This healthy tuna noodle casserole recipe came from my Grandma, and I often enjoyed it as a child. I swapped a few ingredients to make it fit our lifestyle, and now my family enjoys it just as much as I did! I know it will be a new favorite for you as well.
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Helpful Tips for Casseroles
When cooking with alternative ingredients, there is always a learning curve. Often, these lessons happen when you’re experimenting. The great thing about my recipes is they are tried and true! I’ve taken the guesswork out of healthy cooking and have some hacks to make your culinary creations awesome.
- Follow the recipe for a creamy sauce in a healthier, more decadent version of the classic tuna noodle casserole. If you want to lighten it up, you can use 1 cup of almond milk and 1 cup of vegan mayo. This creates a thinner sauce mixture that’s lower fat.
- Brown rice breadcrumbs are my favorite, but you can easily make your own. Take your favorite gluten-free bread, toast it, and pulverize it in a blender until it reaches the proper consistency. You can store any extra breadcrumb topping in the freezer!
- Be sure to cover all of the noodles with the crunchy breadcrumb topping mixture. Gluten-free noodles crisp easily, and if any little bit is exposed, it can throw off the whole pan..especially for picky eaters!
- You can add ¼ cup of my Vegan Grated Parmesan Cheese to the bread crumb topping to give this dish extra flavor. Yum!
- Proper preparation prevents poor performance! To stick to your healthy eating goals, consider making two casseroles. Stick one in the oven to enjoy for dinner, and place the leftover tuna noodle casserole in the freezer to bake on a busy day.
- To keep your dairy-free topping from sticking to the parchment paper, lightly spray the casserole with coconut or olive oil cooking spray before baking. This keeps your cheese where it belongs!
Healthy Casserole Simple Ingredients
How do you make a gluten-free, dairy-free meal that doesn’t taste like cardboard? The answer is simple; high-quality ingredients! Here’s what you’ll find in this healthy tuna noodle casserole.
Gluten-Free Pasta: When choosing gluten-free pasta noodles, it’s best to purchase kinds made of brown rice that don’t contain corn or soy. You can get creative with this recipe and use your favorite pasta shape. Egg noodles are popular but we love elbows, fusilli, and spirals!
As consumers learn more about their bodies, these ingredients are readily available at most grocery stores. If you can’t find brown rice pasta near you, you can always find a great selection online.
Tuna Fish: We recommend using wild-caught tuna fish whenever possible. Tuna is an excellent source of protein that’s budget-friendly. It’s a classic casserole ingredient and meshes well with the other flavors.
Don’t stress about packaging. Canned tuna is just as good as tuna in a pouch.
Vegan Mayonnaise: Many mayonnaise brands contain soybean or canola oil. These oils contain trans-fatty acids that can clog your arteries. (1) That doesn’t mean you have to live without mayonnaise, though!
I recommend using soy-free Veganaise or your preferred avocado oil or grapeseed oil vegan mayonnaise. These options are creamy and don’t contain unhealthy ingredients.
Almond or Coconut Milk: To keep this dish dairy-free, we use unsweetened almond or coconut milk. Both of these options are delicious and have no odd aftertaste so grab the milk of choice.
One word of caution: Be sure your carton says “unsweetened.” You wouldn’t believe the amount of sugar they hide in dairy-free milk!
Sea Salt: Traditional table salt undergoes a strict harvesting process that strips trace minerals. Your body needs these minerals and a certain amount of sodium to thrive.
We love fueling our bodies with Colima sea salt because it’s hand-harvested. This leaves the good stuff intact! It adds a touch of gourmet with every pinch of salt.
Dairy-Free Mozzarella Cheese: A little dairy-free cheese makes everything better! This ingredient adds terrific flavor and gooey texture to this dish. I consider it to be the cherry on top of a wonderful meal.
Great brands of dairy-free cheddar cheese or mozzarella-style cheese alternatives include Daiya, So Delicious, Kite Hill, Violife Foods, and Follow Your Heart.
Healthy Fat: This ingredient makes the topping crisp in all the right places. Butter is good for your body, in moderation, of course! We love using organic, grass-fed, unsalted butter in this recipe.
If you prefer to keep this recipe totally dairy-free, you can use raw coconut oil.
Make Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole
This recipe is simple and requires little prep. If you can make boxed macaroni and cheese, you can make this dinner!
- 1 (8-ounce) package organic brown rice pasta
- 2 (7-ounce) cans wild-caught tuna fish, drained
- 1 ½ cups soy-free Veganaise or your preferred avocado-oil or grapeseed oil vegan mayonnaise
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- ¼ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup dairy-free mozzarella-style cheese alternative
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or raw organic coconut oil
- Large pot
- Mixing bowls
- 2-quart casserole dish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, run briefly under cool water, and drain again.
- In a large bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise, almond milk, sea salt, and white pepper. Mix well. Add the pasta, then stir gently to combine. Pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix the gluten-free breadcrumbs, shredded cheese alternative, and butter. Sprinkle on top of the noodle mixture.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and bake, uncovered for 10 more minutes. Enjoy!
Step One: Boil the Noodles
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Boil the pasta noodles according to the instructions on the package. Add an additional olive oil to the water so the noodles don’t stick. I always add a little salt to my pot for extra flavor.
Drain the noodles.
Step Two: Combine Casserole Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the tuna, vegan mayonnaise, almond milk, sea salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the tuna mixture and stir again. Pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish.
Step Three: Make Crunchy Breadcrumb Topping
In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, dairy-free mozzarella, and butter. Sprinkle on top of the casserole.
Lightly spray the top with olive or coconut oil cooking spray. Cover with parchment paper and bake for 30-35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.
Take one bite of this dinner with its creamy sauce, and you’ll be convinced: Healthy food can taste just as good (if not better!) than traditional recipes. There’s no need to give up your favorite foods! When I started my natural living journey, I couldn’t imagine giving up our beloved Italian dishes. So, I made it my mission to transform them into nutritional powerhouses.
