Plant-Based Tuna Noodle Casserole
Creamy, comforting, and protein-packed plant-based tuna noodle casserole perfect for cozy weeknight dinners or nostalgic plant-based comfort food cravings!
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Small Pot
- Large Sauté Pan
- 9” x 13” Baking Pan
- High Speed Blender
Ingredients
Casserole Filling
- 16 oz Pasta of Choice, Gluten-Free if needed A smaller noodle, like a small shells, fusilli, or cavatappi, works well here
- 2 cups Peas Frozen work well here
- 1 cup Plant-Based Cheddar Cheese Shredded
Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
- 2 Shallots Diced
- 24 oz Mushrooms Diced, any variety of mushrooms will work here
- 4 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1½ tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Paprika
- 2 cups Plant-Based Milk
- 1 cup Water
- 10 oz Silken Tofu
- ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
- ½ cup Cold Water
- 2 to 3 tbsp Corn Startch
Plant Based Tuna
- 1 tbsp Avocaod Oil
- ½ cup Water
- 1 Seaweed Snack Sheet Crumbled
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- ¾ cup Textured Vegtable Protein (TVP) Crumbles
Breadcrumb Topping
- 3 tbsp Plant-Based Butter
- 1 clove Garlic Minced
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs Gluten-free if needed
- 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley Finley chopped
Instructions
Casserole Filling
- Boil your choice of noodles according to package directions, drain, rinse, and pour back into a large pot. Make sure to cook your noodles for the lesser time. You want your noodles to be al dente, as they will also be baked in the oven.
- Add in your frozen peas and plant-based shredded cheddar cheese and mix to combine, and set aside.
- After your noodles are done, preheat your oven to 400°F.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Place your sauté pan over medium heat. Add ½ the oil once heated. Start to add in your mushrooms in batches; do not overcrowd the pan, otherwise the mushrooms will steam and not brown. Let the mushrooms cook for 3 to 5 minutes before mixing. Then cook until they are nice and golden. Remove those mushrooms and add in more, and repeat until the mushrooms are done. Add all your mushrooms back in and add the shallots. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until they begin to brown. Next, add in your garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant.
- While your mushrooms are cooking, add the plant-based milk, water, and silken tofu to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Add in your spices, the mushrooms, shallot, and garlic mixture, the salt, paprika, and black pepper. Mix until your spices are distributed. Add your milk and tofu mix to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add in your nutritional yeast.
- Using the cold water, mix your water and cornstarch to create a slurry. Once your milk and boiling, add in the cornstarch slurry. The soup should begin to thicken. Once your soup coats the back of a spoon, it is likely thick enough; turn off the heat. If the soup is too thin, add more cornstarch slurry. If the soup is too thick, add a little more plant-based milk or water.
Plant-Based Tuna
- Place a small pot over high heat and add your water, oil, and crumbled seaweed snack. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn off the heat and add your textured vegetable protein. Stir to soak all of the textured vegetable protein with the liquid. Place a lid over the pot and set aside to soak for about 5 minutes. After soaking, add this to your large pot with cooked noodles.
Breadcrumb Topping
- In your small pot, melt your plant-based butter. Once melted, add in your garlic and let it cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or until fragrant. Turn off the heat and add your bread crumbs and nutritional yeast. Mix until the butter has been absorbed by the breadcrumbs.
Assembling the Cassarole
- Add the cream of mushroom soup and plant-based tuna to the pot your noodles are in and mix until just combined. Pour your noodle mixture into a 9” x 13” baking pan.
- Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture onto the top of the casserole and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
- Top with parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon.
- Storage Instructions: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This casserole can also be frozen for up to 2 months for convenient future meals.
- Reheating Instructions: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through, about 1 to 2 minutes. From frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes until heated through.