Easy Tuna Lasagna with Creamy Béchamel Sauce

I love a good lasagna, and one day I was all set to make one when the thought hit me, why not try a different filling for once? I went back and forth between chicken and a few other options, but I ended up going with tuna, and honestly, it turned out really awesome. Flavor-wise, it’s surprisingly close to a traditional lasagna since tuna paired with tomato sauce ends up tasting pretty similar to the classic ground meat version (it’s true the cooked tomato sweetness and the cheese and bechamel kinda hide the “mystery meat”), but it still brings its own personality to the table and makes for a really interesting variation.

The base is your standard sofrito of onion, garlic, and carrot, layered with a smooth homemade béchamel and good melty cheese on top. The tuna just slides right into the role that ground meat would normally play, and the result is a hearty, satisfying lasagna that doesn’t feel like it’s missing anything. A small drizzle of soy sauce and fish sauce (totally optional but highly recommended) adds a subtle depth of flavor and umami that really rounds everything out.

This is the kind of dish that works just as well at a cozy family dinner as it does at a small celebration. It feeds a crowd, it’s satisfying, and it comes together without a ton of fuss, which is always a win in my book. ;D Let’s check the recipe!

Easy Tuna Lasagna with Creamy Béchamel Sauce

Servings: 6
Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Ohh ohhh you think tuna is only for sandwiches, ohhh no hehehe, nothing like a creamy lasagna ;D

Ingredients

Tuna – 2 cans
Tomatoes – 1 (large can of peeled tomatoes)
Onions – 2
Garlic – 4 cloves
Carrot – 1 large carrot
Lasagna Pasta – 1/2 box (approximately 250g)
Flamengo Cheese – 8 slices
Parmesan Cheese – To taste, grated
Olive Oil – A drizzle
Sweet Paprika – A pinch
Oregano – A pinch
Pepper – A pinch
Salt – A pinch
Flour – 3 tablespoons
Butter – 3 tablespoons
Milk – 500ml

Directions

First, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, and carrots in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Sauté well.

When the onion is translucent, add the tomato, crush it, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Finally, drain the tuna and add it to the tomato. Season with a pinch of oregano, paprika, pepper, and salt, followed by a drizzle of soy sauce and fish sauce (the latter two are optional). Cook a little longer, but don’t overcook the tuna (remember that can tuna is already cooked, you just want it to dissolve into the sauce).
Now you’ll make the béchamel sauce. Heat the milk in the microwave. Then, place a small saucepan over medium heat with the butter until melted. Add the flour and stir well until it forms a ball, about 2 or 3 minutes.

Then season with a little salt and pepper, and add a little of the hot milk. Stir well, then add more milk and stir again until there is no more milk and you obtain a very smooth cream. Taste and adjust the salt.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºF) and prepare a Pyrex dish or baking pan to assemble the lasagna.

Now put some tomato sauce on the bottom followed by some béchamel sauce, cover with pasta.

Repeat this process creating layers until you have no more tomato sauce, then cover the last layer with béchamel and cover with Flamengo cheese, followed by grated Parmesan and a pinch of oregano.
Bake for about 40 minutes (or as recommended on the lasagna pasta box) and when its golden on top, it’s ready to serve! Enjoy!

Notes & Tips: Drain the tuna well before adding it to the sauce. Extra liquid will make the lasagna watery, and nobody wants a soggy lasagna, also i used salted water tuna, but some canned tunas use oils, so drain well before adding to the sauce.

Don’t over-mash the tuna when mixing it into the tomato sauce. A little texture goes a long way and makes each bite more interesting.

The soy sauce and fish sauce are listed as optional, but if you have them on hand, use them. They add a subtle umami depth that really lifts the whole dish.

If you can’t find Flamengo cheese, any mild, easy-melting cheese works great here, think Edam, Gouda, or even a mild Mozzarella cheese will do.

After pulling the lasagna out of the oven, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. It’ll hold together much better and the layers will stay cleaner on the plate.

Feel free to mix in other fillings alongside the tuna, things like sautéed spinach, mushrooms, or eggplant work really well. Just make sure to drain or squeeze out any excess moisture from those vegetables first so the lasagna doesn’t end up watery.

This recipe for Easy Tuna Lasagna with Creamy Béchamel Sauce was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Lasanha de Atum foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.