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.
I’m absolutely a novice in the kitchen and there’s been plenty of times when I’ve followed a recipe online and it’s come out nothing like it’s supposed to…. not this time tho it was absolutely gorgeous everybody who tasted it said how nice it was!!
First try came out real tasty. So am now making it again, the family really liked this dish.
The elephant never forget – my mum used to cook this dish when i was very small – thanks for the memories ! Preparation time – until the pasta is cooked – lol – then into the oven for half an hour or so – ima cooking with gas !
Iam going to make in a minute, my wife doesn’t like pasta, so my replacing with small Jersey potatoes,hope it works
Hi Peter,
Ooooh that sounds like an interesting swap. How did it go?
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
Yes it was quite nice having again tonight leftovers
This recipe looks delicious! When my husband and I were in college, we used to make this and called it “college night tuna casserole.” After all these years, we still love it!
Thanks Kristina – that’s so sweet to hear 🙂
We love this one too!
Beautiful meal my family really enjoyed it i added to ingredients with peas and chopped tomates to pasta before topping with this wonderful cheese sauce thank you
Enjoyed this simple to make recipe. Different to other tuna bakes I have made. I found it easier to mix everything up in the large pan I had, before putting it i the cooking dish
Can you freeze this meal?
Hi Bree, yes you can.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Take out of the refrigerator an hour before you want to cook it, to take the chill off, then place in the oven covered in foil at 190C/375F for 20 minutes, then a further 10-15 minutes uncovered. Check it’s piping hot in the middle before serving.
I made this today but used FRESH Atlantic salmon, skinned & cut into small chunks, & added frozen peas as I had no corn – it cooked beautifully & was left with an empty casserole dish! No leftovers for lunch tomorrow😪
Thanks Ali,
So glad you enjoyed it. Fish Pie is on our menu this week, Not sure how successful we are going to be at saving some for leftovers either 🙂
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
Cooked this as surprise for my partner, it’s quite simple and as long as you stay in the kitchen you can get away with not following recipe steps with too much precision. We added a quarter can of mackerel (in natural oil), labour 3/4 an onion, 125 g of corn kernels and 125 of creamed corn (on hand), more peas and a stable spoon extra of butter.
But I think this recipe is quite unforgiving and will definitely try the written recipe when I have more energy, as I suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.