This easy tuna pasta bake is a quick weeknight casserole made with pantry staples like canned tuna, marinara sauce, pasta, and melty mozzarella cheese. It’s a simple dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes and is perfect during Lent or any time you need an affordable meal.
If you’re craving the classic creamy version, try my Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole with potato chip topping.
What’s the Difference Between Tuna Pasta and Tuna Noodle Casserole?
Tuna noodle casserole is the classic Midwestern comfort dish made with egg noodles and a creamy soup-based sauce.
This tuna pasta bake is a lighter Italian-style version made with penne pasta, marinara sauce, olives, and mozzarella cheese. It’s a great option when you want something comforting but a little different from the traditional casserole.
Why you'll love this tuna pasta
- It uses pantry ingredients I always have on hand, making it perfect as an impromptu meal.
- I'm always on the hunt for recipes that I can use making ingredients on hand and this tuna recipe fits the bill. Not only is it an easy recipe, it's a nice change from our usual tuna noodle casserole and Tuna Salad with Egg this time of year.
- Oh, and dinner on the table in 25 minutes? Sign me up!
Ingredients in this simple tuna pasta recipe
- pasta - I like the shape of penne pasta for this recipe, but you can substitute bow tie pasta or macaroni noodles; your choice
- extra virgin olive oil
- canned tuna in oil - you can use whatever kind of tuna your family likes best
- marinara sauce - use a good quality marinara sauce you love. It doesn't have to be expensive; Aldi has one of my favorites! In a pinch you can use spaghetti sauce or plain tomato sauce since we'll doctor it up with some Italian seasonings
- spices - dried oregano and garlic powder
- cherry tomatoes - if you have grape tomatoes, you can use those
- olives - any kind of pitted olives works in this recipe; I like black olives or Kalamata olives for some Mediterranean flair.
- cheese - my fav. We're using shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese
- fresh basil for topping - if you don't have this in your fridge or garden, don't sweat it. You can still make this without the basil on top
Best Pasta for Tuna Pasta Bake
All of these shapes work well in this recipe to hold onto the sauce.
- penne
- rotini
- rigatoni
- bow tie
How to make Tuna Pasta
Open and drain the cans of tuna, getting most of the oil out but leaving a little of it around.
I really like using this smooth can opener because it doesn't leave sharp edges on the lid of the can. No one wants drama in the meal prep, right?
Check your box of pasta and cook it according to the package instructions. We’ll be cooking the pasta until it’s al dente, which means it’s still firm when you bite it.
This is important because we don’t want to overcook our pasta. Remember, it’s going back into the oven so it needs to be able to hold up for a bit.
When the pasta is done, drain it and add the cooked pasta to a bowl big enough for you to add ingredients and stir.
We’ll be adding our olive oil, tuna, marinara sauce and seasonings. This is a great chance to season it with a little salt and pepper.
Use a large spoon to gently toss everything together. From here we’ll transfer half of it into a rectangle shaped casserole dish.
Add half of the mozzarella, then spread the remaining pasta mixture on top. Top with the olives and tomatoes and a little more cheese.
Then, we bake!!
Top the whole thing with a little parmesan cheese and basil, if you have it. Beautiful, right??!?
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What to serve with tuna pasta casserole
Because this has so many ingredients already in it, I’d take a shortcut and add some steamed frozen green peas.
Easy peasy! See what I did there??
How to reheat leftovers:
This works as a quick lunch the next day. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until just heated through.
Can You Make Tuna Pasta Bake Ahead of Time?
Sure can! This tuna pasta bake is easy to assemble ahead of time, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights, church dinners, or harvest season when dinner needs to be ready when you are.
To make ahead:
- Prepare the pasta and mix the casserole as directed.
- Assemble everything in the baking dish except the final cheese topping.
- Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When ready to bake:
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
- Add the remaining cheese.
- Bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
If baking straight from the refrigerator, you may need to add 5–10 extra minutes of bake time.
Freezer instructions
This casserole also freezes well.
- Assemble the casserole but do not bake.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
To cook, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
Variations
There are so many ways you can customize this tuna pasta. Use the recipe below as a starting point and here are some ideas for additions...
- Add marinated and chopped artichoke hearts
- Use whole wheat pasta or a new favorite of ours, chickpea pasta
- Fold a handful or two of fresh baby spinach to the freshly cooked pasta. The heat from the noodles will help it to wilt.
- If you like spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
More tuna recipes
Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole
More easy pasta recipes
Pasta Pesto Salad with Chicken
We had this for dinner tonight and this was a great recipe to add to our Lent dinner ideas. If you make this tuna pasta recipe, leave a recipe rating or comment below. I'd love to hear from you!
Recipe
Tuna Pasta Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups uncooked penne pasta or other pasta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 14 ounces canned albacore tuna in oil drained
- 14 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup black or mixed olives pitted
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese for topping
- Fresh basil leaves
- Salt and black pepper seasoning to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to package instructions (al dente) in a large pot of water. Drain well and discard the pasta water.
- Add the drained, hot pasta to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then add drained tuna, marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon of oregano, garlic powder. Mix to combine and add salt and black pepper as desired.
- In a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, add half of the pasta mixture. Top it with half the mozzarella cheese, then the remaining pasta. top with olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of oregano and finish with a layer of remaining cheese.
- Bake the pasta dish at 400° F for about 20 minutes or until cheese is properly melted.
Garnish with fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese.
Notes
Recipe Variations
There are so many ways you can customize this tuna pasta. Use the recipe below as a starting point and here are some ideas for additions... Add marinated and chopped artichoke hearts Use whole wheat pasta or a new favorite of ours, chickpea pasta Fold a handful or two of fresh baby spinach to the freshly cooked pasta. The heat from the noodles will help it to wilt. If you like spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. To make this recipe gluten free, use a gluten free pasta.Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories and other nutritional values vary depending on which brands were used.
Sally says
Can't waite to try this Recipe.
nancy says
I enjoy following you. i am a farm wife myself. do you have more specific instructions and measurements for this recipe? It looks amazing!
Deanne Frieders says
Oh my gosh, thanks for commenting! I've added it back in, I"m not sure how that happened. Thanks for following along, Nancy!