Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake – tuna with pasta, peas and sweetcorn in a a lovely creamy, cheesy sauce. It’s an easy meal that everyone loves – made with mostly store-cupboard ingredients!
There’s something about a pasta bake that just seems to make everyone so happy. Possibly the promise of a luxuriously filling meal, topped with cheese and oozing with some kind of sauce 😍.
📋 What do we need?
This creamy tuna pasta bake is a store cupboard saviour. Pasta, sweetcorn, tuna fish – all make up the bulk of the meal. Frozen peas are a great addition too – but you can use canned or fresh if you like.
Apart from that, we’re really just talking milk, cheese and a bit of butter from the fridge.
📺 Watch how to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
👩🍳PRO TIP Use albacore tuna if you can – it has a lovely creamy-meaty taste. If you haven’t got it, don’t worry, regular tuna works great too.
I would always suggest using tuna fish in oil (drain it before adding to the dish) as it has more flavour and a richer texture. However, you can use tuna in water or brine if you prefer.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Parmesan Carrot Fries or Oven-Baked Potato Fries
- Homemade Garlic Bread
- A nice crisp salad
🍲 More fantastic Pasta Bakes
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Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) rigatoni pasta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 onion peeled and chopped finely
- 40 g (1/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) milk
- 250 g (2 1/2 packed cups) strong cheddar grated
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 320 g (11 oz) canned tuna albacore tuna if possible, drained and flaked
- 330 g (11.5 oz) canned sweetcorn drained
- 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas
- chopped parsley to serve
Instructions
- Heat oven to 180C/350F (fan).
- Boil a large pan of water, add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes.400 g (14 oz) rigatoni pasta
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan, add in the onion and cook on low for 6-8 minutes until the onions are very soft.1 onion
- Turn up the heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, using a whisk to stir (just stir, don’t whisk) it in.3 tbsp butter, 40 g (1/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) milk
- Once all the milk is incorporated, continue to heat whilst stirring until the sauce thickens. Then stir in 2/3 of the cheese until melted. Season with the salt and pepper.250 g (2 1/2 packed cups) strong cheddar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
- Drain the pasta and pour into a 20x30cm baking dish. Pour over the white sauce, then add the tuna, sweetcorn, and frozen peas.320 g (11 oz) canned tuna, 330 g (11.5 oz) canned sweetcorn, 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas
- Mix together, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins until the cheese is golden brown. Top with a sprinkling of parsley before serving.chopped parsley
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was first published in Feb 2016. Updated in May 2021 with new photos, video and FAQs.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
This tuna recipe was so easy and yummy too and it was great that the ingredients are what we always have in the pantry all the time. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Thanks Denise,
Really glad you enjoyed the recipe. Be sure to let us know if you try any of our other recipes 🙂
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
I made this for tea and it was smashing! My little addition was the grated zest of a lemon into the white sauce before it thickened and it brought some lovely zestiness
Hi, is it possible to follow this recipe and then instead of putting it in the oven just leave it then heat in microwave when required?
Thanks
Hi Caroline – you could make the recipe then cool, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to a day. You can then remove the foil and microwave it until piping hot throughout.
Microwaving it won’t give it that golden-brown crust on top though. It needs to be oven-cooked in order to achieve that.
Try adding diced chopped pork, fried off with the onions
I used to love my mum’s tuna bake growing up. She passed away and I’ve been looking for her recepie. This is the closest to her recepie I can find. Very yummy and brings back wonderful memories.
Great recipe. Simple, quick and v tasty.
Best tuna bake I have ever tasted – really enjoyed eating this and was a big hit with my children too. Awesome thanks!
Love this recipe, it’s the only one I’ll use for tuna bake! I add three stalks of chopped celery in with the onions to saute, and substitute half the milk for vegetable stock (as it’s a bit rich for me otherwise), just takes a touch longer for the sauce to thicken. Thank you for the excellent recipe!
I would love to try your recipes, but they are written in metric. I’ve had trouble converting to cups, ounces, etc. with the conversion tables. Could you publish this Tuna Pasta Bake recipe in both measures? Thank you.
Hi Bonnie,
We are doing our best to convert all of our recipes so they can be made using metric and US measures. You should see most of our recipes either have the cups coversion stated next to the metric merasurements or there is a link you can click which automatically converts the recipe to US measures. If you look at the ingredients section and click **Convert to US Measures** that should help you out.
Many Thanks and i hope you enjoy the recipes
Chris & Nicky
Why are the ingredient listed in grams? You should provide an oz.. version.
Hi Jackie,
We are based in the UK so use the metric system by default but we doing our best to convert all of our recipes so they can be made using metric and US measures. You should see most of our recipes either have the cups conversion stated next to the metric measurements or there is a link you can click which automatically converts the recipe to US measures. If you look at the ingredients section and click **Convert to US Measures** that should help you out.
Many Thanks and i hope you enjoy the recipes
Chris & Nicky