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Tuna Pasta Bake features tender fusilli pasta, chunky tuna fish all baked in tomato sauce and topped with a copious amount of melted cheese. You didn’t think canned tuna could taste this good, did you?

tuna pasta bake in a cast iron skillet topped with fresh basil next to a bowl of parmesan cheese and plates
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Tuna gets such a bad rap. I remember in grade school, my mom would frequently make us tuna fish sandwiches for lunch and I would always dread those lunch days. All the kids would say how much it smelled and you know how everyone’s opinion matters as a kid. My mom would also buy those tuna cracker packets. Do you remember those? The plastic packet came with a tiny can of tuna, crackers, and a mayo packet.

These days, I can’t seem to get enough of canned tuna and so many people love it now too. Is it getting more sophisticated tastebuds as you get older?

tuna pasta bake plated on two plates with a metal fork next to bowls of fresh basil and parmesan cheese

Why You’ll Love This

  • Packed with lean protein. I really appreciate how much protein is in one can of tuna. It’s lean while also containing so much protein to keep you full. It’s a well-balanced pasta bake!
  • Easy to make. Cook the pasta, cook the sauce, toss everything together and bake! It’s truly that easy.
  • No-fuss ingredients. Majority of the ingredients are already in your pantry and/or refrigerator. The ingredient list doesn’t contain anything outlandish yet the pasta is so flavorful!
ingredients for tuna pasta bake

Ingredients for Tuna Pasta Bake

The major ingredients for the pasta bake are listed here while the entirety of the ingredient list and precise measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Pasta
  • Onion and garlic
  • Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
  • Two types of cheeses
  • Canned tuna

Tuna Pasta Bake Variations

  • Try a different type of pasta. You’ll want to use a pasta shape that can hold the sauce and cheese. I chose a spiral shaped pasta because the sauce and cheese can get into all the little nooks. Penne or rigatoni would be a great alternative to the fusilli.
  • Use tuna packed in water. For a leaner dish, use tuna packed in water instead of oil.
  • Add extra vegetables. To bulk up the dish, add your favorite vegetables. Chopped red bell peppers, frozen peas, green beans, or chopped spinach are great options.

How to Make Tuna Pasta Bake Step by Step

  • Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of water to a boil then cook pasta for half the amount of time the box says.
  • Sauté the aromatics and make the sauce. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, olive oil then add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning, stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Assemble the pasta bake. Add the pasta and tuna into the tomato sauce and gently toss, taking care to try to keep the tuna chunky and not shredded.
  • Bake the pasta. Sprinkle cheeses on top of the pasta and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees F.
a wooden spoon scoops out a portion of tuna pasta bake in the cast iron skillet

Serving Suggestions

As with all pasta casseroles and pasta bakes, I like serving my Quick Basic Chopped Salad for a little extra green. Easy Garlic Knots are a wonderful addition as are these dinner rolls.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Allow tuna pasta bake to come to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, either warm through on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add a little liquid to loosen it up.

More Ways To Use Canned Tuna

Canned tuna is way more versatile than you think! Here are more ways to use canned tuna in your every day dishes.

4.36 from 14 votes

Tuna Pasta Bake

Tender fusilli pasta, chunky tuna fish all baked in tomato sauce and topped with a copious amount of melted cheese. You didn't think canned tuna could taste this good, did you?
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups (120 g) dried pasta
  • ½ medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 ¾ cup (424 g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 15-21 ounces (425 g) canned chunk tuna in olive oil, drained
  • ½ cup (56 g) whole milk mozzarella, shredded
  • ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil, finely chopped for garnish
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C)
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil then cook pasta for half the amount of time the box says. It will finish cooking in the oven.
  • In the meantime, heat a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil then add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
    onions and garlic sautéed in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning, stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Remove skillet from heat.
    tomato sauce in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon
  • Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Toss to coat. Add the drained tuna but do not overly mix. Just gently toss so chunks remain in tact and it doesn’t turn to shredded tuna where you can’t see it at all in the dish.
    pasta and canned tuna fish added to the cast iron skillet with the tomato sauce.
  • Sprinkle cheeses on top in an even layer then bake for 25 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through and mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.
    shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of pasta in cast iron skillet
  • Sprinkle fresh basil on top, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

If you feel that the sauce is too bitter (it truly depends on brand of tomato so it varies), you can add a bit of granulated sugar to the sauce.
There are a lot of varying cans of tuna and they range between 5-7 ounces, hence the measurement for tuna is a range.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (330 grams), Calories: 482kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 12g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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Recipe Rating




23 Comments

  1. Nora says:

    Lovely recipe! Because my hubby loves me I added some chunks of cooked bacon on top of the cheese – amazing!
    Thanks so much Julie

  2. Sandra says:

    Fantastic recipe. Since discovering this recipe last year I make it almost every week now. As a family with 2 teenagers I always used to cook the traditional recipe with a white sauce which compared to this is awfully dry and tasteless. As recommended, the tuna in olive oil is much better taste wise. I use a tin of tomatoes plus some fresh ones and find this works well.

  3. Jessica says:

    I don’t know what the comment below me is talking about, this had a gorgeous flavour! I added 1 tsp of brown sugar as our tomatoes were bitter. Only had about 1 tbsp of Parmesan left but was still lovely. Maybe they didn’t missed out seasoning with salt and pepper. Anyway, don’t let it put you off as I nearly did, but I made it regardless and then my boyfriend and I both went for seconds it was that good!

  4. Tony says:

    Very bland recipe no flavour and dry

  5. Naomi says:

    Literally the worst recipe I have ever followed. Lacks flavour – what a waste of time and ingredients. If I could have given it 0 stars I would have.

  6. Sandra says:

    Love this tasty recipe and now our favourite. Love the tomatoes in it. Have tried others with a white sauce and turned out dry and tasteless. I doubled everything for a family of 4 using two normal size cans of tuna you get from supermarkets and was perfect.