A creamy, cheesy tuna mornay stuffed into giant pasta shells and baked to golden perfection. This comforting Supercharged Tuna Mornay is packed with family-friendly flavours and pantry staples, making it the ultimate weeknight dinner or entertaining crowd-pleaser.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Ingredients
TUNA MORNAY
500ggiant pasta shells (or any other pasta you like)
100gunsalted butter
2tspfreshly grated garlic
50gplain (all-purpose) flour
875mlfull-cream (whole) milk
90gbaby spinach
155gfrozen peas
425gcanned tuna in olive oil, drained (see note 1)
1lemon, juiced and zested
125ggrated cheddar or other similar cheese
50gfinely grated parmesan
1½tspsea salt flakes
¼tspfreshly cracked black pepper
PANKO TOPPING
60ggrated cheddar
25gfinely grated parmesan
60gpanko breadcrumbs
Olive oil spray, or 1–2 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (all oven types).
Boil the pasta – Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Rinse in cold water to stop the pasta cooking, then drain and set aside.
Make the sauce – Heat the butter in a large, deep, heavy-based ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add the flour and stir it through until it is dissolved.
Add half of the milk and whisk until well combined with the flour mixture. Add the remaining milk, bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, for 4–5 minutes until thickened.
Add the veggies – Remove from the heat and stir through the baby spinach and peas.
Add the tuna and remaining ingredients – Add the tuna, lemon zest and juice, cheddar, parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Toss the cooked pasta shells through the sauce, using your spoon to fill some of the shells with the mixture. Turn some of the shells so they are facing upwards (for presentation). If you don’t have an ovenproof frying pan, transfer to a baking dish.
Make the panko topping – For the panko topping, sprinkle over the cheddar, parmesan and panko breadcrumbs, in that order. Spray with olive oil spray or drizzle with olive oil.
Bake – Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
Serve – Serve immediately.
Notes
Note 1 – For a milder flavour, you can use tuna in springwater, instead of olive oil.
Make Ahead
Prepare ahead – Assemble the dish up to the point of baking, cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake directly from the fridge, covered in foil, for 10–15 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.Freeze ahead – Assemble the dish, cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat as directed in the Make Ahead instructions above for best results. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Supercharged Tuna Mornay
Amount per Serving
Calories
580
% Daily Value*
Fat
37
g
57
%
Saturated Fat
20
g
125
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
10
g
Cholesterol
121
mg
40
%
Sodium
1311
mg
57
%
Potassium
606
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
29
g
10
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
10
g
11
%
Protein
34
g
68
%
Vitamin A
2726
IU
55
%
Vitamin C
24
mg
29
%
Calcium
578
mg
58
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.