Pasta bake is one of my go-to comfort food dishes. I always make a huge batch so there’s enough to last for a couple of dinners and maybe even a lunch. The beauty of pasta bake is that you can tailor it according to what ingredients you have lurking in the fridge or what you fancy on the night. You can make it with meat, chicken, fish or beans such as kidney beans. You can add any veg you like and any cheese you like. It becomes a really balanced meal with carbohydrate, protein, vegetables and dairy.
In order to keep pasta bake on the healthy side, I recommend using a tomato-based sauce. It’s so easy and inexpensive to make your own, but if you’re pushed for time, any shop-bought tomato-based pasta sauce will be fine. I will admit to using these quite regularly! Just check the ingredients list first – it should be short and all ingredients should be recognisable!
Here’s one of my favourite pasta bake recipes – Tuna and Broccoli. You can substitute the tuna for cooked chicken and the broccoli & sweetcorn for other veg such as peppers, peas or courgettes. Experiment until you find your family’s favourite!
Tuna & Broccoli Pasta Bake
Makes 4- 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp rapeseed or olive oil
- Pinch of sugar
- ½ tub light cream cheese
- 2 x 160g tins tuna in spring water (drained)
- 1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 1 x 150g tin sweetcorn (look for the no-added salt version)
- 350g pasta shapes e.g. fusilli or shells
- 100g reduced-fat cheddar, grated
Equipment
- 2 large saucepans
- 1 colander
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Tin opener
- Grater
- Teaspoon
- Ovenproof dish
- Wooden spoon or large metal spoon
- Fill one of the saucepans with water until it is ¾ full. Put on the lid and place the saucepan on the hob on a high heat. Turn down the heat to medium when the water starts to boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add in the pasta and set a timer (e.g. on your phone) for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180oC.
- Place the other saucepan over a medium heat on the hob. Add in the oil and then add in the onions and garlic. Stir until they start to brown.
- Add in the tomatoes and turn up the heat to allow them to bubble. Add in the pinch of sugar and broccoli.
- Allow the tomatoes and other veg to bubble for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- The pasta should now be ready – drain it over the sink in a colander and leave until the sauce is ready.
- Add the tuna, cream cheese and sweetcorn to the tomato sauce and mix well
- Tip in the pasta and stir well to combine.
- Place the pasta and sauce in the ovenproof dish.
- Sprinkle over the cheese and place the dish in the oven.
- Allow to cook for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted.
This dish can be frozen in portions. It will also keep (covered) in the fridge for 2—3 days.
Nutrition information per serving: 336 calories, 8.8g fat, 4.1g saturates, 38.9g carbohydrate, 6.5g sugars, 2.7g fibre, 27.9g protein.
- High in Vitamin A, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Iodine
- Source of Vitamin D
The broccoli in this recipe provides Folic Acid, which is so important before pregnancy and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects. It’s important to also take a folic acid supplement (400µg) everyday if you are planning a pregnancy, and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
The tuna provides Iodine which is important for normal growth and brain development.
FAQs
Dried pasta needs to be par-boiled, then drained before using it in baked dishes. Just boil for half the time specified on the package. There is a type of dried no-boil lasagna sheets that don't require par-boiling, but they need extra water added to the sauce.
How to improve a pasta bake? ›
Make sure each component of your pasta bake is seasoned well before it goes into the oven. Remember to cook your pasta in salted water, season your sauce and use a flavourful cheese. The best way to achieve a tasty pasta bake with a crunchy top is to use the right blend of cheeses.
Should you bake pasta covered or uncovered? ›
Cover lightly with foil, making sure foil is not resting on cheese. Bake 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until center is bubbly and thoroughly heated. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Do you cover pasta bake with foil? ›
PREHEAT oven to 425 degrees. COMBINE uncooked pasta, 1 jar of Sauce and 1 jar of water in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil. BAKE 30 minutes.
What must be done to pasta before baking it? ›
Most baked pasta recipes instruct you to boil the noodles until cooked halfway before baking them. This allows the pasta to finish cooking in the oven as it bathes in the sauce.
What is the best pasta shape for pasta bake? ›
For Baked Pasta Dishes
As for picking the perfect pasta shape, we recommend choosing a short cut—like Penne, Shells or Rigatoni—with hollow middles, twists or scoop-like shapes to capture all the goodness of your baked pasta: sauces, small ingredients and melty cheeses galore.
How to stop pasta bake drying out? ›
Make sure you bake it at 350 degrees, use a deep dish and cover it with foil. I always add a lot of sauce and that helps prevent the dried out top layer. Take out of the oven as soon as cheese is melted and golden. It's also important to make sure all pasta is covered with sauce.
How to bake in the oven? ›
How do I preheat my oven?
- Press the Bake button on the front of your oven.
- Set your desired Bake mode Temperature.
- Press Start. (Make sure your food is NOT inserted yet.)
- Once your oven reaches the desired Temp, add your food, set a Time, and press Start to begin baking.
Most dried ribbons of pasta such as linguine, spaghetti and tagliatelle take between 8-10 mins. Shorter, thicker pasta shapes like bows or penne take 10-12mins and fresh pasta such as ravioli and tortellini will be done between 3-5mins.
Can you bake pasta in a metal pan? ›
Metal will react with acidic ingredients like tomatoes, creating off flavors, but glass and ceramic won't, so your baked pasta dishes will turn out wonderfully. So the next time casserole is on the menu, reach for a glass or ceramic baking dish.
Use my simple no-cook method of precooking the pasta. Just soak the pasta in warm salted water before adding it to the other ingredients and sliding the mixture into the oven. Presoaking is a way to begin hydrating the pasta and washing away some of its starch, even as the salt in the water pre-seasons the pasta.
Do you boil pasta before cooking? ›
Cover your pan with a lid to help bring the water up to the boil more quickly, then remove the lid once the water is boiling or reduce the temperature slightly to stop it bubbling over. Add the pasta to the water once it's boiling, never before, and cook without the lid.
Do you cook noodles before adding to casserole? ›
Do you cook the noodles before adding them to the casserole? Yes, you should cook the egg noodles until they're al dente before combining with the other ingredients.
Can I cook raw pasta in sauce? ›
Cooking pasta in the sauce instead of in boiling water will increase the amount of time it takes to cook through. It's a good technique to use if you want to delay serving your pasta for a few minutes. Make sure to keep the sauce thinned out with pasta water as the pasta finishes cooking if you use this method.
