Oven-Baked Tuna Casserole
Here is how to make Baked Tuna Casserole recipe. It is creamy and crusty and full of wonderful Parmesan cheese the best tuna casserole around
Here is how to make Baked Tuna Casserole recipe. It is creamy and crusty and full of wonderful Parmesan cheese the best tuna casserole around
- cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 0.25 cup flour
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 6 oz uncooked pasta (i used bow-tie pasta.)
- 0.5 large water salted with 1 tablespoon salt
- 1.5 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups milk (i use skim milk) for cheese sauce
- 1 can chunk light tuna in water
- 1 cup milk (while blending casserole together)
- 0.5 cup frozen green peas
- Carbohydrate 37.54375375 g
- Cholesterol 118.94 mg
- Fat 24.27191 g
- Fiber 2.50281250447035 g
- Protein 43.38870375 g
- Saturated Fat 14.17500975 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (306g)
- Sodium 974.13975 mg
- Sugar 35.0409412455297 g
- Trans Fat 1.92094224999999 g
- Calories 548 calories
Step-by-step
- Fill a medium to large pot one-half full of water.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring the water to a full boil.
- Add the 12 oz. of pasta, and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until al dente (chewy--not mushy).
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare your casserole cheese sauce.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan on the stove.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup flour an stir vigorously, until the two are blended into a roux.
- Add 12 oz. (1 1/2 cups) grated Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim milk), and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Now cook and stir continuously for a minute or two, and then occasionally.
- The sauce should be thick and smooth about the same time that the pasta is cooked.
- Drain the pasta in a colander in the sink and place the pasta back in the pot.
- Stir in 1 additional cup milk, (2) 6 oz. cans chunk light tuna, drained, and 1/2 cup frozen green peas.
- Mix thoroughly.
- transfer the mixture into an large oven-proof dish, which has been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve to your grateful guests!
- This recipe makes a large casserole, so it is very economical; also, your kids will love it, because it is a variation on macaroni and cheese!
- If you don't have a large family, you may freeze the leftovers, and avoid cooking a meal later!
- A real winner in every way!!!
Most home cooks ruin baked pasta by boiling noodles past the al dente stage, resulting in a mushy matrix once the dish bakes. Achieving a proper contrast relies entirely on preserving structural integrity during the initial boil and managing moisture in the sauce.
Whisking flour directly into melted butter off the heat prevents scorching and forms a smooth paste that thickens milk effectively. Simmer this base until it coats the back of a spoon before adding the cheese. Meanwhile, undercooking the pasta slightly ensures the noodles absorb excess moisture from the sauce during the 35-minute bake at 350 degrees rather than shedding unwanted water.
Whole milk yields a richer emulsion than skim milk due to higher fat content. Swapping whole milk for skim requires vigilance because lower-fat dairy curdles more easily under high heat. Incorporating frozen peas straight from the bag cools the pasta mixture slightly, preventing overcooking while the dish rests for five minutes prior to portioning.
Controlling the Roux and Starch
Whisking flour directly into melted butter off the heat prevents scorching and forms a smooth paste that thickens milk effectively. Simmer this base until it coats the back of a spoon before adding the cheese. Meanwhile, undercooking the pasta slightly ensures the noodles absorb excess moisture from the sauce during the 35-minute bake at 350 degrees rather than shedding unwanted water.
Managing Dairy Substitutions
Whole milk yields a richer emulsion than skim milk due to higher fat content. Swapping whole milk for skim requires vigilance because lower-fat dairy curdles more easily under high heat. Incorporating frozen peas straight from the bag cools the pasta mixture slightly, preventing overcooking while the dish rests for five minutes prior to portioning.
