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CookGo
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Tuna Noodle Casserole with Bechamel Sauce

Cost $15, save $10

Source: Recommended by CookGo

  • 70 Min
  • 8 Servings
  • $15

INGREDIENTS

  • Pasta

    • ½ (16 ounce) package penne pasta

  • Butter and Oils

    • 🧈 5 tablespoons salted butter, divided

  • Flour

    • 🌾 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • Dairy

    • 🥛 2 ½ cups cold milk

  • Seasonings

    • 🧅 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 🧂 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Protein

    • 🐟 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna in water, drained

  • Vegetables

    • 🍃 1 ½ cups frozen peas

  • Cheese

    • 🧀 1 ½ cups grated Colby-Jack cheese
    • 🧀 ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Bread

    • 🍞 4 slices bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

STEPS

1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook 2 minutes less than package instructions, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain, rinse, and set aside.

2

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

3

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan. Stir in flour, cooking until golden, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in cold milk. Add minced onion, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and cook until bechamel sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4

Combine cooked pasta, bechamel sauce, tuna, peas, and Colby-Jack cheese in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, thinning with reserved pasta water if needed. Season with pepper and the remaining salt. Transfer mixture to the greased casserole dish.

5

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Toss bread cubes with melted butter and Parmesan cheese until coated. Spread bread mixture evenly over the casserole and cover tightly with foil.

6

Bake casserole in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until golden.

NUTRIENTS

Per 1 serving

🔥

430

Calories

  • 27g
    Protein
  • 38g
    Carbs
  • 19g
    Fats

💡 Tips

You can substitute penne pasta with egg noodles or another short pasta shape for variation.Add a sprinkle of paprika to the bread crust for added color and flavor.For a richer casserole, mix in additional cheese when combining the pasta with bechamel sauce.

⚠️ Precautions

This recipe is for inspiration only. The specific use needs to beadjusted according to individual differences.