Smoked Tuna Bake? Yep. The smoker gives the tuna and cheese a nice subtle smoky flavour, while the pasta is cooked to perfection. The crunchy breadcrumbs on top add a bit of texture and crunch.
This dish is easy to make, cheap as chips, and perfect for a cold winter night. It’s also great for stocking the freezer with leftovers for lunches. I reckon you could feed a whole army with this, or at least a couple of hungry kids.
So, if you want to give this recipe a go, here’s what you need and what you need to do.
Tuna Bake Ingredients
- 1.5 cup pasta
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk of choice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese divided, use lite or fat-free
- 1.5 cups or 350g unsalted tuna in water, drained well
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Optional to garnish: fresh thyme
Tuna Bake Instructions
- Preheat the Smoker to 375F.
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions, then drain and transfer to an oven-safe dish together with the corn.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion for 4-5 minutes, then stir in the garlic.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 3 tbsp broth until no visible lumps.
- Pour the remaining broth over the onion and garlic. Add in the slurry, milk, mustard, and half of the cheese. Stir continuously for a couple of minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and corn and stir in the tuna.
- Sprinkle the dish with the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Bake in the smoker for 18-20 minutes, or until bubbly and tops are golden.
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
For this one, I used my Z Grills 700E-XL, using Heatbeads hardwood pellets. You can adapt this for any smoker you have. Or, you can just use your oven too.
