Description
This easy casserole recipe is filled with pantry staples like pasta noodles, lots of vegetables, a creamy savory sauce and Bumble Bee® Solid White Albacore Tuna.
Ingredients
for casserole:
1 lb dried macaroni or cavatappi pasta noodles
3 tbs olive oil
2 celery stalks, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1 (5 oz) can of Bumble Bee White® Solid Albacore Tuna, drained
for topping:
1 sleeve of crackers, such as Ritz, crushed (about 3/4 cup)
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & cracked black pepper to season
1 cup shredded cheese like cheddar or havarti
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease a 2 quart casserole dish with butter or non stick spray.
- Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente according to package directions.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium heat. Add in celery, yellow onion and carrots and sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until onions are translucent. Remove celery, yellow onion and carrots from skillet and into a bowl, set aside.
- In the same skillet heat butter on medium heat until melted. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and whole milk. Cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season sauce with garlic powder and a sprinkle of salt and cracked black pepper.
- In a large bowl toss together cooked noodles, carrot-celery-onion mixture, sauce, spinach leaves, frozen peas and drained can of Bumble Bee® tuna. Transfer to prepared casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl crush the crackers. Stir crackers with melted butter, garlic powder and season with salt and cracked black pepper. Top the casserole evenly with cracker mixture and shredded cheese.
- Bake the casserole for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.