Tuna and Tomato Pasta Casserole

A simple dish of pasta shells with a buttery tomato sauce, tuna and ricotta, all baked with a cheesy parmesan crust.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated September 25, 2023
Elise Bauer
Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce
Elise Bauer

Are you a fan of canned tuna?

I love keeping a few cans on hand in the pantry, usually for whipping up the occasional tuna salad sandwich.

Tuna also works with pasta, quite well actually (check out tuna pasta with capers in white wine sauce). But I had no idea it also worked with pasta and tomato sauce and cheese until this dish, recommended to us by a reader (thank you Audrey), a favorite of hers from the 1967 classic Mama Leone's Italian Cookbook.

We've changed the recipe only slightly from the one reader Audrey gave us, we've cut the butter in half, to 1/4 cup from a half cup. And we tossed in some chopped fresh basil, because we have plenty growing in the garden.

Oh my gosh, this is so good! Wow. And easy too.

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce
Elise Bauer

My only caveat is that I think you need to be a tuna lover (or liker at least) to like this recipe.

The recipe only calls for one 6-ounce can for a recipe that serves 4, so it's not as if the tuna overwhelms the dish.

It doesn't. But you definitely taste the tuna. Obviously if you want to skip the tuna, you can make something similar with a little bit of cooked Italian sausage in place of the tuna.

Tuna and Tomato Pasta Casserole

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Tuna packed in olive oil is highly recommended for this recipe. If all you have is tuna packed in water, you can try draining it and then adding olive oil to the can, and letting it soak in the olive oil in the fridge for several hours, but you will get the best results if you start with tuna packed in oil.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, whole or crushed

  • Salt

  • 1 pound pasta shells

  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

  • 1 (6-ounce) can tuna packed in olive oil

  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn

  • Generous 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method

  1. Simmer tomatoes with butter 30 min:

    Melt the butter in a medium pot on medium heat and add the can of tomatoes, including the juice. If you are using whole canned tomatoes (or fresh ones) crush them with your (clean) fingers as you put them in the pot. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

    pasta-tuna-tomato-sauce-method-1
    Elise Bauer
  2. Cook pasta:

    While the sauce is cooking, heat a large pot of well salted water to a strong boil. Add the shell pasta to the boiling water and cook at a vigorous boil, uncovered, until al dente, cooked through but still a bit firm to the bite, which is usually whatever the time specified on the pasta package minus about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

  3. Combine tuna, tomato sauce, ricotta, pasta, basil:

    Pour off the excess oil from the tuna can and stir the tuna into the tomato sauce. Add the ricotta cheese, and add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Mix the sauce with the pasta in a large bowl. Mix in the basil.

    pasta-tuna-tomato-sauce-method-2
    Elise Bauer
  4. Put into casserole, top with parmesan, broil:

    Pour the pasta into a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish and top with the parmesan cheese. Put under a hot broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

    pasta-tuna-tomato-sauce-method-3
    Elise Bauer

Links:

Tuna Pasta Salad with Lemon, Olives and Capers - from Kalyn's Kitchen

Creamy Tuna Tomato Pasta - from Food Wishes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
247 Calories
11g Fat
23g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 247
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 405mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 13mg 64%
Calcium 139mg 11%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 295mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.