Tuna casserole is a

casserole A casserole (French: diminutive of , from Provençal 'pan') is a normally large deep pan or bowl a casserole is anything in a casserole pan. Hot or cold History Baked dishes have existed for thousands of years. Early casserole recipes co ...

primarily made with

pasta Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, are ...

(or

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly '' Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and ''Porteresia'', both wild and domestica ...

) and

canned tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...

, with peas and corn sometimes added. The dish is often topped with potato chips, corn flakes, bread crumbs or canned

fried onion Fried onions are slices of onions that are either pan fried (sautéed) or deep fried — and consumed as a popular snack food, garnish, or vegetable accompaniment to various recipes. Sautéed onions Common fried onions are cooked by basic pan ...

s. Tuna casserole is a common dish in some parts of the United States, prepared using only nonperishable pantry ingredients.

History

Casseroles became popular in American households in the 1950s mainly because the ingredients were cheap and easy to find at the

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service shop offering a wide variety of food, beverages and household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earlier grocery stores, but is smaller and more lim ...

. A can of tuna, a can of vegetables, a can of soup, and a package of egg noodles becomes a prepared family dinner in around half an hour. Tuna casserole can also be frozen or refrigerated and then reheated to be eaten the next day. Tuna casserole is popular to take to potlucks. In small communities, it may be taken to the home of someone who is sick or going through bereavement as a gesture of kindness. While there are countless variations of tuna casserole, historically it is made with egg noodles, chopped onion, shredded cheddar cheese, frozen green peas, canned and drained tuna, condensed cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, sliced mushrooms and crushed potato chips. The cooked noodles, onion, cheese, peas, tuna, soup and mushrooms are mixed in a baking dish, with the potato chips and more cheese sprinkled on top, and then baked. Tuna casserole can also be cooked in an electric pressure cooker an
Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
has become increasingly popular over the past decade.

Tuna mornay

Also common in most parts of Australia this casserole is also called tuna mornay and served with a

Mornay sauce A Mornay sauce is a béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added. Some variations use different combinations of Gruyère, Emmental cheese, white cheddar or even Parmesan cheese. A Mornay sauce made with cheddar is commonly used to mak ...

( Béchamel with cheese added, or

cheese sauce Cheese sauce is a sauce made with cheese or processed cheese as a primary ingredient. Sometimes dried cheese or cheese powder is used. Several varieties exist and it has many various culinary uses. Mass-produced commercial cheese sauces are also ...

). Peas and corn are usually added. Additionally, wheat pasta is used rather than egg noodles.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuna Casserole Tuna dishes Casserole dishes American seafood dishes

History

Tuna mornay

See also

References