GLUTEN FREE TUNA CASSEROLE RECIPE

I am going to just spit it out – I love tuna casserole! There I said it. I know it is not hip, not trendy and certainly not “foodie” (you can add that to my mounting list of why I will never be called a “foodie”) but it is just plain good! I thought about adding some flair to this casserole, tossing in some sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and portabella mushrooms, maybe some fresh basil and I am sure that would be delicious but what I really wanted was something very close to what I recall from when I was a kid – simple, comforting and homey. But I wanted it with less fat and calories and of course, it had to be gluten free.

I kind of think my mother made her tuna casserole with canned soup but when I started cooking I made mine with rich, thick, fattening-as-all-get-out white sauce laden with butter and cream. So I cut the fat and calories by using mostly gluten-free chicken broth for my sauce, low-fat milk in place of cream (rice milk can be used making this dish dairy free) and olive oil instead of butter. Then I added extra fiber by using Pastariso’s Brown Rice Gluten Free Vegetable Rotini – I love the way the spirals add extra texture to this casserole and the fact that this delicious gluten free pasta only takes 6 -8 minutes to cook.

Since there is high probability you just may have some turkey left over fairly soon, this works just as well with shredded turkey meat.

So go ahead, fess up – what food do you love that could threaten your reputation as a “foodie”?

Gluten Free Tuna CasseroleIngredients

1 – 1 pound bag Pastariso Gluten Free Brown Rice Vegetable Rotini3 tablespoons olive oil – use divided1medium white or yellow onionKosher or fine sea salt3 tablespoons gluten free flour blend or sweet rice flour2 ½ cups gluten free chicken broth1 ½ cups low fat milk (or rice milk)2– 6 ounce cans solid light tuna in water, drain and flaked1 cup frozen peas – thawed1 cup gluten free panko style bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add the Pastariso Gluten Free Brown Rice Vegetable Rotini and cook

for 6 – 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with hot water.

While the pasta is cooking heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until they are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and milk, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until the sauce thickens, 6 – 8 minutes. Stir in the tuna, peas and cooked pasta. Pour the mixture into a 9? by 13? baking dish.

Combine the remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the panko bread crumbs and top the tuna mixture. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the top is browned and the sauce bubbly. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com