Question 1

Can I make it in advance?

Accepted Answer

Leftovers can be kept, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven. It's also totally delicious cold, so it's great for packing into a lunchbox for the next day. 

Freezing is not recommended as the texture of the cottage cheese won't hold up. 

If you want to prepare the dish in advance then you can mix the tomato, water, garlic, oregano and mushrooms in a container and then mix the tuna, sweetcorn and spinach in another so you have everything ready to throw together when you make it. However, don't mix the pasta with the tomato in advance as it will make the pasta turn out mushy. Also, don't prepare the basil in advance as it will start to brown.

Question 2

What can I serve it with?

Accepted Answer

While this pasta bake is more than enough to serve on its own, you can add some side dishes to add variety or make a more substantial meal. A simple crisp salad or crusty bread works well. Or you could try one of the following as an extra healthy addition: 
•	Roasted tenderstem broccoli
•	Tomato and herb salsa
•	Healthy kale coleslaw
•	Mediterranean roasted vegetables

Question 3

How healthy is it?

Accepted Answer

This pasta bake contains several great ingredients. Tuna, which is packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids is also pretty low in fat. The addition of sweetcorn, tomatoes and spinach also provides 3 portions of fruit and veg. 

There are also several things that make this recipe a little lighter than your usual pasta bake: 

•	A moderate amount of high-carb pasta (but not so little that you'll feel cheated). For an even healthier option, you could swap standard pasta for whole-grain, brown pasta which is lower in calories and higher in fibre.
•	The use of fat-free cottage cheese, which has around 5x less cholesterol than hard cheeses such as cheddar, nearly double the protein and is virtually fat-free.

Healthy Tuna Pasta Bake

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition