Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake with loads of cheese and peas, a delicious frugal dinner made with a few simple ingredients. It's quick and easy to make, and it's guaranteed to go down very well with the whole family.
There is nothing more satisfying than a bowl of pasta, cooked in any way, any time of the year. But add a load of cheesy goodness to it, some good old canned tuna, some veggies for even more goodness, and you know you are in for a treat.
Canned tuna can be a lifesaver when you are stuck for ideas what else to cook for dinner, and it has become a pantry essential for me. And pasta, well, there's always some pasta around, that goes without saying.
Pasta bakes are a big hit with us, my Chicken Pasta Bake, Cheesy Ham and Pea Pasta Bake and Creamy Sausage Pasta Bake make their way onto our table quite often. And what's not to love about them?!
Winter might be the season for comfort food, but these casseroles can be enjoyed no matter the season, as they are hearty, but not too heavy. Plus little ones would definitely love them even in summer.
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Ingredients needed for the tuna pasta bake
A good pasta bake needs to be rich and creamy, and the best sauce for that is the white sauce or bechamel sauce. This binds of all the ingredients together into a delicious dish.
Other ingredients needed are pasta - of any shape, it doesn't have to be penne pasta, canned tuna - I used 2 tins, cooked peas and cheese.
How to make the bechamel sauce
The sauce also makes the best mac and cheese ever, so definitely worth saving the recipe, as it can be used for so many other recipes.
- in a large pan, melt the butter, add the flour and whisk well into a thick paste
- add the warm milk and continue to whisk to avoid lump
- when the sauce is thick, add half of the grated cheese, dijon mustard and black pepper, and give it a good stir
- the cooked and drained pasta can now be added to to sauce - give it a good mix so the pasta is well coated in sauce
How to assemble the pasta bake
Once the pasta is ready, transfer it to a large ovenproof dish together with the well-drained tuna and cooked peas. Give everything a good mix.
Scatter over the remaining cheese, and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling hot.
Easy swaps
Tuna can be a bit strong for little ones, but baked in this rich tuna casserole it looses its strength, making it the ideal family meal.
I absolutely love peas, and so do my little ones - kids in general find it hard to refuse them, and they are also great for developing a pincer grasp.
They can be swapped for sweet corn - of used as a combo in this dish. Other good veggies to throw in are cooked carrots cut into small cubes, peppers, green beans or frozen mixed veggies.
The canned tuna can be swapped for cooked salmon, white fish or mixed seafood - do make sure the fish is cooked before adding it to the pasta.
Cheddar cheese is my absolutely favourite for pasta dishes, but any other hard cheese can be used, or even a combo of more hard cheeses. Do give it a go!
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Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake with loads of cheese and peas, a delicious frugal dinner made with a few simple ingredients. It's quick and easy to make, and it's guaranteed to go down very well with the whole family.
- 2 tins tuna
- 1 cup cooked peas
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 2 cups penne pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter (30 g)
- 2 tablespoon plain flour
- 2 cups full-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
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Cook the past according to the packet instructions.
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To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large pan, add the flour and whisk to get a thick paste.
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Pour in the milk whisking continuously until it thickens.
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Add half of the grated cheese, dijon mustard and black pepper, and mix well.
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When the pasta is cooked, drain in well, then add it to the sauce and give it a good mix.
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Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish, add the cooked peas and well-drained tuna, and mix.
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Scatter over the remaining cheese, and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling hot.
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Garnish with fresh parsley.
Recipe Video
Peas can be swapped for sweet corn - of used as a combo in this dish. Other good veggies to throw in are cooked carrots cut into small cubes, peppers, green beans or frozen mixed veggies.
The canned tuna can be swapped for cooked salmon, white fish or mixed seafood - do make sure the fish is cooked before adding it to the pasta.
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