cheesy topping and parsley.

Why youโ€™ll love this recipe

  • No roux- ย This tuna pasta bake 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 recipe 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:ย  At just ยฃ0.82 per serving, you canโ€™t beat the price on this affordable meal! 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:ย  The combination of cheese and tuna in this creamy tuna pasta bake 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

Ingredients to make the tuna pasta laid out on a pale blue back ground and labelled.

The main ingredients that make this Tuna Pasta Bake recipe fantastic are the following:

Tuna
I used tuna stored in brine in this recipe, which reduces the calories in comparison to oil packed tuna. Itโ€™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 pasta bake.

Cream Cheese
With most creamy tuna pasta bakes, youโ€™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 theย recipe cardย 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

How to make this tuna pasta bake

Start by preheat oven to 180ยฐC โ€“ 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).
2 step by step photos, the first with raw onions in pan, the second with onions fried until transluscent.

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).

2 step by step photos, thepasta in water in large saucepan, the second with onions, cheese, tuna and cream cream in a frying pan.

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).

2 step by step photos, the first cheese sauce with tuna in a frying pan, the second with pasta and sauce added to white rectangle baking dish.

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).

2 step by step photos, the first pasta, corn, tuna and suace anded to white rectangular baking dish, the second with the pasta baked and golden browned on top.

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 โ 

Tips and Tricks

  • Choose a pasta shape that can hold the creamy sauce, such as rigatoni, penne or fusilli. If you’re in the mood for a different creamy pasta after this, my creamy salmon pasta is one of my new faves.
  • Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions so that it finishes cooking within the sauce.
  • To reduce calories use canned tuna packed in brine.
  • Season the pasta water generously with salt.
  • Allow the cream cheese to heat through before slowly incorporating the pasta water to ensure it doesn’t split.
  • Use over any leftover vegetables to throw in and add even more nutrients to the dish!
overhead shot of golden browned pasta bake topped with fresh parsley on a green background.

How to meal prep

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 itโ€™s time to eat, remove 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 and pasta bake is so cheesy and comforting, I like to lighten up my side dish by having a Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies (Low Calorie!) or Crispy Smashed Broccoli with Parmesan.

Want to add some additional veggies on the side? How about these pairings:

However, if Iโ€™m feeling like I need a little extra comfort, I will make Frozen Garlic Bread in Air Fryer!

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

Refrigerator:ย  You can refrigerate this dish 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: ย Iโ€™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 youโ€™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

FAQs

Can I use full fat cream cheese in this tuna pasta bake recipe?

Yes definitely! In fact I encourage it for this recipe. The cream cheese and pasta water is the foundation of the sauce, so if you don’t mind having the extra few calories, it results in a silkier, more luxurious sauce!

Do you need to boil pasta before adding to the bake?

I recommend cooking the pasta to al dente before adding it to your pasta dish otherwise it’ll take a long long time to cook in the oven, and the quanitites for the liquids will be wrong.

Do you use tuna in oil or water?

I actually use tuna in brine. It provides more flavour than water, and less fat than oil.

Can I make this creamy tuna pasta bake gluten free/dairy free

This recipe is super easy to customise to be GF, simply trade out the pasta with your fave GF pasta, It is a bit harder to make dairy free but if you have a go to dairy-free cream cheese and cheddar, then you will definitely enjoy the results with your favourite substitutions.

How do I stop my tuna pasta bake from drying out?

This could be because you didn’t add enough pasta water or you cooked it out too much. When you pour it into the baking dish, it should be creamy and saucy, if it’s looking dry, add an extra ladle of pasta water before topping with your cheddar.

Can I freeze tuna pasta bake before baking?

Definitely! I would hold off on adding the cheddar layer and ensure that you tightly cover in cling film to prevent any freezer burn. When it’s time to eat, let your tuna pasta bake defrost on the counter, then top with cheese and follow the oven steps.

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

If you tried this Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys ๐Ÿ’› Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x

Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

Print
4.59 from 75 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
ยฃ0.82
mains
Italian
Freezable
Servings: 6
This quick and easy tuna pasta bake recipe is creamy, cheesy, affordable, and full of protein.ย  A classic comfort food your family will love

Ingredients

  • 400 g rigatoni (ยฃ0.65)
  • 1 onion, finely diced (ยฃ0.09)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (ยฃ0.69)
  • 3 tins tuna, drained (ยฃ0.59x3)=(ยฃ1.77)
  • 100 g (60g+ 40g cheddar) (ยฃ1.74/2)=(ยฃ0.87)
  • 200 g cream cheese (ยฃ0.79)
  • ยผ lemon, juiced (ยฃ0.69/4)=(ยฃ0.17)
  • 260 g (1 large tin) sweetcorn (ยฃ0.35)

Cupboard Essentials

  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180ยฐC (grill setting)
  • Add the rigatoni to salted boiling water, setting the timer to 2 minutes less than the packet's recommended cooking time.
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over low/medium heat. Add the diced onion and gently fry for around 5 minutes until softened (not caramelised). Add the garlic and fry for an additional couple of minutes once the onions have softened.
  • Add the drained tuna, cream cheese, cheddar, and two ladles of pasta water to the pan. Stir until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Add extra pasta water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
  • Stir the lemon juice and dijon mustard into the sauce, then season with salt and lots of pepper.
  • Pour the rigatoni, sweetcorn and creamy tuna sauce into a baking dish (around 12 inch x 10 inch). Stir to incorporate everything and top with the remaining cheddar. Pop under the grill for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and crispy.
  • Top with fresh parsley to serve.

Notes

  • Choose a pasta shape like rigatoni, penne, or fusilli that can hold creamy sauce and cook until al dente.
  • Reduce calories by using canned tuna packed in brine.
  • Create a cheesy sauce using a combination of cream cheese and cheddar, and feel free to add your favorite seasonings and vegetables for extra flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Servings: 6 servings
Fat: 19g
Calories: 540kcal
Carbohydrates: 57g
Protein: 34g
4.59 from 75 votes (73 ratings without comment)

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Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I hope you loved it. Iโ€™d be so grateful if you could leave a comment/rating - it makes my day hearing your feedback!

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Comments

  1. Christine | 2 years ago

    I made this last night, and it was so delicious! I covered the tray with foil and lost track of time, so it was baking in the oven for 15 minutes, then I left it uncovered for 10 minutes giving it a nice broil at the top. It takes like a seafood chowder. Definitely going to be making this every other month. Great recipe!5 stars

  2. Tried this recipe yesterday and it was delicious and very easy. Will be looking at more recipes to try.5 stars

    1. Mimi Harrison | 3 years ago

      So glad to hear that Sally! Thanks for your message and hope you enjoy my other recipes ๐Ÿ™‚

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