Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas

Ingredients

Quantities are for 4 servings.

• 4 cans (5 oz) Canned tuna in water, drained
• 12 oz Egg noodles or shell pasta
• 1 1/2 cups Frozen peas
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Flour
• 2 cups Milk
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion powder
• 6 oz Shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, to remove the raw flour taste.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Cook 4-5 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, and half the cheddar cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Flake the drained tuna into the sauce along with the cooked pasta and peas. Stir gently to combine without breaking up the pasta too much.
6. Transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining cheddar and the panko breadcrumbs.
7. Bake 15-18 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top. Since the tuna is already fully cooked from canning, this bake time is just to heat everything through and brown the topping.