Favorite Tuna Casserole

McHubby requested this dish for dinner this week—it’s one of his favorites. Since he loves it so much, I always make a big batch in a large casserole pan. I modified the classic tuna casserole recipe a bit, using whole wheat egg noodles, cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic, celery, and fresh herbs for a more earthy flavor. The French fried onion topping adds a crunchy texture.

Ingredients
Whole wheat egg noodles

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped

1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 packages albacore tuna (in spring water, drained)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups French fried onions

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook whole wheat egg noodles in salted boiling water, according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add shallots and celery and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook another 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, and parsley, cooking 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and set vegetable mixture aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked noodles, tuna, soup, vegetable mixture, 1 cup of mozzarella, salt, and pepper.

Spread the mixture in a large casserole pan. Top with remaining cheese and fried onion topping. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Serve hot.