Dutch Oven Tuna Mornay

Dutch oven tuna mornay is a delicious, perfectly seasoned tuna casserole made all in one pot. Using a versatile piece of cookware makes clean up a breeze so you’ll want this easy casserole as part of your regular rotation!

We love a good tuna casserole.

Creamy noodles, veggies, and tuna in a cheesy sauce with a crunchy cracker topping.

It’s comfort food at its finest.

And thanks to your trusty Dutch oven, you can make this without dirtying tons of pots and pans!

What is tuna mornay?

You know how Fosters is Australian for beer?

Well, tuna mornay is Australian for tuna casserole.

Specifically its a kind of tuna casserole with a creamy, cheesy white sauce.

It normally has veggies likes peas, carrots, and corn mixed in though there are some variations.

Most also feature crispy crunchy toppings.

What is mornay sauce?

Mornay sauce is a thick creamy, milk based sauce with shredded cheese stirred in.

It’s basically bechamel but with cheese.

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

• Pasta– A spiral pasta like rotini.
• Veggies– A mix of frozen peas, carrots, and corn.
• Milk– 2% gives the sauce the perfect consistency. Skim or 1% won’t set up as well.
• Cornstarch– For thickening
• Spices– Dried onion, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, seasoned salat
• Tuna– Albacore tuna, packed in water, drained and flaked.
• Cheddar cheese– Shredded
• Ritz crackers– Crushed
• Butter– Melted

How to Make

Making Dutch oven tuna mornay is so easy!

Just fill a large Dutch oven halfway with water.

Salt the water and let it come to a boil.

Then stir in the pasta.

Once the water comes back to a boil, add the frozen vegetables to the pot along with the pasta.

Keep cooking the pasta and veggies just until the pasta is al dente.

Once the pasta is al dente, strain it and set it aside.

Then, bring all of the milk EXCEPT for 1/3 cup to a bubble in the Dutch oven.

Whisk the milk often so it doesn’t scorch.

Once the milk bubbles, whisk the remaining milk together with the cornstarch in a small bowl.

Then whisk the mixture into the milk in the pot and let it simmer just until it slightly thickens.

Then stir the seasonings and cheese into the Dutch oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.

Let the sauce simmer until it thickens.

Once the sauce thickens take it off the heat.

Then stir the tuna and cooked pasta mixture into the Dutch oven with the sauce, tossing gently until evenly combined.

Set it aside while you make the topping.

To make the topping, stir the crushed crackers and melted butter together in a small mixing bowl.

Then, spread this mixture evenly out over the pasta.

Bake the pasta at 350° for 12-15 minutes, then let it rest for 5 minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through.

Tips and Tricks

• Don’t skip letting the casserole rest after you pull it out of the oven. It needs time to set up a bit before you scoop into it.
• Feel free to adjust the veggies according to your tastes. Frozen cut green beans or even sliced mushrooms would also be decent in this.
• If you prefer to have a classic white mornay, use white cheddar instead of orange. It won’t change the flavor just the look.

Other Tuna Recipes

Dutch oven tuna mornay is an easy way to enjoy comfort food without having to do a lot of clean up later.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other tuna recipes?

Try these:

• The Best Tuna Melt Recipe
• Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Italian Tuna Salad
• Nonna’s Tuna Frittata
• Pull Apart Tuna Melt Loaf

If you’ve tried this DUTCH OVEN TUNA MORNAY, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!