I have often found myself with leftover cheese and a forgotten can of tuna in the pantry, plus about half a bag of short pasta that doesn't quite make a full serving. With this combination, I first made pasta pudding with cheese and tuna, without having high expectations. It turned out to be a dish that everyone quickly finished, especially since the cheese and tuna surprisingly go well together, and the olives add something extra. I have repeated the recipe several times and it has never failed.
Quick Info
Total Time: about 50-60 minutes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 30-35 minutes (depends on the oven)
Servings: 4-6, depending on appetite
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe Type: savory pudding, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
350 g cottage cheese
3 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
200 g short pasta (like spirals or penne)
4 tablespoons grated parmesan
50 g cheese
100 g pitted olives
200 g tuna in its own juice (1 can)
half a bunch of fresh parsley
pepper (to taste)
Preparation Method
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a little salt. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 12 minutes or according to the package instructions, so they are not too soft. Drain well in a colander.
2. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the eggs and sour cream. Use a mixer or a fork until you get a fairly smooth cream. It doesn't need to be perfectly fine, but there shouldn't be large chunks.
3. Grate the cheese on the small grater. Add it to the cheese and egg mixture, then add two tablespoons of parmesan. Mix and incorporate the chopped parsley and pepper to taste.
4. Add the drained pasta to the cheese and egg cream and mix well, so all the pasta is coated.
5. Drain the tuna very well (otherwise, the pudding will be watery). Slice the olives into rings or rounds, as preferred.
6. Prepare a not very large heat-resistant dish (about 25x18 cm or similar). Grease well with butter or oil and line with baking paper to prevent sticking.
7. Place half of the pasta and cheese mixture in the dish and level it. Sprinkle half of the tuna and some of the olives on top.
8. Add the remaining pasta, then the other half of the tuna and the remaining olives.
9. Sprinkle the other two tablespoons of grated parmesan on top.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (medium heat) for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and everything is well bound.
11. After removing the pudding from the oven, let it cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting; otherwise, it may crumble when portioning.
Why I make this recipe often
It's the kind of dish where I can quickly use what I have in the fridge: leftover cheeses, a can of tuna, leftover pasta. It keeps well in the dish, cuts nicely when cooled, and I can reheat it the next day. It doesn't dirty too many dishes and is suitable for lunch or a more substantial dinner.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Drain the tuna as well as possible to avoid a wet pudding.
- Cook the pasta slightly under the recommended time so it doesn't get too soft in the oven.
- Let the pudding sit a little after removing it; otherwise, it won't cut nicely.
- If you use wetter cottage cheese, drain it beforehand or use less sour cream.
Substitutions
- Cottage cheese can be replaced with ricotta or urda if you prefer a finer texture.
- Cheese can be replaced with any hard cheese that can be grated (gouda, emmental).
- Instead of tuna, you can try boiled chicken breast, but it won't have the same taste.
- You can use green olives or without, as preferred.
- If you don't have parmesan, use any other grated hard cheese.
Variations
- Add pieces of bell pepper or chopped spinach for a more colorful pudding.
- For extra flavor, add a little crushed garlic or green onion to the cheese mixture.
- You can sprinkle sesame or sunflower seeds on top for a crust.
Serving Ideas
- Goes well with a salad of tomatoes or cucumbers, or with cold pickles.
- A slice of pudding is also good the next day, cut cold for a packed lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use other types of pasta?
Yes, any short pasta works – spirals, penne, shells, or even bow ties. The important thing is that they are not too thin.
2. Can I make the pudding without tuna?
Yes, you can omit the tuna or replace it with another canned fish (mackerel, sardines, well-drained), or even with vegetables, but the taste will be different.
3. Do I need to use baking paper?
It is not mandatory if you grease the dish well with butter, but the paper helps the pudding come out easier and prevents sticking.
4. Can it be made without olives?
Sure, if you don't like olives or have picky children, you can leave them out.
5. Can I freeze this pudding?
I do not recommend freezing. The texture of the cheese changes upon thawing and excess water may appear.
Nutritional Values
The values are estimated for one serving, for 6 servings from the dish:
- Calories: approximately 280-320 kcal
- Protein: 18-22 g
- Carbohydrates: 22-28 g
- Fat: 12-15 g
It depends on the type of cheese and how fatty the sour cream is. If you use low-fat cheese or sour cream, the values decrease slightly.
