Tuna Almandine

This tuna casserole is about as low-effort as dinner gets. Dump a package of noodles with almond sauce mix into a buttered casserole, stir in boiling water, canned tuna, mushrooms, and chopped onion. Cover and bake. That’s it.

The noodles cook right in the casserole dish, no boiling a separate pot of water. The sauce mix dissolves into the boiling water and thickens around the noodles as they absorb the liquid. Everything melds together under that lid into a creamy, cohesive dish.

Sprinkle the almonds from the package over the top just before serving so they stay crunchy. If you add them before baking, they go soft and lose their whole purpose.

Pro Tips

• Drain the tuna and mushrooms well. Extra liquid throws off the noodle-to-water ratio and makes the casserole soupy.
• Use boiled water, not cold. Cold water won’t cook the noodles properly in the bake time.
• Keep the casserole covered the entire 25 minutes. The steam is what cooks the noodles through.
• Flake the tuna into larger chunks if you want more texture, or break it fine for a smoother casserole.

Variations

• Cheesy top: Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the casserole in the last 5 minutes of baking, uncovered, for a melty crust.
• Extra vegetables: Add frozen peas or diced celery to the mix before baking.
• Canned salmon swap: Use canned salmon instead of tuna for a richer, slightly different flavor.