tuna macaroni my way

So we asked the twins what they would like for their birthday dinner last weekend! You know, special request, best dish I make and all of that. And what did they ask for? Tuna macaroni. Yep. Just good old tuna macaroni. I should be flattered, over the years I’ve perfected the old tuna macaroni and here is how they like it. Thermomix and no thermomix versions. It won’t win masterchef but it’s very popular in this house and if everyone eats it then that makes it a winner in my books………………I must also admit that when I’m pregnant this is one of my favourite dinners.

now you can grate your own cheese in the thermomix but I just love cheese on the good old fashioned grater AND I love eating it this way too. Especially a good vintage cheddar. Yum yum.

this is white sauce in the thermomix, just 7 minutes and you walk away and do something else! I must make this at least once a week for the little ones!

and would you look at this birthday boy, after eating his delicious tuna macaroni he said I can make it next year for his birthday too. Bless him!


tuna macaroni my way
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
this is so popular in our house!
Recipe type: Dinners
Serves: 4
What you'll need
  • 400g pasta, cooked
  • 50g butter
  • 50g flour
  • 500mls milk
  • 1 or 2 cups grated cheese (I love vintage cheddar)
  • 400g tuna in oil (I just love Sirena tuna)
  • mustard, salt, pepper to season
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta as you normally would and you want it al dente.
  2. Place butter, flour and milk in thermomix bowl and cook for 7 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 4.
  3. Add in cheese, mustard (I do 1-2 tablespoons), pepper and process 10 seconds speed 4.
  4. Place the tuna in your thermoserve bowl and break up with a fork. I drain most of the oil (not all) before this. Pour in the cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Add in the cooked and drained pasta and enjoy.
  6. For something a bit special place into a greased baking dish, top with another cup of grated cheese and bake in a 180 degrees oven until the cheese has melted and is golden. This is really popular with the kids BUT they usually want to it eat it straight away and can't wait. My dad was a fan of crumbling Thins chips and adding that to cheese before it went in the oven.
  7. **If you don't have a thermomix then place butter in a saucepan and almost melt it all, now stir in the flour and mix well.
  8. Bring to a bubble and then add in the milk and whisk well. Turn down the heat to a low/medium and keep stirring until the sauce thickens. You want it to coat the back of the spoon and be a nice thick white sauce.
  9. Add in cheese, mustard and season. Add in the tuna and pasta and enjoy.

 

Comments

  1. Andrea Easton says:

    Will be trying this one corrie :)

  2. Will try this one. My toddler is a bit fussy at the moment.

  3. I will need to try this recipe Corrie
    I only eat tuna in some kind of pasta, my mum always made me tuna casserole with butter mushrooms and creamed corn
    The recipe for my mums version is on my blog :)

  4. Where did you get that pasta? I buy vegeroni almost every week, but I’ve only ever seen it in spirals. I’m going to try this because we really don’t eat enough fish in this house and I suppose if it was drenched in a cheesy sauce I might be able to suck it up and eat it.

  5. This is my 7 year old’s request for his birthday dinner too… and one of the things I make the most in my thermomix!

    Can I just mention though, that while I love the taste of Sirena tuna too, I switched brands when I found but they are not listed as a sustainable and dolphin friendly tuna producer. They also do all their processing and fishing in Thailand, rather than Australia which they import their product into. We have an excellent local tuna industry, with good dolphin friendly credentials owned by local companies. If you’re interested, there’s a list here http://www.earthisland.org/dolphinSafeTuna/DolphinSafeCanners.html

    • oh nooooooooooooooo, I had no idea! I’ve always tried to buy the good tuna so just assumed this wrong. Right. Seems I need to do my research then. Thank you!

  6. A very good photo of Finn.

  7. My DD asks for tuna pasta for her birthday too!! So sweet! I make a very similar tuna dish to you – a white sauce with nutmeg instead of the mustard and I also throw some peas into the cooking pasta.
    A TIP for making a quicker white sauce on the stovetop is to microwave your milk (with a bay leaf) so it’s hot before adding it to the butter/flour mix. I make mine in about 10mins nowadays!

  8. Tuna bake like this is easy, delicious, nutritious and economical. I make it occasionally now, even though there’s just me to cook for.

    I laughed at the birthday meal. My sons loved choosing a special meal and a special guest to their birthday dinner. I think one of them was about Finn’s age when he asked his father’s cousin to dinner. The meal chosen by him? Savoury mince and mashed potato. Another economical dinner packed with veges, although my boys never had problems with vegetables.

  9. Great pic of Finn, whar a hartbreaker he will be, if he isnt already!
    Grest recipe! Yeras ago, I asked my DD what her fave from my cooking was, the reply was “pasghetti and baked beans mixed together” ewwww….. cringe. And when you said that you liked tuna macaroni when pregnabt, lucky you, my friend’s DIL when pregnant would have gagged just hearing the word “fish”, let alone eaten it!!!!!

    • mmmmm that’s nice and different, baked beans and spaghetti! kids have simple taste, that is what I’ve learnt! curry will only be eaten if very mild in this house too:)

  10. This dinner is a definite winner. I made this on the weekend when we got home late, it was so quick and easy and everyone loved it. My 5 year old even went as far as to say it was his ‘favourite’ and packed leftovers for preschool the next day! Thanks so much for sharing :)

  11. Judith Hogan says:

    You can’t go wrong with a good tuna macaroni. Sometimes I add frozen peas, but it certainly is a comfort food. What a handsome boy Finn is, looks a lot like his daddy.

  12. I must try this with the kiddies on the weekend. I always add a can of corn to my Tune macaroni. Thanks for sharing.

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