One Pot Dairy-Free Tuna Mornay

Tuna mornay, or casserole, has been a staple in Australian homes since the 1950s. Influenced by the thrifty, canned-food-based American wartime cookery, this tasty dish quickly became a popular people-pleaser.

The mornay sauce is traditionally a sort of bechamel with melted cheese; wonderfully warming & filling, but heavy on the dairy. As a lifelong IBS sufferer (with lactose intolerance for extra fun), tuna mornay is a dish I’ve long coveted but simply never been able to eat. The combination of butter, milk, cream and cheese in significant amounts is something that many cannot tolerate, so I’ve come up with a low-fodmap-low-dairy version for those who need it. As a bonus, it’s much lighter on calories!

I’ve made the method easier than usual, too. My dairy-free tuna mornay is a true one-pot meal, ideal as a weeknight dinner for the whole family. You can use any deep, heavy-based pot for the initial cooking, then simply transfer it to the oven for the final cooking stage. Budget-friendly and adaptable, this dairy-free one-pot tuna mornay could include other veggies of your choice, or be complemented by a fresh green side salad. Firm vegetables like carrots would be the best choice, as they’ll keep their shape throughout the cooking process. Feel free to alter the butter, milk and cheese to those of your choice. I use olive oil spread instead of butter, oat milk instead of cows milk and lactose-free cheese and this recipe turns out brilliantly.

Here’s How to Make It

Preheat the oven to 190C (380F). Heat the butter (or alternative spread) until melted in a large soup pot or dutch oven on the stove, then fry the garlic (if using-it’s fine to leave it out). Add the flour bit by bit.

Whisk or stir vigorously to make a roux. Simmer for 1-2 minutes while stirring. Press any lumps out- note that this may take a few minutes, and you may want to remove the pot from the heat while doing this.

Add the stock and milk then stir to combine. Season to taste.

Add the pasta to the pan and simmer it for 8 minutes, so it becomes par-cooked. Don’t cook it more than this, or it will be overcooked in the end. While the pasta is cooking, make the topping. Start by chopping the fresh parsley and grating the cheese. Reserve a little parsley for garnishing.

Next, melt the butter (I used a small mixing jug in the microwave). Then add the cheese, parsley, salt and breadcrumbs. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. The texture should be such that it will form a ball if pressed tightly together, yet crumble apart easily with one hand.

Once the pasta is par-cooked, add the tuna, mustard, corn, chilli, beans and cheese to the pot and stir thoroughly. (As you can see, I used home-grown frozen beans) Taste the mixture and season further if desired. Smooth the mixture then gently cover with the crumble topping. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Divide among bowls and serve with the remaining parsley.