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.
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.