Tuna-Noodle Casserole with Cauliflower

78 Ratings
  • 5 17
  • 4 28
  • 3 24
  • 2 9
  • 1 0

Definitely an improvement on the original, adding cauliflower to this classic creamy casserole really does take it to to the next-level of deliciousness.

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Credit: Linda Pugliese

Recipe Summary test

prep:
30 mins
total:
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water 4 minutes. Add cauliflower; cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes more. Reserve 1/2 cup water; drain pasta mixture. In same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery, season with salt, and cook until onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Slowly stir in milk until mixture is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta mixture, tuna, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. If mixture is too thick, add reserved pasta water.

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  • Transfer to prepared dish; cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake 15 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to 425 degrees, and bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with parsley; serve immediately.

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Reviews (4)

78 Ratings
  • 5 17
  • 4 28
  • 3 24
  • 2 9
  • 1 0
Martha Stewart Member
09/24/2018
I rarely see a recipe anymore that does not need tweaking. Also, add a little oil and some salt to the pasta water before cooking the pasta and you will avoid stuck together pasta. Add Parmesan cheese, ground pepper and Guyere cheese to the white sauce. Tasty dishes do not need hot sauce. Not every recipe needs hot sauce or garlic. If it is *not* good without these things then the recipe needs to be rethought. I like the idea of fresh sauted mushrooms and peas. I rarely have cauliflower on hand but I usually have peas. Some sauted, diced red bell for color would be nice too. I might add a bit of chicken broth to the remaining pasta water to add a little flavor too. I use Better Than Bouillon chicken broth paste (no MSG).
Martha Stewart Member
01/20/2015
I think this is a good base recipe, but it needs a little bit more. I added some freshly grated swiss cheese and some sauteed mushrooms and it really perked this dish up and was delicious! I have also made this with peas in place of the cauliflower and added some freshly grated colby/jack cheese. Yum either way!
Martha Stewart Member
10/16/2014
My husband and I loved the casserole. I made it with almond milk and it was still great. I had some noodles that stuck together but it didn't affect the flavor. It made a huge casserole.
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Martha Stewart Member
10/14/2014
A bit on the bland side. The overall taste was good, there just wasn't much depth of flavor. The sauce was pretty dry, even after I added almost a full cup of pasta water. If I make this again, I'll probably add a bit more milk/water, some minced garlic to the onion/celery sauté -- and maybe some English peas to the veggie mix. I'll probably add a few more dashes of hot sauce, too. Breadcrumbs will also be added to the top for crunch.
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