Mblah\'s Yummy Tuna/Veggie Casserole

I haven't posted a recipe in awhile been busy with little Liam. He is 3mths now and just getting bigger every day! I always tell him when I'm cooking that soon he too can have the tasty food I am making. He just watches me eat and it seems like he is having food envy!! I am sure his formula isn't all that great. I tasted it once and it was well lacking any flavor! I was breastfeeding but long story short I dried up. So now that he is getting older and in a semi routine I am able to get back to cooking!! YAY!

Tuna casserole is a favorite of mine and I tend to make it different each time I make it. It really depends on what I have on hand that goes in it. This time though it came out the best I have ever made! I think I am definitely making it this way every time. I made it with fresh veggies because I had to use them up or toss them out!

Mblah's Yummy Tuna/Veggie Casserole



Ingredients
2 cans of tuna
1 box of Veggie Rotini Barilla Pasta
1 can of cream of celery soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 onion diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 (2 cups) bag Kraft Triple Cheddar Blend Cheese
2/3 cup Heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
3/4 cup french fried onions


Directions
1. Sautee carrots, onion, mushrooms and celery til softened in a little olive oil.
2. Cook pasta about 7mins, you don't want it fully cooked just al dente.
3. Mix soups, veggie mixture from step 1, heavy whipping cream, pasta, cheese, S&P and tuna in a large bowl. Mix til blended with a spoon or your hands.
4. Pour in a large casserole dish. Top with diced tomatoes. Cook covered with foil at 375F (190C) for 10mins. Take off foil and bake additional 15mins. Take out of oven top with french fried onions and bake additional 5mins.
5. Let sit a couple mins to cool down and serve.


So who else has a thing for tuna casserole? I know traditionally it's made with egg noodles but I"m getting bored with egg noodles and I have a pantry of about 20 different pastas. I had just bought this new Barilla veggie pasta and wanted to use it. It came out quite well and gave it more flavor. The Rotini I used was a spinach/zucchini pasta.

Share your tuna casserole recipes or how you like to make it! I would like to try and make a tuna casserole that was a little spicy and uses enchilada sauce and mexican cheeses. I am not sure how that would turn out but I'm gonna try it next.

Enjoy

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Ok so it looks like the color codes don't show up on the new layout but they show up on the old one.

Tuna casserole, it's a classic

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


That it is!

You can make it any way you desire which is why I like it.

I only made it today because I needed to use up some of the veggies and I have about 2 dozen cans of tuna.

I will eat on this for a few days. I froze half of it so it doesnt go to waste. With it just being me in the house I freeze half of what i make. I tend to cook for an army lol I don't know how to cook for one. It's more fun to cook for a dozen lol. When my husband comes home I love it because I finally have someone to cook for lol

Mblah, I always follow your recipe threads, you have given me lots of inspiration to overcome the mundane drudgery that can be day-to-day cooking and I so envy you your obvious passion and skill for cooking.

But you lost me at "Tuna/Veggie".

reply to post by kosmicjack


Thank you!! I'm glad you enjoy them.

Haha yea I lost myself at that too. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out with carrots, celery and mushrooms in it. I tend to use mushrooms and onions but never carrots or celery. I was pleasantly surprised how well it came out. My mom was here and she liked it as well with the veggies.

I get bored with the same old thing and wanted to try something new. I have made things that were "new" that didn't turn out but i don't share those on here obviously lol

I do love to cook. It is my hobby you could say. I haven't have much time with the baby but now that he is on a semi schedule I've been able to cook again. I get a lot done when he sleeps. The whole "sleep when the baby is sleeping" line so does not work for me. I'd get nothing done if I did that! I am fine on 4 hrs of sleep a night lol.


Do you like tuna casserole? If so and you have made it how do you make it?

We have it hear tuna, the potatoe layer, then tomatoes. then cheese. All baked. I like it.

Originally posted by AthlonSavage
We have it hear tuna, the potatoe layer, then tomatoes. then cheese. All baked. I like it.

Oh that sounds good! So it's like a shepherd's pie only not lol

Are they mashed potatoes or au gratin or diced? Why kind of cheese?

I will make this for sure. Like I said I have tons of tuna to be used lol

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Its mashed potatoes, the cheese is some thing decent from the supermarket.
Im not really a cook, I go over my folks house to eat.

reply to post by AthlonSavage


Well that sounds good. Definitely marking it in my recipe notebook as one to try. I will make a small one incase I don't like it. Ill make it the way you mention first then I'll add to it.


