Recipe Background
Grandma's Favorite Tuna Bake harkens back to the old classics — sitting at the table, catching up with family and friends, and enjoying big, bold flavors you just can't find anywhere else! The tuna is tender and savory, cushioned in a bed of pasta and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and sharp parmesan. Creamy, hearty, and above all, comforting, Grandma's Favorite Tuna Bake is like visiting grandma's place when you need a pick-me-up the most!
Grandma's Favorite Tuna Bake harkens back to the old classics — sitting at the table, catching up with family and friends, and enjoying big, bold flavors you just can't find anywhere else! The tuna is tender and savory, cushioned in a bed of pasta and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and sharp parmesan. Creamy, hearty, and above all, comforting, Grandma's Favorite Tuna Bake is like visiting grandma's place when you need a pick-me-up the most!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces tubetti or elbow macaroni
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 ounce parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion diced small
- coarse salt to taste
- ground pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 (6-ounce) cans solid light tuna packed in water drained and flaked
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, add the pasta and cook it 2 minutes less than al dente, according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta.
- In a small bowl, add the panko, the parmesan cheese, and 2 teaspoons of the oil and toss to combine.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil.
- Add the onions, the salt, and the pepper and cook, while stirring, until the onions are softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add the flour to the onions and cook, while whisking, until the onions are coated and the raw flour smell has disappeared, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the broth to the onion mixture, while whisking.
- Slowly add the milk to the broth mixture, while whisking.
- Cook the sauce mixture, while stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce mixture, while stirring frequently, until it thickens, about 8 minutes.
- Add the pasta, the tuna, the peas, the salt, and the pepper to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Transfer the tuna mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Top the tuna mixture evenly with the panko mixture.
- Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is golden, about 17-20 minutes.
- Allow the bake to cool for 10 minutes.
- Serve.
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