Taking It Old School

Wow…sorry it’s been so long since I posted! I think time just got away from me, & I kept forgetting to blog about the food I was making. Whoops!

So, today we’re going to take it Old School with a dish that has been enjoyed by families for decades. A couple months ago, my husband said he wanted me to figure out a way to make Tuna Noodle Casserole. He grew up with it & missed eating it. Admittedly, I had never tasted the stuff, but was willing to give it a go. First things first: I emailed my mother-in-law to get her recipe (the recipe he grew up with) and I would go from there. Now, most of you know Cream of Mushroom soup is one of the main ingredients in this casserole, and not only is dairy out of the question, but condensed “Cream of” soups aren’t exactly the healthiest item. So what did I do? I made my own version from scratch!

Cream of Mushroom Soup (Gluten & Dairy Free)

1 onion, diced
1-1 1/2 lbs mushrooms of your choice (I used Cremini), stems removed & sliced, approximately 6 c.
1/2-1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
4 tbs oil of choice
3-4 tbs rice flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups unsweetened, original flavor Almond Milk
Salt
Red chili flakes
Onion powder (optional)
Garlic powder (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil for sautéing & sauté onion until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms & thyme & a healthy amount of salt & sauté until mushrooms are tender & slightly darkened in color.

Add broth & bring to a boil & reduce to simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat & blend mixture with immersion blender, food processor or blender. Set aside.

In large saucepan (4 qt plus) or soup pot, heat your 4 tbs oil at medium heat & add garlic cloves & sauté until golden (Don’t burn your garlic, or it will taste bitter). Add rice flour & stir until smooth. (add more flour or oil until its the consistency you want; you’re making a roux).

Let cook while stirring constantly for approximately 3-5 minutes. (This will help cook the “flour taste” out of the roux & give it a slightly richer flavor). Add your milk, starting with 1 cup & adding more to give you the desired consistency of a slightly thick béchamel sauce (the white sauce you make for Mac ‘N Cheese, etc). Add salt & chili flakes to taste. Cook while stirring constantly for an additional 5 minutes, adjust temperature so it simmers, but not a hard boil. Adjust seasoning for taste; the béchamel by itself should have good flavor. You can also add garlic powder & onion powder for some extra flavor. I added probably a tbs of garlic powder & 1-2 tsp of onion powder.

Add mushroom purée and stir to combine. Taste again for seasoning & add any necessary salt, chili flakes, onion powder, garlic powder or thyme. You can also add a little extra milk for a slightly creamier soup. Bring to a boil & reduce to a simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until thickened.

Now that we have the soup done, which is good even by itself, time for the casserole! Keep in mind, if you use this soup for a substitute in other recipes, if the recipe calls for added milk, you’ll either reduce the amount or omit it altogether because this soup isn’t condensed like it calls for in the recipe. You could also make cream of chicken soup by using chicken broth & adding some shredded chicken (and of course, omitting mushrooms). Or, cream of celery soup by replacing the mushrooms with celery.

Tuna Noodle Casserole (Gluten & Dairy Free)

16 oz. cooked gluten-free Rotini pasta (I use brown rice pasta & cook a minute or two short of al dente since it’ll cook more in the oven)
Cream of Mushroom Soup (recipe above; I use approximately 2/3 of the above recipe)
2 cans of tuna of your choice (I used chunk light tuna in oil)
1/2 c gluten free breadcrumbs
2-3 tbs oil
1-2 tbs Italian seasoning
Salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pasta, tuna & soup & place in greased casserole dish of at least 2 qts. Pasta will absorb soup, so make sure it’s extra “saucy”. In a small bowl, combine oil & breadcrumbs & stir until crumbly. Season to taste with Italian seasoning, salt, garlic & onion powder. Distribute evenly over the top of the casserole & bake for 35 minutes (if all ingredients are warm; if if you made the soup ahead of time & chilled, add extra time), or until bubbly & top is golden brown.

Enjoy!