Ehh cooking isn't that hard honestly. It just takes some time and a little patience.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Looks good, I love Tuna Casserole. Not trying to be negative, but a little Fukushima 137Cs should give it quite the kick. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by mblahnikluver


Sounds yummy, Mblah !

I'm a lover of tuna casserole, but unfortunately hubby isn't... he doesn't like tuna of any kind cooked (or hot), even though he gobbles up my tuna burgers every time. Go figure.

Try tossing in some frozen peas and chopped red peppers the next time you make your tuna casserole... for some reason (at least for me) red peppers are delish with tuna. I usually toss some in with my tuna salad as well.

My favourite tuna casserole combo:

2 cans of tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
Large handful of frozen peas
1-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (mix in some with tuna and save some for topping with bread crumbs)
Salt and pepper to taste
Large pinch of dried dill weed
1 bag of broad egg noodles
1 cup Panko crumbs tossed with some melted butter until crumbly (for your topping)

And basically go about cooking everything up the same way you did (ie: saute veggies, etc).

I like the idea of adding carrots and mushrooms though... I might have to make a batch of your tuna casserole for myself and freeze it into individual servings.

To hell with hubby.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


On a more positive note, try mixing some Worcestershire sauce in it, stuff is great on a tuna sandwich. Also, if you like spicy tuna like I do, add a tablespoon of Chipotle chili powder. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by CranialSponge


OMG you use dill!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE dill in my tuna casserole but most people I make it for do not like dill so I tend to leave it out. I put dill in a lot of things, it's tasty! My mom makes a yummy dilly bread every year and I look forward to it at Christmas time.

I don't put peas in because I don't like peas. I haven't my entire life. lol I remember my grandfather making me sit at the table and I'd spit them in my milk to make it look like I ate them, which for me was a sacrifice since I loved milk. lol After a few times of this my grandmother came to the rescue and told him to leave me alone lol. I don't know what it is about peas I just don't like how they pop in my mouth and the taste...oh shivers!

Red peppers is a good idea. I'm a pepper fan of all colors. I'll add some next time. Good recipe too! Looks like one I've made minus the red peppers though. I do use onion but haven't tried the panko. I usually put french fried onions on top but ever since I found Panko I've been using it instead of bread crumbs for everything. Panko is so much better!

Thanks for sharing and you rock for using dill!!

Originally posted by CranialSponge
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

Sounds yummy, Mblah !

I'm a lover of tuna casserole, but unfortunately hubby isn't... he doesn't like tuna of any kind cooked (or hot), even though he gobbles up my tuna burgers every time. Go figure.

HAHA. Men!

My ex loved this chicken ranchero dish at a local Mexican place. Well I found a recipe and made it for him. He came into the kitchen while i was making it and said he wouldn't eat it because of the ingredients. I looked at him and said "you eat this every time we go to Mi Mexico!" He didn't like seeing the ingredients because they weren't purred yet. Oh he had no idea how many times he ate something he didn't like because he didn't see me put it in the dish! HAHA Sneaky I am...

1-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (mix in some with tuna and save some for topping with bread crumbs)

I like the idea of using it for part of the topping. Definitely going to try this.

Originally posted by SheopleNation
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

On a more positive note, try mixing some Worcestershire sauce in it, stuff is great on a tuna sandwich. Also, if you like spicy tuna like I do, add a tablespoon of Chipotle chili powder. ~$heopleNation

I have a can of jalapeño tuna. I want to make a spicy kind of tuna casserole with it but i'm not sure what to add to it. I dont think the typical ingredients will work. The chipotle chili powder would work in it though, just not sure what else to add.

Worcestershire would be good in it. I tend to put it in my eggs too, tasty.

Originally posted by mblahnikluver[/I] I have a can of jalapeño tuna.

I was not even aware that they sold jalapeno tuna, and I love jalapenos on everything. I even put them on my hot dogs. Trader Joe's only, no nitrates or preservatives.

Another pepper that I have come to appreciate is the habanero. Some people fear them because they are more hot than jalapenos, but if you remove the seeds they are fine. I made some habanero poppers and they were great.

I want to make a spicy kind of tuna casserole with it but i'm not sure what to add to it. I dont think the typical ingredients will work. The chipotle chili powder would work in it though, just not sure what else to add.

You might want to consider some black beans. Maybe even some white lime / cilantro rice, but not too much or it will dry it out. You could top it after it's done with some fresh sliced avocado or tomatoes.

Worcestershire would be good in it. I tend to put it in my eggs too, tasty.

LOL! I have done that before too. What is even better is A.1. steak sauce on fried or soft boiled eggs, so good. ~$heopleNation

edit on 4-9-2013 by SheopleNation because: TypO