Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake
Tuna pasta bake is an absolute classic and this tomato version couldn't be easier to make!
Servings: 5
Cost: £2 / $2.50
Equipment
- Large Deep Pan & Wooden Spoon (for sauce)
- Large Pot & Colander (for cooking pasta)
- 9" x 9" Baking Dish (or similar size) (for baking)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 14oz / 400g Fusilli (or shortcut pasta of choice)
- 4 cups / 1kg Tomato Passata (pureed/strained tomatoes in US)
- 2x 5oz/145g cans of Tuna Chunks, drained (see notes)
- 1 cup / 100g EACH: shredded Mozzarella, grated Cheddar
- 1 cup / 125g Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 medium Red Pepper, finely diced (bell pepper)
- 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
- 2 fat cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 1 small bunch (approx 1oz/30g) Fresh Basil, finely diced (save some to garnish)
- 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes, or to spice preference (1/2 tsp gives very gentle kick of spice)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil, or 1 tbsp oil from sun dried tomatoes
- pinch of Sugar
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large deep pan over medium heat add 1 tbsp oil. Add onion & pepper and fry until soft and just starting to pick up colour. Add in sun dried tomatoes & garlic and fry for another couple of mins.
- Pour in tomato passata, then add in basil, chilli flakes, a pinch of sugar (to balance out the sourness of the tomatoes) and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Give it a stir, then reduce to a low simmer for 20mins, stirring occasionally. This is important to marry the flavours together.
- About 8mins before the sauce is done, pop your pasta in salted boiling and cook until al dente (take a min or so off cooking, you want it a touch hard).
- Combine drained pasta with sauce, then add tuna chunks. Gently toss in the tuna (don't be too aggressive or the tuna turns to mush).
- Add half of the pasta to a baking dish, followed by a layer of mozzarella, followed by the rest of the pasta, then finish with a layer of cheddar. Bake in the oven at 200C/390F for 15-20mins or until golden and bubbly.
- Serve with any leftover basil, then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Tuna - I usually use tuna in oil for this recipe, but spring water/brine will work just fine. I recommend using chunks. I find that flakes go too mushy, whereas chunks hold up better in the sauce. For reference, the amount of drained tuna I use is 7oz/200g, but you could get away with a little more if your cans are slightly larger.
b) Basil - The fresh basil adds heaps of flavour and works as a nice garnish too. This is a fairly economical recipe though, so if you've only got dried that'll work. I recommend around 2 tsp worth. Oregano is also nice, or a mix of both!
c) Can I prep this ahead of time? - This is best made fresh. I find prepping ahead drys out the sauce a little. Not a huge issue though, so if you wanted to prep ahead of time just let both the sauce and pasta cool, then stack and tightly cover in the fridge. Allow to come back to room temp before baking, just so it cooks evenly through the centre. If you are prepping ahead remember just slightly undercook the pasta.
d) Can I freeze this? - Same as above, just tightly store in the freezer for 1month, then thaw in the fridge and bring to room temp.
e) Storage/Leftovers - Allow leftovers to completely cool, then tightly store in the fridge for 2-3days. I then usually reheat in the microwave until piping hot again.
f) - For the CREAMY version of tuna pasta bake check out my Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake!
g) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 5.
Nutrition
Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 80.68g | Protein: 27.91g | Fat: 18.34g | Saturated Fat: 8.143g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.988g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.961g | Trans Fat: 0.269g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 1193mg | Fiber: 14.8g | Sugar: 11.41g | Vitamin A: 2443IU | Vitamin C: 62.7mg | Calcium: 371mg | Iron: 3.98mg