Tuna Melt Mac 'n' Cheese
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 903
- Total Fat
- 44
- Saturated Fat
- 22
- Carbohydrates
- 88
- Dietary Fiber
- 5
- Sugar
- 10
- Protein
- 40
- Cholesterol
- 116
- Sodium
- 875
- Total: 1 hr
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
Salt
1 pound hollow cavatappi or elbows with lines, or macaroni with lines
About 3 tablespoons EVOO, plus extra for drizzling
12 ounces line-caught canned tuna, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley and tarragon
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion or scallions, whites and greens
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 to 2 small ribs celery, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 stick butter
3 tablespoons flour
About 2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups grated white Cheddar or gruyere cheese
1 1/2 cups homemade breadcrumbs or panko
1/2 cup grated Parm
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the pasta to less than al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and drizzle with a touch of oil to keep the pasta loose.
- In a large bowl, flake the tuna and add the herbs (reserving a tablespoon or 2 for breadcrumbs), onions, mustard, celery, lemon juice, EVOO and some salt and pepper. Add the pasta and combine well. Transfer to a baking dish or large casserole dish.
- In a medium saucepot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Then whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper, thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the Cheddar in a figure-eight motion. Pour the sauce evenly over the pasta and tuna. Gently combine with a spoon to settle the sauce. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal.
- Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pan and add the breadcrumbs and reserved herbs, toss to evenly distribute the butter, remove from heat and transfer to airtight container.
- To prepare, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bring the casserole to room temperature. Top the casserole with breadcrumbs and Parm cheese. Bake until golden and hot through.