Sweet Pepper and Tuna Pasta Bake

Name: Sweet Pepper and Tuna Pasta Bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: 3 Tbsps. olive oil; 1 Tbsp. butter; 2 bell peppers (red/yellow and orange); Canned tuna in sunflower oil; 250g fusilli pasta or any other pasta variety of your choice; 1/2 can coconut milk; 200ml fresh whole milk; 1/2 Tsp. course black pepper; 1 Tsp. paprika; 1/2 Tsp. ground cumin; 2 Tsp. dried parsley (plus extra for garnishing); 2 sprigs of fresh thyme; 1 Tsp. garlic powder; 1 Tsp. curry powder; 1 Tsp. chilli flakes (optional); 2 Maggi stock cubes (crushed); Handful piccolo tomatoes (cut in halves); Handful cheddar cheese

by Ameena Deeni | Ameena Cooks

5 Servings

30 min

A classic meal with a touch of West-Africa - made with mostly fresh ingredients. This sweet pepper and tuna pasta bake cooks in just under 30 minutes.

This sweet creamy pasta bake is a one-pot dish, so this means there are less dishes to clean up after lunch, or even dinner. It's made using fresh sweet bell pepper, canned tuna, canned coconut milk, fresh whole milk, dried herbs and a handful of fresh piccolo tomatoes - that are tossed in before broiling the pasta to melt and toast that cheddar cheese. You will fall in love with the pops of flavour that this pasta bake will give off. Every bite of this pasta will give a sweet and flavourful punch on your taste buds. The sweetness comes from the roughly chopped sweet bell peppers, and the rest gives this dish the magical flavours that everyone will enjoy. Finish this dish off by garnishing extra dried parsley on top and a dash of extra chilli flakes, if you want to go that extra mile with the spice!

If you give this sweet pepper and tuna pasta bake a try, be sure to let me know in the comments below and tag your recreations @ameenacooks and hashtag 'touchofwestafrica' when you make this recipe.

Sweet Pepper and Tuna Pasta Bake

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Recipe details

Yield 5 Servings
Time spent: Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 20 Minutes Total time: 30 min

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% Daily value

Ingredients

3 Tbsps. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 bell peppers (red/yellow and orange)
Canned tuna in sunflower oil
250g fusilli pasta or any other pasta variety of your choice
1/2 can coconut milk
200ml fresh whole milk
1/2 Tsp. course black pepper
1 Tsp. paprika
1/2 Tsp. ground cumin
2 Tsp. dried parsley (plus extra for garnishing)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 Tsp. garlic powder
1 Tsp. curry powder
1 Tsp. chilli flakes (optional)
2 Maggi stock cubes (crushed)
Handful piccolo tomatoes (cut in halves)
Handful cheddar cheese

Instructions

Set the oven on the broil setting at 200°C/392°F
In a medium-large sized pot or dutch oven, heat the oil and the butter together on a low-medium heat. While it’s heating up, remove the stems of the peppers and roughly chop them into pieces (they don’t need to be perfect). Keep the seeds of the peppers
Once the oil and butter have heated up add the roughly chopped peppers, including the seeds and fry for a few minutes, stirring frequently, and then add all the contents of the canned tuna. Fry them together for a further few minutes, then turn to a very low heat and add the pasta and the rest of the ingredients, except for the piccolo tomatoes and the cheddar cheese. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to a low-medium heat, close the lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta has become very soft and tender
Turn of the heat and allow the pasta to stand for a few minutes, to allow the sauce to thicken a little bit. Once the sauce has reached a desired consistency, add in the piccolo tomatoes and then sprinkle cheddar cheese over the pasta
Place the pot/dutch oven full of pasta into a 200°C/392°F oven and broil for 2-4 minutes, or until the cheese is starting to melt and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool
Once it’s cooled down slightly, garnish with some extra dried parsley and chilli flakes (optional) and serve

Comments

Shar on Jan 02, 2021

What flavor of stock cubes? Chicken, beef, vegetable, shrimp, garlic, tomato, cilantro, etc?

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- Ameena Deeni | Ameena Cooks on Jan 03, 2021
  
  Hi there,
  The Maggi seasoning cubes used are soybean based. Hope this helps :)
  
  Like
Cookie on Jan 03, 2021

What am I saving the bell pepper seeds for? What flavor is the stock or what can I substitute with?

Like Reply
- Ameena Deeni | Ameena Cooks on Jan 03, 2021
  
  Hi there,
  The seeds are there to add more flavour and fibre. The Maggi seasoning cubes used are soybean based. Hope this helps :)
  
  Like

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