Straightforward and Wholesome Tuna Macaroni Casserole with Tomatoes (Pasta Bake)

When you envision a creamy tuna casserole, you may think of one that is loaded with cheese or a can of soup that makes it tasty. However, my delicious recipe is a healthy and cheese-free tuna casserole with tomatoes and macaroni in a velvety cream sauce with curry, onion and parsley crowned with buttery crumb topping. This easy tuna bake also is a salt-free recipe, which anyone watching their sodium intake will appreciate as well as enjoy from the flavor resulting from the harmonious marriage of herbs in this recipe.

Why This Cheese-Free Tuna Bake Has Health Benefits

A typical tuna casserole with some form of pasta uses canned soup such as cream of mushroom soup, which has about 843 milligrams of sodium. Of course, you can buy a low-sodium alternative that may have about 40% less salt, but that is still high or an unsalted cream of mushroom with about 50 milligrams of sodium that also is quite more expensive.

In addition, it is protein packed tuna pasta bake with twelve ounces of tuna for this hearty oven meal.

The tomatoes provide health benefits from their wonderful antioxidants, namely beta-carotene, lycopene and vitamin C. Other nutrients that tomatoes have include folate, potassium, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E. These components together help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, guard against cell damage, homocysteine, platelet aggregation, and blood pressure.

This tuna noodle bake is also healthy because you don’t need to use a rich cream and can use a low fat milk with excellent results. I use 2 percent for this recipe to make the cream sauce.

This healthy pasta bake never had to depend on salt for flavor. The reason is how well the herbs of curry powder, parsley, pepper work together along with onion and tomatoes for bringing out culinary magic.

Give this easy and healthy tuna casserole with macaroni a try the next time that you’re searching something for quick and convenient dinner ideas. Once you put this pasta bake to the taste test, I’m sure that you’ll want to make it again! Please also share this recipe with family and friends and do come back to my blog for more. You may also want to try my healthy tuna penne casserole, which is just as amazing.

How to Make Healthy Tuna Macaroni Casserole with Tomatoes (Pasta Bake)

2 cups of uncooked macaroni
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons of flour
½ teaspoons of curry powder
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley
2 cups of milk
1 can (14.5 oz.) drained canned diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 can tuna (12.5 oz.), drained

1. Cook macaroni, drain and set it aside.
2. Heat the oil in your frying pan and add the finely chopped onion. Cook until golden brown and tender.
3. Remove momentarily from the heat and stir in flour, curry, black pepper, and parsley and mix thoroughly.
4. Return the skillet to the heat and cook for about one minute to take the rawness out of the flour.
5. Gradually stir in the milk, stirring constantly until the mixtures starts to boil.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, tuna and macaroni.
7. Pour into a lightly-greased 3-quart casserole or skillet.
8. Mix the melted butter with bread crumbs and pour over the top of the casserole.
9. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30-35 minutes until the tuna bake sauce is bubbly.
10. ENJOY

My delicious recipe is a healthy and cheese-free tuna casserole with tomatoes and macaroni in a velvety cream sauce with curry, onion and parsley crowned with buttery crumb topping.

Course:

Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

canned tuna recipes, easy tuna macaroni casserole (no cheese), healthy tuna casserole, pasta bake, tuna casserole with tomatoes

Servings: 6 to 8

Author: Mary Balandiat

• 2
  cups
  of uncooked macaroni
• 3
  tablespoons
  of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4
  cup
  of finely chopped onion
• 2
  tablespoons
  of flour
• ½
  teaspoons
  of curry powder
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  of black pepper
• 2
  tablespoons
  of finely chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons of dried parsley
• 2
  cups
  of milk
• 1
  can
  14.5 oz. drained canned diced tomatoes
• 2
  tablespoons
  of butter or margarine
  melted
• 1/4
  cup
  dried breadcrumbs
• 1
  can tuna
  12.5 oz., drained

1. Cook macaroni, drain and set it aside.

2. Heat the oil in your frying pan and add the finely chopped onion. Cook until golden brown and tender.

3. Remove momentarily from the heat and stir in flour, curry, black pepper, and parsley and mix thoroughly.

4. Return the skillet to the heat and cook for about one minute to take the rawness out of the flour.

5. Gradually stir in the milk, stirring constantly until the mixtures starts to boil.

6. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, tuna and macaroni.

7. Pour into a lightly-greased 3-quart casserole or skillet.

8. Mix the melted butter with bread crumbs and pour over the top of the casserole.

9. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30-35 minutes until the tuna bake sauce is bubbly.

10. ENJOY!