Tuna Mornay is how you elevate canned tuna above a glum pantry staple or worse still, a desperate meal eaten straight from the can! It’s a tuna casserole pasta bake with a creamy sauce, sweet pops of corn and crunchy topping, baked until golden and bubbly.
Simple to make, economical and oh-so-delish!
Tuna Mornay
I moved out of home straight after finishing high school at the tender age of 18, so it will come as no surprise to you that I had my fair share of meals comprising canned tuna in various, completely unappetising forms. Dumped into rice, on pasta, on toast (with melted cheese!) and the worst offender of them all – eaten straight out of a can.
Which, nowadays, is more acceptable with the dizzying array of flavours available – chilli, lemon pepper, Portuguese.
Back then, it was not. 😂
I’m glad I’ve evolved beyond that. Canned tuna can be used in all sorts of delicious ways – and this Tuna Mornay pasta bake tops the list!
What is Tuna Mornay?
Tuna Mornay is the Aussie name for a tuna casserole pasta bake made with canned tuna and pasta in a creamy white sauce. There’s various forms of add ins – often corn, sometimes peas – and it’s topped with something crunchy. A parmesan breadcrumb topping is my favourite, but there are versions “out there” with crushed cornflakes, crispy fried onions and even potato crisps. (Yes, really, google it)
Prefer tomato based pasta bakes?
Try this Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake!
What you need for Tuna Casserole
Here’s what you need:
Just a note on a few of the items:
Vegeta stock powder / granulated bouillon / seasoning (same thing!!) is the secret ingredient here that makes the white sauce extra tasty. It’s salt – with flavour. I like using Vegeta, which is a Vegetable stock powder (herbs & spices aisle of everyday grocery stores!). Read more here about Vegeta here (including MSG misconceptions & what else to use it for!)
Tuna – tuna in oil is tastier (full stop!) but spring water or brine is fine too; and
Corn (and other veggies) – peas and corn can be added uncooked and even frozen straight into the dish. For things like diced carrots (frozen or fresh), I’d recommend cooking them first as they won’t cook in the bake time for this recipe. I just use corn – because it’s the classic add in.
Melt butter, mix in flour, then whisk in milk – the flour will make the sauce thick and creamy;
Add in parmesan and other sauce flavourings (including our secret ingredient, Vegeta);
Flake the tuna into large-dish chunks so it doesn’t turn into mush when you mix it through, then mix it all up together;
Tip into a baking dish, top with crunchy Panko-parmesan topping and bake until it’s golden on top and bubbling on the edges!
And here’s an up close and personal of what’s under that crunchy golden topping. Love that creamy sauce!
What to serve with Tuna Mornay
Unless you load it up with more extra vegetables (it can take about 2 cups extra AND you can sub some of the pasta for more vegetables), I’d recommend some veggies or a crisp salad on the side – just to complete the meal! Here are a few suggestions:
Veg and salad side suggestions
Otherwise, make up your own garden salad or steamed vegetables and drizzle with a quick Balsamic Dressing, French Dressing or Italian Dressing.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Tuna Mornay (Creamy Tuna Casserole Pasta Bake)
Ingredients
- 350g / 12oz penne pasta (or other short pasta)
- 40g / 3 tbsp butter
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 4 tbsp (50g) flour , plain/all purpose
- 4 cups (1 litre) milk , any fat %, dairy or non dairy (1 quart)
- 2 tsp Vegeta, or chicken or veg stock powder/granulated bouillon (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan , finely shredded
- 1/2 tsp each mustard powder, onion and garlic powder (Note 2)
- 425g / 15 oz canned tuna , preferably in oil, drained (sub salmon)
- 400g / 14 oz canned corn , drained (or other veg, Note 3)
Crunchy Topping:
- 25g / 1.5 tbsp butter , melted
- 1/2 cup (60g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4g (25g) parmesan , finely grated
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Chives or parsley , optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Crunchy Topping – Mix together.
- Cook pasta per packet directions MINUS 1 minute. Drain then allow to cool slightly, then return into pot.
- White Sauce – Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add flour and stir into melted butter. While whisking, gradually pour in about 1/3 of the milk. Once the flour-butter mixture is incorporated into the milk, pour in remaining milk and whisk.
- Add Vegeta, mustard, onion and garlic powder, whisk.
- When the milk starts to heat up, whisk constantly to make sure the white sauce doesn’t catch on the base.
- After 4 – 5 minutes, the sauce should be thick enough that you can draw a path across the back of a spoon (see video). Remove from stove and stir in parmesan.
