Tuna Casserole with Dill and Potato Chips
Is it weird that as of this post, Sly Rooster now boasts not one but two recipes for a polarizing dish from the 1950s? Tuna Noodle Casserole seems to have some mysterious gravitational pull over me in the same way that it offends others (many of whom have never actually tasted it). Fish & Chips has a similar impact on my subconscious, as in if it’s on a restaurant’s menu I am compelled to order it. Without delving deeper into my psyche or palate, let’s just chalk these compulsions up to a quirk and if, like me, you have a soft spot for Tuna Noodle Casserole, I encourage you to give this version a try. It is just heavenly! And do me a favor, if you have never tasted Tuna Noodle Casserole, also give it a go. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.
Now on to the particulars…I used this Tuna Casserole with Dill and Potato Chips recipe from the February 2016 issue of Bon Appetit. I wasn’t combing through old magazines but rather it popped into my inbox as “an excellent thing to bake” and I should mention that this recipe is featured in BA’s Best, a collection of their essential recipes. When I saw the photo in all of its potato chip-and-dill glory, my curiosity was piqued.
The recipe explains the importance of undercooking your noodles (crucial for any pasta bake, lest you end up with mush) and includes steps to make a wonderful vegetable saute (onion, leek and mushroom), as well as a rich and creamy cheese sauce. Game on! I actually used some aged gouda instead of cheddar because it’s what I had on hand. I would say use any hard cheese that you like (gruyere would also be wonderful) just under no circumstances should you use the bagged shredded “cheese.” You want and need the flavor of good cheese. Other than that, I also substituted tuna packed in water for the packed in oil variety because again, it’s what I had and what I use. I imagine that tuna in oil may provide a more upscale, authentic flavor but with that said, the tuna in water can be somewhat less “fishy” and my daughter even thought it was chicken (yes, Gary and I did reference Jessica Simpson’s infamous “Chicken of the Sea” comment–google it if you weren’t a fan of Newlyweds). If you are concerned that your audience might turn up their noses to a fish casserole, tuna packed in water would be the move.
I hope that I’ve convinced you that Tuna Casserole with Dill and Potato Chips is a perfect cozy, winter supper and right about now that’s simply as good as it gets. Enjoy!
Tuna Casserole with Dill and Potato Chips
Ingredients
- 1/2 c (1 Stick) unsalted butter divided
- 12 oz wide, dried egg noodles
- kosher salt
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 med leek, white and pale-greem parts only finely chopped
- 10 oz mushrooms chopped
- 1/4 c white wine
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried
- 1/4 c all-purpose flour
- 2.5 c homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 c heavy cream
- 6 oz white cheddar, grated I used aged gouda
- 2 tsp hot sauce preferably Tabasco
- 2 6-oz cans/jars oil-packed tuna, drained, broken into small pieces I used tuna packed in water
- 2 c potato chips
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 c fresh dill coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbls finely chopped chives optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a 13×9" baking dish.
- Cook egg noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta; let cool.
- Melt 4 Tbls butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and leek; cook, stirring, until soft but not brown, 8–10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add mushrooms. Cook, tossing occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 4–6 minutes. Add wine and reduce until skillet is almost dry, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in Worcestershire and thyme.
- Melt remaining 4 Tbls butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook until roux is golden and looks shiny and smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add cream, cheese, and hot sauce; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Gently fold mushroom mixture, cream mixture, noodles, and tuna in a large bowl; taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Transfer tuna mixture to prepared baking dish. Press chips into casserole so they stand upright. Bake casserole until bubbly around the edges and chips begin to brown, 15–20 minutes. Zest one-quarter of the lemon over casserole. Let sit 5 minutes, then top with dill and chives (if using).
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