My Baked Tuna Pasta Shells are the ultimate comfort food. The large pasta shells are filled with a delicious combination of ricotta cheese and canned tuna, with onion, lemon zest and parsley to heighten the flavour. They are topped with a tasty, creamy tomato sauce and then baked to perfection, the edges of the pasta become crispy and brown while the filling remains rich and creamy. Few things in the culinary world are more satisfying than having a dish of baked pasta bubbling away in the oven.
You will love this recipe for Baked Tuna Pasta Shells because:
- It is made from ingredients that are readily available.
- The baked pasta shells are family-friendly, being enjoyed by adults and children alike.
- With the appropriate large shells, this dish can also be gluten-free.
- As it can be prepared in advance, it makes for more relaxed mealtimes.
- When entertaining, a meal that can be prepared in advance provides the opportunity to get rid of the dirty dishes, leaving you with a clean kitchen bench and a dish that just requires heating.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Large pasta shells – their Italian name is Conchiglioni. They are available from many supermarkets or good delis. I have found that different brands can vary in size, so you may find the mixture fills slightly more or less.
Medium brown/yellow onion – this is an excellent all-purpose onion. It is the one most widely used, so when a recipe calls for a cooked onion, this variety is ideal.
Extra virgin olive oil – for the best flavour and nutritional benefit, we use extra virgin olive oil. Use the best olive oil that you have.
Ricotta cheese – for the best flavour in the Baked Tuna Pasta Shells, I use full fat. Ricotta has a short shelf life so ensure that yours is fresh. It is available in tubs in the supermarket or sold loose from the deli counter.
Canned tuna in spring water – one of my favourite pantry staples. It is important to use good quality tuna. For this recipe, I use tuna in spring water, but in my Spicy Tuna and Tomato Pasta, I prefer tuna in oil. Either will work fine, just be use to drain the tuna well.
Lemon zest – lemon is a traditional accompaniment to tuna. Using the zest adds bright flavour. Be sure to zest just the yellow skin and avoid the bitter white pith.
Flat leaf parsley – also known as Italian or Continental parsley, it has excellent flavour and is the ideal garnish for the finished dish too.
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – add to suit your taste
Garlic cloves – we use fresh cloves. They are superior in flavour to the bottled variety.
Tomato passata – this is simply pureed, strained, uncooked 100% tomatoes, almost always sold in jars.
Water – so the sauce doesn’t dry out while simmering.
Dried basil and oregano – the herbs provide concentrated flavour and add depth to the tomato sauce.
Thickened cream/whipping cream – contains about 35% milk fat, it adds a creamy richness to the sauce.
How to make Baked Tuna Pasta:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Cook your pasta shells to very al dente:
For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta shells and cook until very al dente.
Drain the pasta and place the shells concave side down to drain on some kitchen towel and leave to cool until you’re ready to fill.
2 – Make your Tomato Sauce:
For the sauce, heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes until soft but barely coloured. Remove half the onion and set aside for the filling. Add the garlic to the onion in the frying pan and cook, stirring for a further minute.
Add the tomato passata, water, herbs, and season.
3 – Simmer the sauce:
Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.
4 – Add the cream:
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir through the cream. Check that the seasoning is to your liking.
5 – Make the Filling:
For the filling, add the remaining cooked onion to a bowl, along with the ricotta and the drained tuna, lemon zest and parsley. Mix the ingredients with a fork to combine them, breaking up the chunks of tuna as you go. Season with salt and pepper.
6 – Fill the Pasta Shells:
Add ½ cup of the creamy tomato sauce to the bottom of a large ovenproof dish.
Fill each pasta shell generously with the tuna and ricotta mixture and add to the dish.
7 – The filled pasta shells:
Ensure the pasta shells are filled evenly and arranged nicely in the sauce.
8 – Top with remaining sauce:
Top with the remaining sauce and the grated parmesan cheese.
Cover the dish with a layer of non-stick baking paper and then a layer of foil.
Bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the baking paper and foil and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes.
Top with some additional fresh parsley to serve if you like.
Tips for success and FAQs:
The secret to great tasting food is to properly season it. To begin, add salt to your pasta water. This is the first step in achieving a well-seasoned dish as the salted water flavours the pasta. And then, season each component. Taste your food as you go, make sure that the filling and the sauce are seasoned to your taste.
For the best flavour, always use quality ingredients; you can taste the difference.
