Lightened-Up Tuna Casserole

Step 1

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil.

Step 2

Heat the breadcrumbs in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the bottom layer of the breadcrumbs begin to turn golden, give the pan a good stir (or a good shake) to toss. Continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes, tossing regularly, until the breadcrumbs are more or less evenly golden. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a clean bowl and set aside. Wipe down the pan with a clean cloth and return it to the heat.

Step 3

Add butter and cook until melted. Add mushrooms, carrots, onions and sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the mushrooms are browned. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add flour and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently so that it is well combined.

Step 4

Add the stock and stir to combine. Add the milk, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, peas and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce nearly reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Meanwhile…

Step 5

Around the same time that you add the stock to the sauce, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until just barely al dente. Use a spider strainer to drain and transfer the noodles directly to the mushroom sauce. (Or if your sauté pan is not large enough to hold everything, you can drain the noodles completely and then combine the noodles and sauce in the stockpot that you used to cook the noodles.)

Step 6

Add the veggie sauce mixture to the noodles, along with the tuna and cheddar cheese. Toss gently until combined and the cheese has melted.

Step 7

Serve. Serve the pasta warm, sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs, a pinch of herbs, and garnished with a lemon wedge for squeezing. Enjoy!