Do you remember Tuna Helper Tuna Casserole? I was a kid in the 60’s and 70’s so I had my share of tuna casseroles including the Tuna Helper brand. I liked it the best and really disliked most of the other because it was too strong so basically it just tasted like hot tuna that had some white runny stuff coming out of it. I would pick the potato chip topping off but mostly I just moved it around my plate and tried to feed it to the dog while my parents weren’t looking. A few weeks ago, I began craving homemade tuna casserole but only the way I wanted to make it so I looked around for some recipes and honestly they all looked a bit too much like the ones I didn’t like as a kid so I took a little information and struck out on my own………and you know what? It was deliciously memorable as well as something I will make again and again. I hope you will try it because I think you will like it too!
Not Your Mamma’s Tuna Casserole
Ingredients:
4 Four oz. cans of water packed light tuna (this is important to taste)
8 oz. of wide egg noodles, cooked according to package
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 eight oz. package of fresh mushrooms
1 cup firmly packed chopped fresh spinach (only I like English peas so I substituted this and it was great)
2 Celery ribs, chopped
1 Small onion, chopped
4 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 eight oz. block of Cream Cheese
1 Cup of chicken stock
Between ¼ and ½ Cup milk
2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ Cup shredded parmesan Cheese
½ Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup finely crushed potato chips (we use Lays)
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Directions:
Pre Heat oven to 400F
Prepared Noodles as directed on package then set aside.
Open cans of tuna and drain.
Heat olive oil in pan and add in the mushrooms, celery, onion, spinach, garlic.
Cook for about 5 minutes then add in the cream cheese, stock, mozzarella, parmesan and milk stirring until smooth and cream.
Fold in noodles and tuna until combined.
Put in a non-stick sprayed 9 x 13 pan (I used a disposable one today because most was going to mom’s house).
Top casserole with the cheddar cheese and then the potato chips.
Put dish in oven for about 20 minutes.
Pull it out of the oven and allow to cool, loosely covered in foil for about 20 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
I am at Weekend Potluck – please come over and join us!
You’re right. This definitely isn’t the tuna casserole I was forced to eat as a child. If we had something like this, I might have fond memories of the stuff. Excellent, as always, Kelli. 🙂
Thank you my friend!
I have an old 1940s recipe that my aunt used to make that I like and that I make occasionally, but this recipe has some stuff that is different, so I’ll be trying it.
It is really good and the son-in-law took the very last of it to work today – you will like it!
Love the idea of topping with crushed chips. Hubby just bought a bunch of tuna…so guess he’ll be enjoying this dish in the near future. Pinning!
Great! I think you will like it. Hope I can remember to put it on Pot Luck tomorrow…………I need to set an alarm to remind me to get in here and do it. I usually think of it Sunday afternoon when I sit down to LOOK at the pot luck myself! 🙂
Haha my mum always makes a bean casserole full of veges but I love the idea of potato chips on top! 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Would you believe I’ve never had a tuna casserole…I think I need to change that. 🙂
It’s really good with the right ingredients!
Yum! This sounds fabulous!
I’m going to have to try this! Although, I do love my mama’s tuna noodle casserole – I love trying something new! 🙂
Great! Maybe you’ll like it too!