This creamy tuna pasta recipe is cheesy and topped with a bit of lemony tang. A one-pot meal, ready in 20 minutes or less. The ingredients are shelf and freezer-friendly so they are easy to keep on hand for a quick meal.
The fresh lemon juice and chopped dill on top are wonderful! However, you can use bottled lemon juice and dried dill if you would like this dish as an ever-ready pantry meal.
I love dishes that bring every food group to the table with no sides needed. Tuna is high in protein and omega-3s! It’s packed with vitamins and minerals such as zinc and potassium. Tuna is often forgotten about at dinnertime. What a shame considering how much cheaper canned tuna is compared to meats and all other fish.
This creamy tuna pasta meal is satisfying and filling with cheesy noodles and protein-packed tuna. The peas, dill, and lemon give you some of that fresh produce flavor as well.
Kid-Friendly Creamy Tuna Pasta
To make this pasta kid-friendly I would omit the lemon and dill. Add a little more shredded parmesan cheese, or you could add the sprinkled parmesan cheese in the infamous green can.
If adding a crunchy texture on top, I would stick to something with no or little seasonings. Kids usually enjoy foods with simple flavors. If your kids don’t like peas you can omit those as well.
What is in Creamy Tuna Pasta?
In looking for a way to create a faster version of a tuna pasta bake, without the bake, I came up with this recipe. It is filled with simple ingredients esaily found at local grocery stores: albacore tuna (2 cans of tuna), sweet peas, cooked pasta (Rotini), Prego’s four cheese sauce, Parmesan, paprika, dill, lemon, and salt & black pepper. You can use light tuna or regular tuna.
A traditional creamy tuna pasta bake usually has cream of mushroom soup for the base. I found Prego’s artisan four-cheese sauce and thought it would add a cheesier flavor with a creamier texture….and it does!
How to Make Easy Creamy Tuna Pasta!
First thing you do…boil the pasta, as directed on the package instructions, in a large pot of water. I have found I need to cook my pasta longer than the instructed cooking time. As long as you have tender pasta, cooked til al dente, you’ll have a good pasta dish!
For the last 1-2 minutes of the pasta cook time, add the frozen peas to the boiling water and cooking pasta. If timing this correctly feels too tricky, you can cook the frozen peas separately… as directed on the packaging. Then add them with the creamy sauce later on.
For canned peas… they do not need to be cooked, drain them and add with the cheese sauce. They will warm with the noodles.
While the pasta and peas are draining in a strainer, turn the burner down to low or medium heat and add the cheese sauce to the pot. Add the drained tuna, spices, and ½ cup of parmesan. Stir, and cook until the cheese melts.
Add the drained noodles and peas back to the pot, and stir until combined. Finally, add the paprika, and salt and pepper to your liking and warm for 3-5 minutes so the flavors can blend.
Toppings
Once platted, top with a few drops of lemon juice and a sprinkle of dill. If you like that crunchy texture you find on a tuna bake, you can add crumbled-up crackers, croutons, cheese crisps, or seasoned bagel chips. I put garlic and herb bagel chips on the pasta and it was delicious! Also, if you prefer more spice you could add a little bit of red pepper flakes.
This pasta can be dressed up or dressed down and is still delicious. I made it in a pinch for dinner without any added toppings, except for extra cheese, and it was still so yummy!
This recipe has 8 servings but it can easily be split in half if you prefer less. With four of us in my home, we have leftover pasta. I prefer leftovers so I don’t have to make dinner for the whole family the next day!
Can Tuna Pasta be Reheated?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 3 or 4 days. When warming up leftovers, I would make sure to add a splash or two of milk or heavy cream…. and a little salt to wake it up. Warm on low heat while stirring occasionally until warmed.
This is a comfort food of mine with some of my favorite things mixed in! A bowl of pasta with a cheesy creamy base and an easy recipe to boot! Enjoy!
Share with me below what toppings you enjoyed on your pasta!
Check out my other tuna recipes below…..
Easy Smoked Tuna Dip (10 min or less)
The Best Smoked Tuna Dip (baked with cream cheese)
“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”
– M. F. K. Fisher
Creamy Tuna Pasta (made in ONE pot)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Rotini Noodles
- 2 14.5 oz jars Prego Artisan Four Cheese sauce
- 2 5 (oz) cans tuna (4 oz drained)
- 1 10 oz bag of frozen peas (or 1 can of peas drained)
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1 cup Parmasean cheese, shredded set ½ cup aside for topping
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Optional Toppings: Lemon juice, fresh or dried dill, crushed crackers, croutons, cheese crisps or bagel chips
Instructions
- Boil the pasta as directed on it's packaging. Add frozen peas to the pot during the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta cook time. (Can also cook frozen peas separately as directed on packaging, then add them with the cheese sauce in step 3 (Canned peas do not need to be cooked, drain them and add in step 3)
- While the pasta and peas are draining in a strainer, turn the burner down to low and add cheese sauce to the pot
- Add the drained tuna, spices, and ½ cup of parmesan. Stir, and cook until cheese melts
- Add the drained noodles and peas, stir until combined
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes so the flavors can blend
- Plate and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Great options for toppings…you can add a few drops of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of dill. For crunch add crumbled-up crackers, croutons, cheese crisps, or chips
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