There is a scent that smells of home, of Sunday with family, and of celebration: it’s that of Baked Pasta!
Today we’re making a super tasty version, loved by both adults and kids, perfect for a dinner that pleases everyone, even the most demanding palates.
Our Baked Pasta with Tuna and Gooey Mozzarella is a rich, creamy, and easy-to-customize single dish.
Thanks to the tuna, olives, and capers (which add that extra flavor!), the taste is irresistible.
And do you know what the secret is?
Lots and lots of mozzarella that melts in the oven, creating a golden crust that cracks!
It’s the ultimate comfort food, and think about it, it’s also a clever way to make kids eat fish, who will love the pasta tubes drowned in gooey cheese.
Want to make the dinner complete?
Start with a fresh and tasty appetizer to prepare the palate, like our eggplant crostini in oil.
And to end on a sweet note, a delicious dessert is a must!
How about an easy and creamy caramelized yogurt parfait?
Put on your apron: let’s get started!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 695.40 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 63.18 (g) of which sugars 3.03 (g)
- Proteins 48.68 (g)
- Fat 28.44 (g) of which saturated 12.83 (g)of which unsaturated 8.82 (g)
- Fibers 3.59 (g)
- Sodium 1,275.21 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 330 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs rigatoni pasta
- 1.3 lbs canned tuna in oil (Well-drained)
- 12 oz fresh mozzarella (Well-drained)
- 1.5 cups yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 6.3 oz taggiasca olives
- 2 tablespoons capers in salt (Desalted)
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste Grana Padano cheese, grated
- A few leaves basil (Optional)
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
Steps
Prepare the Base Ingredients:
First, prepare all the main ingredients:
Capers:
Place the salted capers in a bowl and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove the salt.
Squeeze them well and set aside.
Tomatoes:
Wash and cut in half all the tomatoes, both red and yellow ones.
Tuna:
Open the cans of tuna and drain them well from the preservation oil.
Mozzarella:
Cut the mozzarella into cubes and place it in a colander, pressing lightly to remove excess water.
Olives:
Have the pitted olives ready.
Garlic:
Peel 2-3 garlic cloves.
You can slightly crush them or leave them whole, depending on how much aroma you want them to release.
Prepare the Mediterranean Sauce:
In a large non-stick pan, pour a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVO) and gently sauté the garlic you have prepared.
When the garlic is golden (you can remove it if you prefer), add the halved tomatoes.
Cook for 5-7 minutes until they have slightly softened.
Add the washed and squeezed capers and the pitted olives.
Cook for another two minutes.
Seasoning:
Adjust with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper.
Off the heat:
Turn off the flame. Add the well-drained tuna to the sauce and mix.
To make the sauce creamy, add a little pasta cooking water (which you will have set to boil) and stir vigorously to blend everything well.
Cook the Pasta and Season:
Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and cook the pasta very al dente (2-3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package).
Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to the pan with the tuna, caper, and olive sauce.
Always off the heat, add the cubed (drained) mozzarella and mix well with a spoon so that the residual heat of the pasta begins to soften it.
Assemble and Bake:
Preheat the oven in static mode to 400°F (or 355°F if fan-assisted).
Transfer all the seasoned pasta to a baking dish.
Level the surface with the spoon.
Crucial Addition: Carefully pour half a ladle of pasta cooking water over the mixture in the baking dish.
This will help the pasta finish cooking without drying out and make everything creamier.
Topping: Evenly sprinkle the surface with plenty of Grated Cheese (Grana or Parmesan) and finish with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to ensure a golden and crispy gratin.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the surface is golden and stretchy.
Rest and Serve:
When the pasta is ready, remove the tray from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
The rest is crucial: this time allows the flavors to meld and the mozzarella to stabilize, preventing the dish from falling apart.
Plate and enjoy this masterpiece of Mediterranean flavors.
Bon Appétit!
💡 Tips, Variations and Recipe Notes
🌡️ Storage:
In the Refrigerator:
The leftover baked pasta stores perfectly in an airtight container (or in the same baking dish covered with plastic wrap) in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating:
To enjoy it at its best, heat the portions in the oven (355°F for 10-15 minutes) until the mozzarella becomes stretchy again, or use the microwave for a few minutes.
Freezing:
This recipe is suitable for freezing!
You can freeze it either cooked (in portions) or raw (assembled, before baking).📝
📝 Useful Tips
Cooking Water is Magic:
Don’t throw it away!
A ladle of cooking water added to the tuna sauce helps amalgamate and create a creamy coating that envelops the pasta and prevents excessive dryness in the oven.
The Perfect Crust:
For an even crunchier gratin, mix the Grated Cheese with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs before spreading it on the surface.
Don’t Rush:
The 5-10 minutes of rest at the end of cooking are crucial!
They allow the cheese to set, making it easier and cleaner to serve portions.
🔄 Flavor Variations:
Off-Season Version: If fresh tomatoes are not available, you can use a base of tomato puree or peeled tomatoes (about 300g), which will add a juicier note.
White Variant: For a different taste, you can eliminate the tomatoes and use only the tuna with a dash of fluid béchamel, which will make the pasta even creamier.
For Adults: Add a pinch of chili pepper or a little dried oregano to the sauce for an extra spicy and Mediterranean touch.
❓ FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about the Recipe
Can I prepare this baked pasta in advance?
Absolutely yes!
You can prepare the baked pasta in two ways:
Complete but raw:
Assemble the pasta with the sauce and mozzarella in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 12-24 hours.
Before baking, add the Grated Cheese and the drizzle of oil, then bake adding 5-10 minutes of cooking time to the total.
Fully cooked:
Cook it according to the recipe, let it cool, and then store it in the refrigerator.
Heat it in the oven before serving.
What type of pasta is best to use?
Short and ridged pasta is best because they can “catch” the tuna sauce and the melted mozzarella well.
Great choices are penne, mezze maniche, macaroni, or rigatoni.
Can I use natural tuna instead of tuna in oil?
Of course!
For a lighter and less fatty version, you can use natural tuna.
In this case, however, be sure to add an extra drizzle of EVO oil to the sauce and an extra small ladle of cooking water to the seasoning to prevent the pasta from being too dry.
If I don’t have salted capers, what can I use?
If you don’t have salted capers, you can use capers in vinegar, but be sure to rinse them very well to remove the overly sour taste of vinegar.
Alternatively, you can simply omit them if they are not available, although they add a delicious salty note.
Is the resting time after cooking essential?
Yes, the 5-10 minutes of rest are very important.
During this short time, the heat is evenly distributed, the mozzarella slightly solidifies, and the juices of the seasoning are better absorbed into the pasta.
The result will be a compact and stretchy dish when served, rather than falling apart and too hot.
