This Recipe includes
Main ingredients:
| Penne (or any other short-cut pasta) |
| Canned tuna |
| Grated cheese such as gruyère, emmental, or cheddar. |
| Baby Spinach |
For the sauce:
| Heavy cream or crême fraiche |
| Tomato or provencale sauce (store-bought or homemade) |
| Basil |
| Oregano |
| Thyme |
| Garlic powder or flakes |
| Salt and pepper |
Why we love it
There is something quite satisfying about digging into a tuna casserole. This tuna and pasta gratin is adapted from the French gratin dauphinois to make a delicious tuna penne gratin covered with lovely gooey cheeses.
It is a simple and satisfying pasta dish, and a great way to use up some leftover tuna in your fridge or some canned tuna you have in your pantry.
The key is the sauce, which is a pink sauce made from combining crème fraiche (or heavy cream) with a ton of herbs and spices to infuse throughout the gratin.
Once the sauce is mixed, it is time to assemble the rest of the dish. Just combine the tuna with fresh spinach, pasta al denté and cheese and you are more or less done.
With that, you’ve got a hearty dish that makes a wonderful weeknight dinner, or a simple side dish for a party with friends and family.
What to serve with it?
This tuna penne gratin would go well with a starter like bruschetta or a tomato tartare. Another option would be a salad like this Périgord salad with gizzards.
What drinks to serve with it?
For drinks, try a light white wine such as a Côtes de Provence or a Languedoc-Roussillon wine along with the tuna penne gratin.
If you don’t like white wine, try a chilled rosé from the Rhone or Corsica.
How to store it?
If you do want to prepare this tuna penne gratin in advance, let it cool completely and place it in an airtight glass container.
However, it is not a dish that freezes very well because the pasta and cheese can get soggy, so I don’t recommend it.
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Tuna Penne gratin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 g of penne pasta (0.9lb)
- 1 cup of fresh spinach
- 5 oz can of tuna (140g)
- 1 cup grated cheese eg parmesan, gruyère, cheddar, emmental, etc.
Pink Pasta sauce
- 3/4 cup of crême fraiche or heavy cream
- 3/4 cup of tomato coulis or tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot on the stove, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for the pink sauce.
- Chop the spinach and drain the tuna from the can.
- Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain the pasta and place it in a large casserole dish.
- Layer the spinach and tuna between the cooked pasta.
- Top the casserole with the pink sauce mix it into the pasta bake.
- Preheat the oven at 375°F (190°C).
- Sprinkle the top layer with shredded cheese, added liberally.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese on top looks cooked and golden brown.
- Serve while warm.
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates are approximate. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.
You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. This website is written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
Other gratin recipes
If you enjoyed that, check out our other classic French side-dish recipes that are easy to prepare. Bon appétit and à bientôt!
