Tuna pasta bake

This tasty creamy tuna pasta dish is made with simple ingredients from your pantry and could not be simpler to make!

This is basically a Tuna Mornay for my Australian friends. This is similar to Tuna Casserole for my friends in the US. For my friends in the UK, you will recognize this as a staple weeknight meal! Follow me…

Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake Ingredients

Tuna pasta bake, I don’t think you would agree, is a SOS meal in our house. You could call it a cupboard-cleaning meal. This recipe is made with no-fuss, simple ingredients. But they come together beautifully! This is what you will need:

Pasta — Here, I’m using penne, but any short-cut pasta will work. Rigatoni also makes a great choice!
Butter Flour and milk are used to create bechamel sauce.
Vegetable Stock: I like to substitute some of the dairy for vegetable stock for an extra boost in flavor!
Cheddar – A strong/mature cheddar is best.
Dijon- This will enhance the cheesy notes of the recipe.
Tuna — Canned tuna works! Be sure to use chunks and not flakes.
Breadcrumbs- I pulse a piece of bread and sprinkle over it before baking for a beautiful, crunchy topping. Breadcrumbs of any type will work.
Sweetcorn — A classic addition to tuna pasta bake.
Salt & Pepper – Season the topping and sauce. I usually use white pepper, but you can also use black pepper.
Chives To garnish. These add color and flavor!

Creamy Tuna Pasta

It is a fairly quick process to make the sweetcorn and tuna pasta. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

Room temp milk

It is best to have your milk at room temperature. If you whisk in cold milk, it increases the likelihood of lumps or curdling. Microwave your milk to get things moving faster.

Al Dente Pasta

You’ll need to ensure that the pasta is slightly undercooked, as with any pasta bake. As the pasta bakes, it will absorb moisture. You’ll want to reduce cooking time by a few minutes so that it is al dente.

Tuna over-mixing

If you add too much, the tuna will become mush. Just a few pieces here and there are fine

Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

After everything has been combined, please place it in a baking pan and top with breadcrumbs. I suggest seasoning the breadcrumbs liberally with salt and pepper. There’s nothing worse than a bland pasta bake topping.

Must I add breadcrumbs to the topping?

Breadcrumbs add a lovely crispy layer to the pasta filling, which helps it stand out. The cheese is not essential, but it would be nice to have a layer of cheese on top to keep the pasta from getting burned.

Can you make this recipe more cost-effective by substituting any of the ingredients?

This recipe is already a good value, but you can stretch it even further.

Substitute chives for spring onions. Spring onions are cheaper, and leftovers can be used in more ways.
You can use either wholegrain or English mustard if you have them on hand. You can also use mustard powder if you have it.
If you have frozen Sweetcorn, use it instead of canned.
You can use chicken stock in place of vegetable stock.

Can this be prepared in advance?

This is a great recipe. It has a much better texture. If you have to prepare ahead, I suggest draining and adding a knob of butter to the pasta. It will prevent the pasta from bloating as it sits in the sauce. Allow the sauce to cool down to a lukewarm temperature before mixing it with the pasta. Store in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature and bake.

Can I freeze this?

Then, you can store it in the freezer. Then bake after thawing in the refrigerator.

Serving Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

To serve, I like to sprinkle over fresh chives. They add color and flavor to the dish. It’s best to let it sit for at least a few minutes or until the bubbles stop (otherwise, your roof of mouth will fall off). Enjoy!

Equipment

Large Deep Pan with Wooden Spoon and whisk (for sauce).
Large Pot and Colander (for Pasta)
9″ x 9.5″ Baking Dish or a similar size (for baking).
Sharp Knife and chopping Board (for chives).
Food Processor (for breadcrumbs).
Cheese Grater
Serving Spoon

Ingredients (checklist)

14oz / 400g Penne, Short pasta is available in a variety of choices
2 cups / 500ml Milk, Room temperature
1 cup / 250ml Vegetable Stock
2 Cups / 200g Sharp/Mature Cheddar, Grated
Cans of 2 x 5oz/145g Tuna Chunks, Drainage (see note)
Can of 198g/7oz Sweetcorn, Sweetcorn65g/5.8oz drained weight)
Each 4 tbsp: Butter, Flour
One slice of Bread, Pulverized into crumbs
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Each 1/4 tsp: Salt, White Pepper Taste (or taste)
Each 1/4 tsp: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder (flavor enhancers – OPTIONAL)
Oil Spray, As needed
Finely diced Fresh Chives, Serve
Black Pepper: Use more white pepper if needed (or simply add it to the top of the baking before baking).

Instructions

Cook your pasta until it is al dente. (Take a minute off the cooking time; you are looking for a bit of a hard texture). Drain pasta just before adding it to the sauce.
In a large, deep pan on medium heat, melt 4 tbsp of butter. Pour in 4 tbsp of flour to make a roux. Add milk slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in the veg stock, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Add the Dijon mustard and any other seasonings you want, such as salt, pepper, onion/garlic, etc., and then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheese. After the cheese melts, add the pasta and then the sweetcorn. Please don’t overdo it; sweetcorn will turn to mush.
Pour into the baking dish and level with a wooden spatula. Add breadcrumbs and generously spray oil spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes at 200C/390F or until the top is golden.
Enjoy!