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 (⅓ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) milk
- 250 g (2.5 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.
- Boil a large pan of water, add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes.
- 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.
- 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.
- Once all the milk is incorporated, continue to heat whilst stirring until the sauce thickens. Then stir in ⅔ of the cheese until melted. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Drain the pasta and pour into a 20x30cm baking dish. Pour over the white sauce, then add the tuna, sweetcorn and petit pois.
- 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.
Video
✎ Notes
Nutrition
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.
Logan Jordynic Greymore says
I won't lie, this was incredible and worth the effort but I don't like the texture of the peas and corn together with the pasta (if that was my fault, I'm sorry). Next time I don't think I'll add either one. AMAZING FLAVOUR AND RECIPE!!
Andy Young says
Was absolutely delish but I added sliced jalapeños as I also like a bit of bite!! 🔥🔥 Worth a try if you like to spice things up a bit! 🤣
Diane says
The calories listed; is that per serving? How much is a serving? Thanks.
Alanah McGurgan says
I love this as I'm not a meat chicken eater so simply made I just love your Recipes thank you
Neil says
So dang good. Thank you for the recipe only change i made was adding nutmeg about 1/2 tsp. I also did 2/3 of recipe to use up leftover rigotoni pasta. Comfort food for sure. I so not rate any dishes but This was worth it. I also skipped parsley
Dave Palfrey says
What the hell is Petit Pois Sorry to show my ignorance. Can't be helped, I am Welsh
Sonja Lamberton says
A nice easy meal with very basic ingredients. Worked well with a salad. The kids will enjoy this one.
Justine says
Way too many pop up adds couldn’t even read the recipe clear 80% of the adds you don’t need to go overboard
Was a struggle commenting with 20% of the screen available as it was 🙄
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Justine, you can click on the 'x' in the top right-hand corner of any ad. You could alteratively press the 'print recipe' button - it will come up with an ad-free screen with the recipe on.
Carman R Jaumott says
This dish took me way longer than 10 minutes prep time. The cook time at the top of the instructions says 45 minutes and at the bottom it says Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Only a seasoned cook would know what to do. Why does this recipe say petit pois? I googled it and found it means frozen peas. My sauce would not pour, it had to be scraped out of the sauce pan. Flavor was rather bland. I would make it again with several adjustments.
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Carmen,
The recipe takes 55 minutes altogether. The 45 minute cook time includes not only the baking time, but also the time for boiling the pasta, sautéing the onions etc - since we're actually cooking for that time too.
I've changed the 'petit pois' to peas just for you. It means 'small peas' and is a particular type of small, sweet pea (usally bought frozen) - which gives the dish extra flavour. However, I've updated to simply say peas. I hope that's helpful 🙂
Lissa says
Delicious!! Easy to make, sooo tasty, now a firm family favorite. Thank you ❤
Carol Pierson says
Our granddaughters wanted to lick the pan! The only modification I made is that I used broccoli chopped fine instead of corn and peas because they love broccoli. It was a big hit!
Gram
Andy says
Excellent dinner with garlic bread
patricia says
this recipe is so nice. my new go to
Lucia smith says
The creamy Tuna Pasta Bake recipe is quite tasty and easy to make but I prefer to bake it with ghee instead of using butter. Ghee offers higher smoke point and dairy-free content. I always grass-fed ghee. However, thanks Nicky for sharing such a beautiful recipe for all of us.
Glyn says
It's been a while since I made anything similar - the previous recipe I had just wasn't great.
I tried this tonight, and it's definitely going to be a regular on the menu!