Healthy Tuna Casserole with Black Bean Pasta

This simple, healthy tuna casserole is the perfect family friendly pantry meal!

I know what you’re thinking, 1975 called and they want their tuna casserole back. But all things become new again, right? I’m wearing circa 1986 skinny jeans and I feel pretty good about it. Plus, it’s new to me! I’ve never made a tuna casserole before. I literally just made it up as I went. I knew what the basic components were, and that’s about it.

Who knew tuna casserole was this good? Had I known, I would’ve been whipping this bad boy up years ago. For one, it’s a skillet meal. And you know how I feel about that. LOVE IT.  For two, it’s mainly pantry ingredients. I could have probably gotten away with using canned mushrooms, but that’s going a little off the rails for this girl. Fresh mushrooms, an onion, a little shredded cheese, and the pantry takes care of the rest. So simple.

It’s also family friendly. Even after I announced it was healthy, it was scarfed down faster than most of my previous black bean pasta creations. Is it the creamy mushroom-based sauce that’s so alluring? Perhaps. Or maybe it’s the shredded cheese and bread crumbs I sprinkled on top? Cheese is always a good trick to get anyone to eat anything.

Regardless of the why, it was universally loved and I got some props for making a healthy dish the family loved. A win-win in my book.

I should mention, too. I cooked this “casserole” in a skillet. You don’t have to do that. You could prep the veggies and the sauce in a skillet, add the pasta to the sauce, and then throw it all into a casserole dish to bake.

The next time you just have no inspiration in the kitchen, try making a quick tuna casserole.  Oh, and black bean pasta not required!

Here’s how I made it:

Healthy Tuna Casserole with Black Bean Pasta

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 3 cans tuna albacore or chunk packed in oil or water (I used oil), drained
• 7 oz bag Explore Asian Black Bean pasta or any pasta you have
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 cups white or brown mushrooms sliced
• 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
• 1 can condensed mushroom soup
• 1 Tbsp flour sub 1 tsp cornstarch, if gluten free
• 16 oz vegetable broth
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded (I used Cabot)
• Bread crumbs for topping use gluten free version, as needed
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350. Prepare pasta. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
• While pasta is cooking, heat oil on med-high in large skillet. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes more, or until just soft. Add peas and cook 1-2 minutes more.
• Add flour (or cornstarch) to veggies and mix well to combine.
• Add canned soup and broth.Stir well and simmer until soup and veggies are combined well.
• Add cooked pasta and stir well again to combine.
• Add tuna and stir well to incorporate.
• Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
• If cooking right in skillet, add breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of cheese. If using casserole dish, transfer to dish and add cheese and bread crumbs.
• Bake in oven for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly!