Creamy, Crispy & Tangy Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe Is Gluten-Free (No Canned Soup!) by Elisa Schmitz

This is not your typical tuna noodle casserole recipe. First of all, there’s no cream of mushroom soup in it. Second, it combines fresh vegetables with pantry staples to boost nutrition. Third, it’s got a seriously creamy, crispy and tangy flavor, thanks to two kinds of mustard and a whole lemon. Fourth, the topping adds a crave-able crunch factor. And finally, it’s gluten-free!

This tasty tuna noodle casserole recipe is a complete meal, but you could serve it for dinner with a side salad or separate vegetable, such as steamed broccoli, if you’d like.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 3 cans (5 ounces each) albacore tuna, drained
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) sweet peas, drained
• 1 red bell pepper, diced fine
• 3 - 4 stalks celery, diced fine
• 1 box (12 ounces) gluten-free noodles, cooked al dente (I used Barilla gluten-free rotini)
• 2 cups milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk; you also could use chicken broth)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 cup gluten-free flour (for thickening the sauce)
• 3 teaspoons yellow mustard, or to taste
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard or honey mustard, or to taste
• juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Topping

• 1 cup almond flour (you also could use 1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove minced garlic

Here’s how to make it:

1. In a large bowl, add pepper, celery, tuna and peas. Stir to combine. Add the noodles and blend it all together.
   
2. In another bowl, add the milk, garlic, flour, mustards, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk to combine until the mixture is thick, creamy and mostly smooth. Taste, and add more mustard or mayo or seasoning, to taste.
   
3. Pour the sauce mixture into the noodle mixture. Stir to combine, until pasta and vegetables are coated in the sauce.
   
4. Pour combined mixture into a greased 13x9-inch baking pan or casserole dish.
   
5. To make the topping, in another bowl, mix together the almond flour, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic and olive oil.
   
6. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the casserole.
   
7. Bake in a preheated 325-degree F oven about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
   
   

Note: I intentionally didn’t pre-cook the fresh vegetables, so they wouldn’t get mushy. I prefer them crisp. But if you prefer softer veggies, you can sauté the celery and red pepper in a bit of olive oil until tender, before adding them to the casserole mixture.

Need help converting cooking and baking measurements? Here are some handy kitchen conversion charts.

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