This will depend on the brand that you buy. Cook them less than the time suggested on the packet. The pasta needs to still be a little undercooked as it will cook further while baking and you don’t want mushy pasta. Make sure your water is rapidly boiling when you add the shells and then stir immediately to separate them. You will need to stir frequently as they cook. When sufficiently cooked, drain them thoroughly in a colander and then tip them onto a clean tea towel or several layers of paper towel. As soon as you’re able to handle them, turn them concave side down so that they do not continue cooking, and any remaining water will drain off.
Yes, you can prepare the dish a day ahead. The ability to prepare it in advance is one of the great advantages of this recipe. Just ensure that your ricotta cheese is fresh.
As with most baked pasta dishes, they are at their best when freshly made. However, the pasta shells are still delicious and reheated the day after cooking. Just add a little extra moisture, such as water or cream, to the dish before heating. If you can see that you will have leftovers, cover them as soon as they are cool and refrigerate. Cooked shells can be refrigerated up to 3 days. If they have been at room temperature for 2 hours, they should be discarded.
Allow the dish to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes. Cover the dish with foil and reheat at 180 degrees C (355 F) for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. If the dish is a little dry, add a tablespoon of water, passata or cream.
Yes, you can. Assemble the dish but do not cook. Allow the dish to cool completely before wrapping the dish well to avoid freezer burn. Freeze for up to two months. When you’re ready to cook, defrost in the refrigerator and allow the dish to come to room temperature 20 mins before cooking. Follow directions for cooking as per the recipe below.
Serving suggestions:
This is a complete one-dish meal. Just serve the Tuna Pasta Shells with a salad such as our Rocket and Pear Salad and garlic bread if you wish.
I recommend that you let the cooked pasta sit for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This lets the bubbling sauce settle, the ingredients firm up a little, making it easier to neatly remove the pasta shells for serving.
My Baked Tuna Pasta Shells are a family-friendly meal that offers comfort in every bite. It is an easily prepared meal which is suitable for weeknights or relaxed dinners with friends. Take it to potlucks or give a dish to help someone out. It is always well received.
Alex xx
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Baked Tuna Pasta Shells
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 24 large pasta shells – Conchiglioni – (approx. 230 g/8 oz) See Note 1
- ¼ cup (20 g) Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion – finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
- 2 ½ cups (600 g) tomato passata
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) thickened/heavy cream
- sea salt and black pepper – to taste See Note 3
For the Filling:
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion – finely chopped
- 375 g (13 oz) ricotta cheese – full fat
- 280 g (10 oz) canned tuna in spring water – drained
- 3 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
- sea salt and black pepper – to taste
Instructions
For the Pasta Shells:
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta shells until very al dente. (About 7-8 mins)
- Drain the pasta and place the shells concave side down to drain on some paper towel to cool until you’re ready to fill.
For the Sauce:
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add both of the onions, and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Remove half the onion for the filling and set aside.Add the garlic, and cook, stirring for a further minute.
- Add in the tomato passata and the water (I swish the jar with the water). Add the herbs and season to taste.Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir through the cream.
For the Filling:
- Add the cooled onion you cooked earlier to a medium-sized bowl, along with the ricotta, drained tuna (break up chunks of tuna with a fork if need be), lemon zest and parsley. Mix to combine and season with salt and pepper.
To Assemble:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 F).Add ½ cup of the sauce to the bottom of a large ovenproof dish – mine measured 18 x 30 cm (7 x 12 inches).
- Fill each shell generously with the tuna and ricotta mixture and add to the dish.
- Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese.
- Cover the dish with baking paper and foil and bake for 30 minutes.Remove the baking paper and foil and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through and the top slightly golden.
- Allow the dish to stand for 5-10 minutes and serve with some additional chopped fresh parsley if you wish.
Video
Notes
- Pasta shells: I filled 24 shells generously with the tuna and ricotta mixture. I have found that different brands can vary in size, so you may find the mixture fills slightly more or less. I use large pasta shells – Conchiglioni – which are slightly smaller than some jumbo pasta shells.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. A little red chilli pepper flakes are also a delicious addition if you like the heat.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Rachel Richards
The whole family loved this recipe. I made it exactly as instructed and it turned out perfect. This served our family of 5 perfect when paired with fresh garlic bread and a nice tossed salad. What a great dinner idea for busy families!
Alexandra Cook
Hi Rachel, thank you for your lovely feedback on our Baked Tuna Pasta Shells. I am delighted the entire family enjoyed them. 🙂