An easy family favourite recipe that incorporates healthy fish within a tight budget. Use your favourite pasta shapes and feel free to add alternative frozen, fresh or tinned vegetables too.

This recipe is part of a Budget meal plan for four. In September 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of £2.82 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard.

Ingredients
300g/10½oz dried pasta shells, or other pasta shapes
200g/7oz frozen sweetcorn
200g tub full-fat cream cheese (also known as soft cheese)
145g tin tuna chunks, any kind, drained
200g/7oz cherry tomatoes, halved
ground black pepper

Method
Half-fill a large saucepan with water, cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but retains just a little ‘bite’. Stir occasionally as the pasta cooks, so it doesn’t stick.

Add the sweetcorn to the saucepan, cover and return to the boil. Cook for 2 minutes more. Take out a couple of ladles of the water (around 150ml/¼ pint) and put to one side in a bowl.

Drain the pasta and sweetcorn in a colander then return to the pan. Add the tomatoes and the drained tuna and toss together over medium heat for 1–2 minutes or until the tomatoes are beginning to warm.

Pour the reserved water over the pasta, add the soft cheese and stir well over low heat until the cheese melts and coats the pasta. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.