Tuna Pasta Bake with Kale and Cauliflower is a delicious updated twist on the classic tuna noodle casserole. Pantry ingredients come together for this ultimate comfort dish that’s so easy throw together. It’s filling is packed with satisfying and flavorful noodles, veggies, tuna and cheddar cheese and it’s finished with a crunchy bread crumb topping. Step up your retro casserole game with this killer pasta bake!
Anyone else grow up eating Campbell’s tuna noodle casserole? It’s one of the main dishes I remember being served at our after school babysitter. And let’s just say I LOOOOOOOATHED it entirely! I’m not completely sure of the exact reason why I didn’t care for it. If I had to guess, it was probably because of my then disdain for peas. But now that my palate is a little more ‘pea refined’, I can now appreciate the nostalgia of this comforting American classic casserole. While this tuna pasta bake recipe isn’t your basic Campbell’s tuna noodle casserole packed with mayonnaise and cream of mushroom soup, it still remains true to it’s humble roots.
This pasta bake recipe has plenty of tuna, noodles, and, of course, peas. It’s veggie content is amplified with cauliflower and kale. And it’s topped with a killer mustardy crunchy topping. This gives a nice crunch contrast to the creamy noodles. It’s warming, incredibly cozy, and it tastes waaaay better. Sure to be a crowd pleaser!!
How To Make Tuna Pasta Bake
What prompted me to want to share this updated version of tuna noodle casserole?? A few reasons: For one, I love a challenege 😉 Two, I love that this recipe makes use of those pantry staples that a lot of us have on hand, while a lot of the other ingredients can be easily substituted. And lastly, this dish is SO easy!
- Step 1: Cook your noodles according the package directions. Just make sure to cook it one minute less than what the directions say. They will finish cooking in the oven. Use any noodle you’d like: macaroni, egg noddles, rotini, etc.
- Step 2: Make the filling. Start by sauteing your onions, garlic, cauliflower and kale. This recipe calls for frozen cauliflower, but you can absolutely use fresh. Just steam it until they’re not quite tender before proceeding with the recipe. Also, on that note, use any veggies you have on hand. Next, add in the thyme, paprika, salt, pepper and flour. Make sure to toss everything until the veggies are nice and coated with the flour. This will help create a creamy smooth sauce. If you were to add the flour then the liquid without coating the veggies, you would end up having a sauce full of gummy flour clumps. After everything is coated, stir in milk, broth and mustard. This is the sauce that makes everything nice and creamy delicious. Lastly, fold in your tuna, peas, cheese and cooked noodles.
- Step 3: Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
- Step 4: Make the bread crumb coating. Simply toss your bread crumbs with the EVOO and mustard. Evenly spread it out over the top of your casserole and done! It’s ready to bake!
If you make this Tuna Pasta Bake with Kale & Cauliflower make sure to leave a comment or give it a rating! And if you’re into taking photos of your food (like me), be sure to give me a tag on Instagram!
Tuna Pasta Bake with Kale & Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: About 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
Tuna Pasta Bake with Kale and Cauliflower is an easy and delicious updated twist on the classic tuna noodle casserole. It’s packed full of filling, satisfying and flavorful noodles, veggies, tuna and cheddar cheese. And it’s topped with a crunchy bread crumb topping. Step up your retro casserole game with this killer pasta bake!
Ingredients
10 oz. dried pasta, cooked one minute less than the package directions or almost al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven)
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
2c. frozen cauliflower
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. AP flour
1 c. milk
1/2 c. low sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 (5oz.) cans tuna
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Fresh parsley, optional
Topping:
3 slices of bread, roughly crumbled
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, warm EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the kale and cauliflower. Cook for another 4 minutes, until kale is slightly wilted down and cauliflower is lightly browned. Add in the thyme, paprika, salt, pepper and flour. Toss the veggies until evenly coated with the flour. Stir in the milk, vegetable broth and dijon mustard. Cook for one to two minutes until slightly thickened. Fold in tuna, peas, cheddar cheese and cooked noodles. Transfer the mixture into a baking dish.
To make the crumb topping, toss the bread crumbles with the EVOO and dijon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the casserole and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the mixture is golden brown. Garnish with optional fresh parsley and enjoy!
Keywords: tuna noodle casserole, tuna pasta bake, noodle casserole, casserole, pasta bake, kale, cauliflower, tuna, pantry recipe, comfort food recipe, peas
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