Classic tuna casserole with a healthy, low-carb twist.
Dinner is often the most challenging meal of the day. Getting stuck in that “dinner time rut” is inevitable. You get comfortable making the same few recipes over and over again, but it doesn’t take long to get sick of eating the same thing. So what do you do when you find yourself in a boring mealtime routine? You come to SkinnyMs.! We love thinking outside the box and coming up with new, exciting, and healthy dinnertime options. One of our latest recipes contains ingredients like protein-rich tuna, low-carb zucchini noodles, spicy jalapenos, and a delicious cashew cheese sauce. So what is it exactly? It’s an easy, creamy, and healthy jalapeno tuna casserole recipe!
Table of Contents
An Easy High-Protein Recipe
This jalapeno tuna casserole is creamy, delicious, and healthy too. It’s high in protein and easy to make. All you need are a few simple ingredients like jalapenos, zucchini noodles (zoodles), canned tuna, and simple seasonings. The best part of this recipe itās that you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer. There will be more on that later on.
Personalize This Tuna Dish for Your Diet
This dish is a favorite as is, however, it’s super easy to modify to your own individual wants and needs, too.
Our healthy jalapeno tuna casserole is a great option for those of you looking to lower your carb intake or who are gluten intolerant. Replacing traditional pasta with veggies will reduce carb content significantly and make this recipe gluten-free. On the other hand, you can add in additional veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, frozen peas, or celery to make it a heartier casserole.
If you’re not worried about carbs or gluten, you can always use your favorite pasta in place of the zucchini noodles. Egg noodles are a favorite when making a tuna casserole and would make this dish taste just as yummy.
Not a fan of jalapeno peppers? Feel free to omit them or use a different pepper without the spiciness.
You can also swap out the nut products like cashews and almond meal for cheddar cheese and bread crumbs if you have a nut allergy. Some people even like to use crushed potato chips in place of the almond meal!
This jalapeno tuna casserole is dairy-free, thanks to the use of cashew cheese and nut milk, however, you can swap these ingredients for dairy products like cow’s milk and cream cheese if that’s what you have on hand (or simply prefer.)
Finally, while tuna noodle casserole is a classic dish, you can swap in chicken if you’re not big on fishy flavor.
Make This Casserole in a Few Simple Steps
First, make your cashew cheese sauce by combining the drained cashews, veggie broth, nutritional yeast, and almond milk. Meanwhile, steam your zucchini noodles for about 3 to 4 minutes to soften them. Then, heat one tablespoon of the coconut oil over low heat in a saucepan. Sautee the mushrooms, onions, and spinach with half of the herbs de Provence for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Once ready, add the steamed zucchini and the cashew sauce. Stir, then add garlic powder, black pepper, salt, jalapeno, and tuna. Mix well and transfer to a baking dish.
Next, make the topping by mixing together almond meal, nutritional yeast, coconut oil, and seasoning until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of the casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove your healthy jalapeno tuna casserole from the oven, allow it to cool a few minutes before serving, and dig in to this nutritious weeknight comfort food!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep tuna casserole from drying out? Covering the baking dish with foil is the best way to keep your casserole from drying out. You can also increase the amount of wet ingredients slightly. But be careful– you don’t want it to be soupy, either. For instance, you can use a bit more cashew cream sauce in this recipe or add in a little sour cream to the mix. Additionally, feel free to add a little bit of melted butter to the top of the casserole, just keep in mind that this will increase fat and calorie content.
Do you eat tuna noodle casserole hot or cold? Tuna noodle casserole is meant to be eaten while it’s hot and fresh, but you can enjoy the leftovers cold if you prefer!
What’s the best way to reheat this healthy jalapeno tuna casserole? Allow it to set out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. In the last few minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure it’s covered tightly with foil. Heat it in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
How long is this tuna casserole good for? Cooked tuna casserole will last for up to 4 days in the fridge if packaged in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap and/or foil. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure you let it cool completely before packaging it up. Second, cover it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then foil. Finally, be sure to label it with a date before you stick it in the freezer so you don’t forget how long it’s been in there!
Clean-Eating JalapeƱo Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashews raw, soaked in boiling water for at least 10 minutes
- 1/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast divided
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 3 cups zucchini noodles 2-3 zucchinis spiralized
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil divided
- 1 cup button mushrooms sliced
- 1 white onion chopped
- 2 cups spinach chopped
- 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- 1 jalapeno chopped, seeds removed if desired
- 10 ounces tuna canned in water
- 1/2 cup almond meal
Instructions
- First, make your cashew cheese sauce by combining the drained cashews, vegetable broth, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, and almond milk.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Steam your zucchini noodles for about 3-4 minutes to soften them.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil over low heat in a saucepan. Sautee mushrooms, onions, and spinach with 1/2 tablespoon Herbs de Provence for about 5 minutes or until softened.
- Once ready, add the steamed zucchini and the cashew sauce. Stir, then add garlic powder, black pepper, salt, jalapeno, and tuna. Mix well and transfer to a greased baking dish.
- Next, make the topping by mixing together almond meal, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and 1/2 tablespoon Herbs de Provence until crumbly.
- Sprinkle overtop of the casserole, then bake for 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
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More Like This
If you enjoyed this tuna noodle recipe, be sure to check out the similar casserole recipes below. We’ve got plenty of yummy and healthy weeknight meals to choose from!
- Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
- Healthier King Ranch Chicken and Quinoa Casserole
- Tuna Zucchini Noodle Bake
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