TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE RECIPE
If
you're looking for the best tuna noodle casserole recipe, this is it. It's made
totally from scratch - no condensed soup! We're talking a cheesy sauce, loaded
with veggies, AND it has a potato chip crumb topping to boot.
Prep Time : 45 mins
Cook
Time : 16 mins
Total
Time : 1 hour
Servings : 8-10
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TOPPING
·
½
ounceMonterey Jack cheese(shredded)
·
½ouncesharp
cheddar cheese(shredded)
·
2cupspotato
chips, crushed
·
2sliceswhite
sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
·
2tablespoonsunsalted
butter
·
¼teaspoonsalt
·
¼teaspoonsground
black pepper
FOR THE CASSEROLE
·
35-ounce
cans solid white albacore tuna packed in water
·
2tablespoonsolive
oil
·
2teaspoonslemon
juice
·
1tablespoon+
1¼ teaspoons salt(divided)
·
1teaspoonground
black pepper
·
12ouncesegg
noodles
·
4tablespoonsunsalted
butter(divided)
·
10ounceswhite
mushrooms(sliced ¼-inch thick)
·
1yellow
onion(finely chopped)
·
1red
bell pepper(stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped)
·
3tablespoonsall-purpose
flour
·
3½cupshalf-and-half
·
1½cupschicken
broth
·
3½ouncesMonterey
Jack cheese(shredded)
·
3½ouncessharp
cheddar cheese(shredded)
·
1½cupsfrozen
peas
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat
oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses in a bowl.
Pulse the potato chips, bread, ¼ cup cheese mixture, 2 tablespoons butter, ¼
teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in food processor until coarsely ground,
about 8 pulses; set aside.
2. Place
the tuna in a fine-mesh strainer and press dry with paper towels. Transfer to a
large bowl and flake into coarse pieces with a fork. Microwave the oil, lemon
juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in small bowl for about 30
seconds. Stir the oil mixture into the tuna and set aside.
3. Bring
4 quarts of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt
and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water until cool,
about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in
now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook
until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer
mushrooms to the bowl with tuna mixture. Add 1 tablespoon butter, the onion,
and bell pepper to now-empty pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until
softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with tuna-mushroom mixture; set
aside.
4. In
now-empty pot, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour
and cook, whisking constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in
half-and-half and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Off heat, whisk in shredded
cheese until smooth. Stir in pasta, tuna-vegetable mixture, peas, ½ teaspoon
salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
5. Transfer
the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake
until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let casserole cool on wire rack for 10
minutes before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the
refrigerator for up to 3 days.
NOTES
· If
you do not have a food processor for the topping, you can do a couple of quick
pulses in a blender, or use a pastry blender to combine the bread, butter,
salt, pepper and cheeses, then crush the potato chips with your hands and stir
in.
· If
you do not have a microwave, you can warm the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and
pepper in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed through, then combine
with the tuna.
· If
you cannot find half and half where you live, simply substitute heavy cream and
whole milk in equal parts.
· To
make this a vegetarian meal, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
· Feel
free to substitute other cheeses if you'd like, although I LOVE the combo of
Monterey Jack and cheddar!
· The
casserole can be made ahead. To do so, refrigerate without topping, covered in
plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours. Increase the baking time to 25 minutes,
adding the topping halfway through baking.
· This
casserole can also be frozen. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze
for up to 3 months. Move from the freezer to the refrigerator 24 to 36 hours
before you plan on serving, then follow the baking directions above for a
make-ahead preparation.
Nutritional
values are based on one serving
NUTRITION
CALORIES: 567KCAL
FAT: 36G
SATURATED FAT: 16G
CHOLESTEROL: 121MG
SODIUM: 910MG
POTASSIUM: 829MG
CARBOHYDRATES: 47G
FIBER: 3G
SUGAR: 4G
PROTEIN: 29G
VITAMIN A: 25.6%
VITAMIN C: 38.9%
CALCIUM: 30.3%
IRON: 14%
Recipe from browneyedbaker.com
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