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Creamy tuna and pea shells

Pasta shells and frozen peas fold into a cheddar sauce with canned tuna. About 25 minutes; serves four.

About 25 minutes · serves 4

By Forkast. This recipe has not been kitchen-tested; timing is an estimate.

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Creamy pasta shells with tuna, green peas, cheddar, and black pepper.
AI-generated recipe illustration

Let’s make dinner

  1. 1

    Cook the shells and peas

    Boil shells in salted water until just tender, following the package timing. Add frozen peas for the final 2 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.

  2. 2

    Make the cheddar sauce

    Melt butter in the empty pot over medium. Whisk in flour for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Simmer 3–4 minutes until thick, then remove from heat and add cheddar.

  3. 3

    Fold everything together

    Stir in mustard and garlic powder. Add shells, peas, and drained tuna. Fold gently over low heat. Loosen with reserved pasta water and finish with pepper.

Two cans of tuna and a bag of peas turn stovetop mac-and-cheese energy into a complete pantry dinner. Remove the sauce from the heat before stirring in cheddar so it stays smooth, then fold the tuna gently. Contains fish, milk, and wheat; check mustard and pasta labels.

Questions before you cook

When should I add the peas?

Add frozen peas to the pasta pot for the final two minutes, then reserve pasta water and drain them together.

How do I loosen the cheese sauce?

Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining. Fold some in gradually after adding shells and tuna until the sauce coats them.

Substitutions and ingredient choices

Another small pasta shape is an untested alternative to shells. Follow its package cooking time, still adding peas near the end.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?

Refrigerate perishable leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and use leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, checking with a food thermometer. These are general USDA safety limits, not a tested shelf-life claim for this recipe.

Warm over low heat with a little water or milk, stirring gently so the sauce loosens and the tuna heats through.

USDA: Leftovers and Food Safety

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