My Best Ever Tuna casserole

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. Barilla Whole Wheat Medium Shells
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 4 Tbsp. Butter
  • 1 C. minced Onion
  • 1 C. minced Celery
  • 1/2 C. minced Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. Flour
  • 1/2 C. Dry White Wine (like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, something you would drink, NOT cooking wine, EVER)
  • 1/2 C. Chicken broth
  • 1 C. Half and Half
  • 1 C. frozen Peas
  • 2 seven ounce cans of Tuna, drained and flaked
  • 1 1/2 C. Bread Crumbs (make your own, fresh is better then that stuff in a can)

Preparation

Step 1

Cook the pasta to desired doneness, I always take it 1 minute longer than the directions on the box say. Drain well and set aside.

I have a pasta pot, so I use this to boil the pasta and make the sauce, over medium heat, sauté the onions and celery with the Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of the Butter, for about 3 minutes or so, don’t brown the veg.

Add in the Red Bell Peppers and cook for about a minute.

Stir in the flour and cook for about another minute. Mix in the wine and reduce for 1 minute. Now whisk in the broth and bring to a boil to thicken.

Turn the heat down to low and stir in the half & half; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Throw in the peas, tuna and cooked shells, fold everything together and leave to heat through.

Preheat the broiler.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large microwaveable bowl (I use my big Pyrex measuring cup). This is optional, but I like to swirl in a couple dashes of hot sauce and then mix in the bread crumbs.

Spoon the Tuna mixture into a 9X13 inch ovenproof dish and top with the buttered bread crumbs. Pop the casserole under the broiler just long enough to brown the top and then … Let's Eat!!