Tuna Melt Casserole
Tuna casseroles are classic and yet most people do not enjoy them, it’s kinda weird right? Well, I am here to change all your bad memories of Tuna Helper or some non-descript tuna casserole of yester-year. Tuna Melts are a huge favorite in my house, so I took those flavors and put them into a casserole. This has been inhaled by my husband and kids, the leftovers are DELISH, and I bet it would freeze well, ours haven’t made it to that point… The casserole is super easy to covert to gluten free by using GF pasta and thickener, want extra protein, use those amazing bean pastas. You can prep this ahead and bake when you are ready to eat!
Skip to the end to see my youngest who couldn’t wait to chow down on this family dinner!
Tuna Melt Casserole
1 pound pasta
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cup cheddar, shredded, divided
4 cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup sweet relish
6 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup panko or cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon Ranch seasoning
Preheat the oven to 400. Fill a pot with water and turn on high heat, get up to a boil and season with salt before adding the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, drain and set aside
In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium-high heat and then sprinkle over the flour, creating a roux, cook until it is a light brown. Carefully pour in the milk while stirring and create a thick sauce. Add in the half and half and stir. Sprinkle in 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese along with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is all smooth.
Add in the tuna, relish, and celery to the sauce and stir until all combined. Mix in the drained pasta and then spread evenly into a baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese, the panko or cracker crumbs, and finally a sprinkle of Ranch seasoning. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden and the casserole is bubbly. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
I like using the classic elbow shaped pasta for nostalgia. I am willing to bet, you have every single ingredient you need to make this dinner in your house right now. Use whatever milk you have, I always have almond milk.
Make that cheese sauce, super simple, and a fantastic base for any mac and cheese dish. What is left are the ingredients I use to make my tuna salad!
Our cats eat tuna every night, so you best believe we have cans around at all times. Just stir this in and you will smell the tuna melt…yummmmm
saucy
Stir in that pasta and grab your baking dish and toppings
Filled that sucker right up. I have used panko and crushed butter crackers as the topping, and both are delish.
Cheese, the crunch, then the seasoning, totally optional but it gives this hit of flavor. And bake!
