Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Base
- 400 g dried penne pasta
- 350 g broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
- 300 g canned tuna in water, thoroughly drained and flaked
Cheese Sauce
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 g plain flour
- 600 ml whole milk, room temperature preferred
- 200 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided into 150g and 50g portions
- 10 g dijon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 598 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 66 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 550 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 46 mg
- Potassium
- 599 mg
- Calcium
- 407 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 81 mg
- Phosphorus
- 491 mg
- Zinc
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 218 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 52 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 61 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.71 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.55 mg
- Niacin
- 10.4 mg
- Folate
- 204 mcg
- Water
- 188 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven's grill or broiler function to high, roughly 220C or 430F.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the dried penne pasta and cook for 8 minutes, which is slightly less than package instructions.
Add the broccoli florets to the same boiling water with the pasta for the final 2 minutes of cooking.
Drain the pasta and broccoli thoroughly in a colander, shaking off excess water, and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux, stirring constantly to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually whisk the whole milk into the roux in small splashes, ensuring each addition is smoothly incorporated before adding more. Continue whisking as the mixture comes to a gentle simmer and thickens, taking about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan entirely from the heat. Stir in 150g of the grated cheddar cheese, dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is glossy.
In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the cooked pasta, blanched broccoli, drained flaked tuna, and the cheese sauce. Mix until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Transfer the coated pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer.
Sprinkle the remaining 50g of grated cheddar cheese evenly across the top of the dish.
Place the baking dish under the hot grill for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning. Ensure the dish is bubbling and reaches an internal temperature of 74C or 165F before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the silkiest mornay-style cheese sauce, always remove the saucepan from the heat before stirring in the grated cheese to prevent the proteins from seizing.
- Undercook the pasta by about two minutes during the boiling stage. It will continue to absorb moisture and soften while baking in the hot cheese sauce.
- Moisture control is critical in this recipe. Ensure the canned tuna is thoroughly drained and squeezed; excess moisture from the can will dilute the cheese sauce and result in a watery bake.
- A touch of Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier and enhances the sharpness of the cheddar cheese without making the dish taste distinctly like mustard.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 1 month — Pasta may become slightly softer upon thawing, but flavor remains excellent. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Cover with foil and bake at 180C/350F for 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions until piping hot.
Troubleshooting
Cheese sauce is lumpy or grainy
Cause: Milk was added too rapidly to the hot roux, or cheese was added while the pan was still over active heat.
Fix: Before adding the tuna or pasta, process the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth.
Prevention: Add milk in very small increments while whisking vigorously. Always remove the sauce from direct heat before adding the cheese.
The bake is watery at the bottom
Cause: Tuna or broccoli retained too much moisture before being mixed into the sauce.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed once assembled, but allowing the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving helps the starches absorb excess liquid.
Prevention: Thoroughly squeeze or press the canned tuna in a sieve to remove all water, and allow the blanched broccoli to drain completely.
Cultural Context
The tuna pasta bake is a beloved staple of British and Commonwealth home cooking, emerging to prominence in the late 20th century as a convenient, economical way to feed a family. It combines the mid-century innovation of canned fish with comforting, classical European cheese sauces. Often relied upon for its quick preparation and hearty nature, it remains a nostalgic comfort food across generations.
