Tuna Nooda

Tuna noodle casserole!  (groan)  I know, I know, it doesn't sound very exciting.  However, making the whole thing from scratch elevates this casserole from blasé to breathtaking.  Well, maybe not quite breathtaking, but it is delicious.

It was a Friday night.  Valerie was serving Ari his dinner and he asked her what we were having.  She responded, 'tuna nooda casserole'.  We all got a good chuckle when she misspoke, and little did she realize she renamed the dish at that very moment.  We dropped the casserole, and just call it 'tuna nooda.'  For a while, Valerie thought we were making fun of her when we said it, but we really did just like the name.  Plus, it's a lot more fun to say.

The mild, subtle flavor of the tuna with creaminess of the noodles paired with the tender sweetness of the peas and carrots all combined with the salty crunch of the crumbly topping makes this a delightful meal.  We always serve it with some fresh baked buttermilk biscuits, and rarely have leftovers.  I came up with the recipe myself because most of what found on the internet called for cream of mushroom soup; which I do not like to use.  I usually just make the dish from memory, but I wrote down the recipe last time I made it, and I am happy to share it. 

Tuna Nooda

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked macaroni

2 5 oz. cans of tuna

1 16 oz. bag of frozen peas and carrots

Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

3 cups milk

Topping

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup crushed club crackers

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Cook the macaroni 1-2 minutes less than directed on package, drain and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Whisk flour, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt and pepper into butter and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  While whisking, slowly add milk until it is all incorporated.  Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens, stirring occasionally. 

While the sauce is thickening, make the topping by adding all ingredients to a small bowl and incorporate butter with your fingers until well combined.  Set aside.

When the sauce comes to a boil, check seasoning and add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the heat, add the frozen peas and carrots, tuna (drained), and macaroni and stir to combine.  Pour  into a 9x13 serving dish and evenly distribute the topping over the mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.