Storage and Reheating
The pudding keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave, but the texture will be better in the oven. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture changes and it may become watery after thawing. When cold, it cuts well and can be taken for lunch.
Quick Info
Total Time: about 50-60 minutes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 30-35 minutes (depends on the oven)
Servings: 4-6, depending on appetite
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe Type: savory pudding, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
350 g cottage cheese
3 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
200 g short pasta (like spirals or penne)
4 tablespoons grated parmesan
50 g cheese
100 g pitted olives
200 g tuna in its own juice (1 can)
half a bunch of fresh parsley
pepper (to taste)
Preparation Method
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a little salt. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 12 minutes or according to the package instructions, so they are not too soft. Drain well in a colander.
2. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the eggs and sour cream. Use a mixer or a fork until you get a fairly smooth cream. It doesn't need to be perfectly fine, but there shouldn't be large chunks.
3. Grate the cheese on the small grater. Add it to the cheese and egg mixture, then add two tablespoons of parmesan. Mix and incorporate the chopped parsley and pepper to taste.
4. Add the drained pasta to the cheese and egg cream and mix well, so all the pasta is coated.
5. Drain the tuna very well (otherwise, the pudding will be watery). Slice the olives into rings or rounds, as preferred.
6. Prepare a not very large heat-resistant dish (about 25x18 cm or similar). Grease well with butter or oil and line with baking paper to prevent sticking.
7. Place half of the pasta and cheese mixture in the dish and level it. Sprinkle half of the tuna and some of the olives on top.
8. Add the remaining pasta, then the other half of the tuna and the remaining olives.
9. Sprinkle the other two tablespoons of grated parmesan on top.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (medium heat) for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and everything is well bound.
11. After removing the pudding from the oven, let it cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting; otherwise, it may crumble when portioning.
Why I make this recipe often
It's the kind of dish where I can quickly use what I have in the fridge: leftover cheeses, a can of tuna, leftover pasta. It keeps well in the dish, cuts nicely when cooled, and I can reheat it the next day. It doesn't dirty too many dishes and is suitable for lunch or a more substantial dinner.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Drain the tuna as well as possible to avoid a wet pudding.
- Cook the pasta slightly under the recommended time so it doesn't get too soft in the oven.
- Let the pudding sit a little after removing it; otherwise, it won't cut nicely.
- If you use wetter cottage cheese, drain it beforehand or use less sour cream.
Substitutions
- Cottage cheese can be replaced with ricotta or urda if you prefer a finer texture.
- Cheese can be replaced with any hard cheese that can be grated (gouda, emmental).
- Instead of tuna, you can try boiled chicken breast, but it won't have the same taste.
- You can use green olives or without, as preferred.
- If you don't have parmesan, use any other grated hard cheese.
Variations
- Add pieces of bell pepper or chopped spinach for a more colorful pudding.
- For extra flavor, add a little crushed garlic or green onion to the cheese mixture.
- You can sprinkle sesame or sunflower seeds on top for a crust.
Serving Ideas
- Goes well with a salad of tomatoes or cucumbers, or with cold pickles.
- A slice of pudding is also good the next day, cut cold for a packed lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use other types of pasta?
Yes, any short pasta works – spirals, penne, shells, or even bow ties. The important thing is that they are not too thin.
2. Can I make the pudding without tuna?
Yes, you can omit the tuna or replace it with another canned fish (mackerel, sardines, well-drained), or even with vegetables, but the taste will be different.
3. Do I need to use baking paper?
It is not mandatory if you grease the dish well with butter, but the paper helps the pudding come out easier and prevents sticking.
4. Can it be made without olives?
Sure, if you don't like olives or have picky children, you can leave them out.
5. Can I freeze this pudding?
I do not recommend freezing. The texture of the cheese changes upon thawing and excess water may appear.
Nutritional Values
The values are estimated for one serving, for 6 servings from the dish:
- Calories: approximately 280-320 kcal
- Protein: 18-22 g
- Carbohydrates: 22-28 g
- Fat: 12-15 g
It depends on the type of cheese and how fatty the sour cream is. If you use low-fat cheese or sour cream, the values decrease slightly.
Storage and Reheating
The pudding keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave, but the texture will be better in the oven. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture changes and it may become watery after thawing. When cold, it cuts well and can be taken for lunch.