Recipe Background
Big Tuna Casserole pairs creamy Swiss with green beans, ideal for gatherings.
Back in the early days of my culinary career, I was a modest intern, juggling ramen noodles and endless phone calls. On a particularly eventful day, I decided to surprise my lunch crew with a twist on a classic: the Big Tuna Casserole. It all began when a can of light tuna caught my eye in the pantry. Inspiration struck like a lightning bolt as I visualized creamy Swiss cheese alongside crisp green beans and aromatic dill weed. I knew this casserole would be my ticket to lunchtime fame.
Eager to impress, I started with a roux, gently coaxing the cornstarch into cold milk until smooth. The key, I quickly learned, was to introduce the milk mixture to the simmered vegetables just when they reached peak tenderness. A playful sprinkle of pepper and the infusion of bouillon granules would be the secret weapons. Crisp breadcrumbs, browned in butter, added a delightful crunch to an otherwise lush bite. That afternoon, my colleagues gathered and the casserole received rave reviews, firmly establishing itself as a staple in our shared kitchen.
Years later, I've swapped those shared lunches for family dinners at home, but the casserole remains. It has a way of reminding me of camaraderie during break times and the small victories we celebrated. If you're tackling this dish, don't rush the milk into the veggie pot. Let it gradually introduce itself for that perfect creamy texture. And remember, a bit of mayo stirred in transforms the dish from simply savory to extraordinarily memorable.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
- 1 (9-ounce) package frozen cut green beans
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
- 1/4 cup celery chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk cold
- 1/2 cup Swiss cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 1/2 cups egg noodles cooked and drained
- 1 (12-ounce) can light tuna in water drained and flaked
- 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
- In a large saucepan, bring the water and the bouillon granules to a boil; stir until the bouillon is dissolved.
- Add the green beans, the onion, the mushrooms, the celery, the garlic, the dill weed, the salt, and the pepper to the bouillon mixture.
- Bring the veggie mixture to a boil.
- Lower the heat, cover the saucepan, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the milk until smooth.
- Gradually add the milk mixture into the veggie mixture.
- Bring the milk and veggie mixture to a boil.
- Cook and stir the veggie mixture until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the thickened veggie mixture from the heat.
- Stir the cheese and the mayonnaise into the veggie mixture.
- Fold the noodles and the tuna into the veggie mixture.
- Pour the tuna mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In a small skillet, brown the bread crumbs in the butter.
- Sprinkle the browned bread crumbs over the casserole.
- Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve.
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