- Assemble & Bake – Add tuna into pasta and flake into large chunks with fork (not too much, don't want it to turn to mush when stirred). Add corn, pour over sauce, then gently stir.
- Scrape into baking dish, top with Crunchy Topping.
- Bake 25 minutes until top is golden and edges are bubbling. Sprinkle with chives if desired then serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More proof – canned tuna CAN be delicious!
Life of Dozer
Dozer Does Melbourne – An assembly line of dumpling makers got a fright when he jumped up and slammed his heavy footed paws against the glass window!!
Perhaps surprisingly, I’ve never put corn in tuna mornay. Usually I use 1 or 2 packs (individual serves) of microwaveable vegetables eg carrot, pea, broccoli mix or similar.
Delicious. Thx Nagi.
I prepared this in the afternoon ready for dinner. Wow is it delicious. I’ll be making this regularly!
We had it with your cucumber salad. Thanks.
Mine is very similar. I use peas and top with French’s crispy fried onions. Oh, always a bit of hot sauce.
Very yummy! I also added half cauliflower florets (cooked) & half macaroni pasta & some grated Colby cheese (can never have too much cheese!!)
I love this recipe so tonight I decided to swap the tuna with Chicken and fried chorizo. Just as yummy as the tuna. Love the versatility of this recipe. Go Nagi.
One of our favourite family meals. Always incredibly delicious.
One shortcut I take is to make the white sauce in my Thermomix – just dump all the sauce ingredients in the machine and set it to “thicken” mode. No difference in taste but saves standing at the stove with a whisk.
Lovely dish added extra spices and a little truffle mustard I was lucky enough to have. Longest part is making sauce but well worth it. Another lovely recipe thanks Nagi.
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Finally! A great easy tuna mornay recipe, that tastes so good, my kids wolfed this down! The crunchy topping was perfect…will be making this again for sure! Thank you!
Such a tasty twist on the usual Tuna Bake..it was amazing, everyone had 2nds (or 3rds!) Definitely a winner and keeper for our household menu!
Made this 2 nights ago. Husband,,son & dinner guest all gushed over it. I’m my hardest critic & had to agree. Super simple & the best version of Tuna Mornay I’ve made & eaten. Absolutely a 5 star mid week dinner. Didn’t have corn so used peas & doubled crunchy topping which was perfect for us. Thankyou for this delicious & simple recipe. Will be a new household favourite.
I have cooked this recipe several times. I love it. It’s so easy and you always get a great result. Best Tuna mornay recipe ever. 🙂
Best tuna mornay l have ever tried to make. If you don’t like tuna use salmon.
Made this on Friday night and it was fabulous. Had to make it with a few tweaks as there was no onion in the house, used onion powder instead and no corn so substituted with a layer of broccoli on the bottom of the dish before loading the Mornay mix in. So yummy! Thanks Nagi another winner ❤️
Absolutely Rockin It! Best Tuna Mornay recipe. Followed it to the letter. Genius! Thanks Nagi:)
Made this for Good Friday dinner with my own tweaks……sweated off crushed garlic, one red onion, 2 sticks of celery and half a red pepper together.
Rather than using tuna in oil, use tuna in springwater and use half the ‘can water’ and milk in the white sauce with 2-3 bay leaves & Dijon mustard spread rather than Vegeta & I prefer to use the ‘real’ thing rather than powdered onion, garlic & stock. Add grated Bitey Tasty cheese into the white sauce. Season to taste.
Combine the tuna, sweetcorn, frozen peas, sweated off veggies, cooked penne pasta & white sauce into a greased casserole dish. Top with more cheese (don’t like the crunchy topping as I like the veggies to be slightly underdone to provide a different texture).
Fan-forced Oven on 180*c for 30 mins or until the cheese has browned.
Serve with a salad/toast/chips/Hasselback potatoes but filling enough just on its own.
Delicious! I don’t like corn, but I put frozen baby peas in it. So good!!
Awesome Nagi, thank you.
I put tinned asparagus and chilli flakes in mine.
So delicious! And very budget friendly. I used frozen corn and didn’t bother to thaw etc, just threw it straight in.
I used almond milk as well as that’s all I had on hand, I’ll be sure to use unsweetened almond milk next time as it was on the sweeter side but I managed to balance it out with plenty of salt n spices. 10/10 once again Nagi!
The first time I made Tunay Mornay I only had tuna in water on hand. Result was quite good. However, tonight I made it with salmon in oil per your recommendation (the oil part!) and it was fabulous! I couldn’t stop eating it. Love your recipes and tips, Nagi!! Thank you!! ❤️