Tuna pasta bake is the dish every household thinks it invented, and the good version deserves its place here: a real cheese sauce rather than soup from a tin, sweetcorn and peas for pop, and a crumb topping that gives the crunch the dish is secretly about. Undercook the pasta by two minutes, since it finishes in the oven.
Everything you need
- 400 g dried pasta (penne, fusilli)
- 3 tins (about 300 g drained) tinned tuna, drained
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 g) milk
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cups (226 g) mature cheddar, grated
- 1 cup (154 g) sweetcorn, drained
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ⅔ cup (72 g) breadcrumbs (for the top)
- ¼ cup (25 g) parmesan, grated (for the top)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Boil the pasta in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says. Drain.
For this step
- 400 g dried pasta (penne
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Meanwhile melt the butter, stir in the flour for a minute, then whisk in the milk gradually until smooth. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until it coats a spoon.
For this step
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 g) milk
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Off the heat, stir in the mustard and the cheddar until melted. Season with pepper and a cautious hand of salt.
For this step
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cups (226 g) mature cheddar
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Fold the pasta, flaked tuna, sweetcorn and peas through the sauce and tip into a large baking dish.
For this step
- 400 g dried pasta (penne
- 3 tins (about 300 g drained) tinned tuna
- 1 cup (154 g) sweetcorn
- 1 cup frozen peas
-
Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and scatter over the top.
For this step
- ⅔ cup (72 g) breadcrumbs (for the top)
- ¼ cup (25 g) parmesan
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Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden-crusted and bubbling at the edges. Rest 5 minutes before serving to let the sauce settle from lava back to cream.
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Worth knowing
- The sauce should look slightly too wet going into the oven. Pasta keeps drinking as it bakes, and a perfect-looking sauce at assembly is a dry bake at the table.
- Tuna in oil tastes better here than tuna in brine, and fold it through gently in big flakes rather than mashing it in.
Make it your own
- A handful of chopped sun-dried tomatoes or capers sharpens the whole dish.
- Swap tuna for tinned salmon, or leftover roast chicken with a squeeze of lemon.
Storing & freezing
Fridge for 3 days, reheating portions covered. It freezes baked for 2 months, though the pasta softens a grade on thawing. The 10am leftover portion eaten cold is between you and the fridge.
Frequently asked
Why is my pasta bake dry?
Fully cooked pasta plus a tight sauce plus oven time. Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes and keep the sauce visibly loose at assembly. It absorbs as it bakes.
Can I make tuna pasta bake ahead?
Assemble it, hold it in the fridge up to a day, and bake with 5 to 10 extra minutes. Add the crumb topping just before baking so it stays dry and crisps.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.