Creamy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake
Creamy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake is a healthy, filling, and budget-friendly dish. It also happens to be delicious! You can have this one-dish meal on the table in a quick 20 minutes which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups uncooked penne or other pasta
- 14 oz can of tuna in oil, drain most of the oil
- 8-12 cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes
- ½ cup black or mixed olives, pitted
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese or grated cheddar
- 14 oz Marinara, spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
- Black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, parsley or oregano for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to package instructions (al dente). Add 1 tablespoons of oil to pasta water.
- Add cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl, add tuna (i like to break up the larger chunks of tuna), marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon of oregano, garlic powder. Mix to combine.
- Ina 9 x 13-inch baking dish add half of the pasta mix, add a layer of half of the cheese, another pasta layer, and top with olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of oregano and finish with a layer of remaining cheese.
- Bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is properly melted.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and more oregano!
Notes
- Store this creamy tuna pasta bake properly sealed in a special airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can freeze it for 2 months or so.
- For reheating the casserole add a little spring water, vegetable or fish stock, water or marinara sauce to the pasta. For best flavor (although it will not be the same as just baked) I'd recommend reheating it in a small baking dish in the oven, at about 425 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.
- Spicy Tuna Pasta Bake. This easy pasta bake is a simple whole family meal and usually, kids love this (unless they hate tuna!). But to spruce up the dish I'd recommend adding a sprinkle of crushed red pepper chilli flakes. You don't need a lot, even a little bit will add smokiness to the overall flavor.
- I didn't add any salt here as the sauce already has a lot of flavor and the olives are already salted. When combining the cooked pasta and other ingredients be sure to taste test before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 740kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!