Tuna noodle casserole
Serves 6 - 8
Easy
Prep:
Cook:
Try this update on a classic American casserole with creamy tuna, pasta and veg with a crunchy crisp topping. It's a great dish to serve a crowd
Skip to ingredients
- 6 tbsp (87g) unsalted butterplus extra for the dish
- 1 carrotpeeled and diced
- 1 celery stalkdiced
- ½ oniondiced
- 125g shiitake mushroomscleaned and diced
- 500g dried casarecce(or another short pasta like farfalle or penne)
- 1 garlic clovepeeled and finely chopped
- 6 tbsp (55g) plain white flour
- 475ml whole milk
- 350ml double cream
- 1 chicken bouillon/stock cubecrumbled
- 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauceor soy or fish sauce
- 2 x 180g jars or cans tunain olive oil, drained and flaked
- 150g frozen peas, sweetcorn or chopped green beansor a combination of the three (optional, but highly recommended)
- a couple of handfuls of lightly crushed ridged salted crisps
- small handful chopped parsley(optional)
- paprika(optional)
Method
step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4, and lightly butter a 22 x 33cm casserole dish. Set aside
step 2
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over a medium-high heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, mushrooms and 1 fine tsp salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 mins, or until the vegetables have softened, the liquid released by the mushrooms has mostly evaporated and the onion is just starting to turn golden.
step 3
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of heavily salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente – about 3 mins less than pack instructions; it will cook further in the oven. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
step 4
When the veg is cooked, add the garlic to the pan, stir until well mixed then cook for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant.
step 5
Add the flour to the pan and cook for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly, until the flour is light golden.
step 6
Sprinkle the crumbled chicken bouillon/stock cube over your floury vegetables. Add the milk, cream and Worcestershire sauce, cook for 3-5 mins, stirring constantly, or until the mixture is smooth and thick, like a heavy pancake batter.
step 7
Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, for 5-7 mins, or until the sauce has thickened. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
step 8
Remove the pan from the heat, and add the tuna. Gently stir to mix well. If you are adding peas (or corn or green beans), add them in now as well. Stir again to mix.
step 9
Add the cooked pasta to the mixture and stir gently but thoroughly to combine.
step 10
Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, making sure it is evenly distributed across the pan. Top the casserole with crushed crisps and bake, uncovered, for 25 mins or until hot and bubbling, and the crisps are golden brown at the edge.
step 11
Leave to stand for 5-7 mins before sprinkling over chopped parsley and/or a dusting of paprika.
