Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Healthy Tuna Casserole


When I was growing up, one of my favorite dinners was tuna casserole.  It's odd that most kids adore this dish, considering canned tuna can be a tricky meat to love at any age.  Yet somehow tuna casserole is a common comfort dish for many families.  I hadn't made a tuna casserole since I was in college, when I made it from a Tuna Helper box.  When I saw Skinnytaste's recipe for Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole, I decided to give it a whirl, in hopes that I would find another fish recipe to add to our meal rotation.  I changed the cooking method and ingredients around just a little, but followed the recipe pretty faithfully (for me). It turned out pretty darn great; so great that I ate way more than one serving size.  You may want to pair this with a side salad to prevent yourself from doing the same!  




Healthy Tuna Casserole
*Recipe Adapted from Skinnytaste*
Serves 4-6


INGREDIENTS
6 oz No Yolk Noodles
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
10 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, chopped
1/2 Onion, minced
1 Cup (Thawed) Frozen Peas
2 oz Sherry (or White Wine with a pinch of sugar)(optional)
1 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour, Divided
1 Cup 1% Milk
1 3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
10 oz Canned White Tuna
3/4 Cup Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Parmesan, shredded
2 Tbsp Bread Crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a large casserole dish.

2. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, subtracting 2 minutes of the cooking time.  Drain and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a deep skillet, over medium heat, cook the onions and mushrooms in olive oil until they have softened; about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and wine. Turn off the heat.

4. In a medium metal saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter begins to foam, whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour. Continue whisking for one minute, forming a roux. Slowly pour in milk and chicken broth, whisking while pouring.  Add in the last 2 tablespoons of flour, and over medium-high heat, whisk until smooth.  Cook until milk reaches a boil, and then turn off the heat.

5. Pour milk mixture into the large skillet with the mushrooms.  Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Turn heat back on, to medium-high, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in tuna, and simmer for one more minute.

6. Remove from heat and add in the cheddar cheese; stir until melted.  Add in the noodles, and mix until evenly combined.  Spoon into the casserole dish, and top with Parmesan and bread crumbs.  

7. Bake, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly.  Turn on the broiler, uncover the dish, and cook for an additional few minutes so that the top turns golden brown.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1/6th of Casserole
Calories: 324
Fat: 11
Carbs: 34
Protein: 32

2 comments:

  1. Hi,
    I don't know if you've noticed, but there is no mention of when to add the noodles to the casserole. This is the second time I've made this, so I've been assuming it's around the time you add the tuna? Could you clarify this for me?
    Thanks,
    Nicole

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  2. Thank you so much for pointing that out! I fixed the error. I mix the noodles in after the cheese, but you could mix it in with the tuna too. Just be careful to not put it in so early that it overcooks the noodles.

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