Homemade mushroom sauce kicks the can of soup out of the picture in this veggie-centric, healthy riff on a classic tuna-noodle casserole recipe. Serve with steamed green beans.
Spinach & Tuna Noodle Casserole
Homemade mushroom sauce kicks the can of soup out of the picture in this veggie-centric, healthy riff on a classic tuna-noodle casserole recipe. Serve with steamed green beans.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces egg noodles preferably whole-wheat (4 1/2 cups dry)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 10 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth divided
- 1 cup reduced-fat milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 5- ounce cans chunk light tuna in olive oil drained and flaked
- 10 cups baby spinach or 4 cups frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
- 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs preferably whole-wheat
- ¾ cup grated aged Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch pan (or similar-size 3-quart baking dish) with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Dry the pot.
- Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in the pot over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until their liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in sherry, soy sauce, salt and pepper and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes more. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir to coat and cook for 30 seconds.
- Increase heat to high, add 1/2 cup broth and stir until starting to boil. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups broth, milk and mustard; bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add tuna, spinach and the reserved noodles; cook, gently stirring often, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4; refrigerate for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes and finish Step 5 before baking.
For sustainable chunk light tuna, look for the blue Certified Sustainable Seafood label from the Marine Stewardship Council. The certification means the tuna was troll- or pole-and-line caught, which are sustainable for the fish and the environment. We call for chunk light tuna because it’s significantly lower in mercury than albacore (“solid white” tuna)–making it a better choice for health, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children. According to the FDA and EPA, these at-risk groups should still limit their consumption of lower-mercury tuna to 12 ounces a week. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) suggests limiting it even more.
Don’t toss your stale bread! Make your own breadcrumbs. Trim off any tough crusts and tear or cut the bread into pieces. Process in a food processor until coarse or fine crumbs form. Use right away or freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw before using. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh coarse breadcrumbs.
