Tuna Noodle Casserole

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F and butter a 23 x 33 cm dish.

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2. Cook the noodles in salted water for 3 minutes less than the packet time. Drain and set aside.

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3. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high, add the mushrooms in one layer and leave 4 minutes before stirring, then cook 5 minutes more until browned and dry.

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4. Add the onion and celery and cook 6 minutes until softened, then the garlic for 1 minute.

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5. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes, then add the milk and stock a third at a time, whisking each addition smooth.

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6. Simmer 5 minutes until it thickly coats a spoon, then stir in the mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

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7. Take off the heat and fold in the tuna, peas, Cheddar, parsley and the drained noodles.

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8. Tip into the dish and level the top.

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9. Toss the panko with the melted butter and Parmigiano and scatter over.

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10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and deep golden on top. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

    Mark done Start 25 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Brown the mushrooms properly. Grey mushrooms give you a grey casserole.
• Fold the tuna in off the heat and gently. Stirred into a simmering sauce it disintegrates.
• Panko, not dried breadcrumbs. It stays crisp where fine crumbs turn to sand.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Panko gives the crunchiest crust here, but ordinary dried breadcrumbs will still fry crisp if that's what's in the cupboard.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.

Pairing Suggestions

• A sharp green salad
• Quick pickles
• A cold cider

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat covered at 180°C for 25 minutes. Freezes unbaked for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.