This cheesy and creamy tuna pasta bake with sweetcorn and white sauce is made from scratch; this easy noodle casserole will make your children happy.
You often choose to cook an easy pasta casserole when you have children. Casserole dishes, like this creamy tuna pasta bake with rice or potatoes, are filling, easy to make, and cheap most of the time. Probably due to the carbs and cheese they contain, you can never go wrong with them when it comes to children.
I think I have rarely managed to make a casserole they didn't LOVE. Even those casseroles containing cauliflower or broccoli are more or less fine for my children, as long as they have enough cheese in them... Check out Cauliflower Turkey Meatball Casserole or Broccoli Potato Casserole.
But don't think that this noodle casserole is just something for the children; you will probably end up eating more than you should yourself as well. Make this Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake, too.
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Recipe ingredients
Pasta: I used macaroni because I had about half a packet in my cupboard. But any kind of shorter noodles like fusilli or penne would be fine.
Vegetables: Red bell pepper, two garlic cloves, two or three small tomatoes, and a can of corn.
Tuna: I used a rather large can, and once I drained the can, I had 5.5 oz/ 150 g of tuna. If I only have the smaller tuna cans, I will use two of them, and then I will have about 8 oz/ 220 g of drained tuna.
Cheese: Gouda, Cheddar, or any other good-melting cheese you like.
Breadcrumbs: I recommend panko breadcrumbs; they make the top of the tuna pasta bake crunchier. However, if you don't have them, replace them with regular breadcrumbs. Here is how to make homemade breadcrumbs if you are interested.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make tuna pasta bake?
- Boil the noodles according to the packet's instructions. Drain well.
- Cook the chopped red bell pepper, garlic cloves, and drained corn in a little oil.
- When the vegetables are softer and the corn starts to look a little bit charred, add the drained and flaked tuna and the spices.
- Stir well and let them get hot for about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the flour on top, stir and let it become slightly golden, about 1 minute.
- Slowly start adding the milk while whisking continuously to avoid clumps. Bring to a boil and let the sauce simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until thickened.
- Add the grated cheese needed for the sauce and stir it well until it is melted. Season the white sauce generously with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Assemble:
- Butter a medium casserole dish, either oval, round, square or rectangular is fine. Mine was about 18x23 cm/7x9 inches.
- Return the pasta to its cooking pot. Add the vegetable and tuna mixture, white sauce, and mix carefully. Fill the baking dish.
- Cover with the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with a mixture of breadcrumbs and cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until the top of the tuna pasta casserole is golden.
- Leave to rest for about 5 minutes, then serve with a green salad.
Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
Equipment
- Medium casserole dish oval, round, square, or rectangular; about 7x9 inches/ 18x23 cm.
Ingredients
Tuna bake:
- 7 oz macaroni or penne, fusili, farfalle etc, 200 g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 can corn about 9 oz/ 250 g once drained, Note 1
- 1 can tuna about 5.5 oz/ 150 g tuna once drained
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano Note 2
- ยฝ teaspoon red chili flakes more or less to taste
- fine sea salt and black pepper
White sauce:
- 2 ยฝ tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1ยพ cups milk 400 ml
- ยฝ cup grated cheese 50 g, Note 3
- nutmeg
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Topping:
- 2-3 small tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
- ยฝ cup grated cheese grated, 50 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC. Butter the casserole dish.
Tuna pasta bake:
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt generously, and cook the pasta according to the packet's instructions. Drain well.7 oz macaroni/ 200 g
- Chop vegetables: In the meantime, cut the red bell pepper into thin small strips and chop the garlic cloves. Drain the can of corn.1 red bell pepper + 2 garlic cloves + 1 can corn
- Saute vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the red bell pepper, garlic, and corn for about 5 minutes or until the peppers are softer and the corn starts to look a little bit charred.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the drained and flaked tuna and the spices. Stir well and let it get hot for about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.1 can tuna + 1 ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano + ยฝ teaspoon red chili flakes + fine sea salt and black pepper
White sauce:
- Make sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the flour on top, stir, and let it become slightly golden for about 1 minute. Slowly start adding the milk while whisking continuously. Bring to a boil and let the sauce simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until thickened.2 ยฝ tablespoons butter + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 1ยพ cups milk/ 400 ml
- Add the grated cheese and stir well until it is melted. Season generously with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.ยฝ cup grated cheese/ 50 g + nutmeg + fine sea salt and black pepper
- Combine ingredients: Place the drained pasta back into the pot you used to cook them. Add the vegetable and tuna mixture, mix carefully, and pour the white sauce on top. Mix again. Place into the prepared baking dish.
Topping:
- Assemble dish: Slice the tomatoes thinly. Arrange them on top of the bake. Mix together the breadcrumbs and the grated cheese. Sprinkle over the tomatoes.2-3 small tomatoes + 4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs + ยฝ cup grated cheese/ 50 g
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then serve with a green salad.
Notes
- Corn: Frozen and defrosted corn kernels can be used instead.
- Herbs: Or an Italian or French dried herb mixture.
- Cheese: Gouda, cheddar, or another good melting cheese that you like.
kristina says
So simple yet so nourishing and delicious!
allie says
What a beautiful tuna casserole Adina. No wonder your kids love it. I like that there are fresh ingredients and canned, so it's not too much chopping and cooking etc. Looks fast and easy and I love that it uses all real ingredients. What a great recipe using just a few staples. Wishing you a beautiful day, still freezing cold around here! XO
Balvinder says
Great recipe! Very easy to follow, easy to make.