Ok, let’s start with the fact that I cannot recall the last time I had (or thought about) tuna noodle casserole. And while I clearly spend a lot of time in the kitchen on any normal day, I’ve basically taken up residency there since the start of COVID-19. Living through a pandemic is a pretty wild, heavy + confusing experience, so spending the majority of my days cooking has been not only healing, but has created some sense of normalcy in my life.
With that said, we take about one trip per week to the grocery store to stock up and when every single night is spent at home, it doesn’t take much time to get sick of our favorite go-to recipes. I’ve been asking my boyfriend for weekly suggestions/requests and most of the time he just gives the non-answer of, “Whatever you’re thinking!”. In all fairness, he will actually eat anything I make, but it’s nice to get some new ideas/collaboration around here, ya know? Well, this past week, he immediately responded, “tuna noodle casserole”. I’m thinking, “Oh God, are you serious? Doesn’t that include a CAN OF CREAM OF MUSHROOM? Yikes.”. But instead, I decided to be up for the challenge. Because truly, what else am I doing instead? And it’s actually starting to sound good.
So I looked up a few recipes online to get my bearings and off to the races I went. Michael doesn’t really like mushrooms (which is ironic to me given the suggestion, but then I remembered that canned soup is probably more cream than anything else), so I decide to leave those out. The end product was SO freaking delicious, with an ingredient list far from the traditional, and all of the cozy comfort feels.
I’m hating myself for how long this pre-recipe text is because, I know, just get to the point. So here you go– enjoy! It’s definitely best right out of the oven, but leftovers will work too.
INGREDIENTS:
(serves 4-6)
1 lb pasta (I used fusilli, but shells or elbows would work well, too!)
9-10 oz tuna (2 cans or I used 3 “packets”)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup greens, packed (I used kale/spinach mix)
1 small red onion (or yellow)
1.5 cups milk (I used oat milk, but any unflavored kind works)
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I used “rice crumbs” from TJ’s)
1/4 cup flour (I used a gf blend, but regular is fine too)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (fresh is ideal)
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh thyme (or a little less if dried)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
fresh parsley (optional)
*Note about the flour: other flours like almond or oat have not been tested and will not produce the same kind of thick sauce we’re looking for. So I suggest using a regular gluten flour or a gluten free blend (one that can replace regular flour at a 1:1 ratio).
RECIPE:
Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9×12 (or so) deep dish pan (I used avocado oil spray but anything works).
Boil water to cook pasta in a large pot. Cook until al dente, so just a little under the recommended time. Strain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
Cook diced onion in a frying pan with a little olive oil + the thyme over medium heat for a few minutes. Add in finely chopped kale and whole spinach leaves. Any other greens would work here, mushrooms would also be a great addition.
After a few more minutes, add in frozen (or fresh) peas and cook until warmed, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
Use the pasta pot or another deep pot (this will be your final mixing vessel for everything so make sure it’s big enough) to heat the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in the flour + milk a little at a time, alternating. Whisk as you keep adding things in to get rid of any clumps.
Once all combined, add in the cheese, garlic powder + salt + plenty of black pepper. I also added a drizzle of olive oil. If it seems too thick, add a little more milk.
Add in the tuna, pasta, and veggies. Stir to fully combine. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix. Pour into your pan and top with breadcrumbs, olive oil, and a little more salt + pepper. Cook for 25-30 min, checking toward the end. The top should be browning and a little crispy.
Add chopped parsley on top and serve. Or just eat as is. Good luck sharing!