Tuna casserole
Encyclopedia
Tuna casserole is a casserole
Casserole
A casserole, from the French for "saucepan", is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan...

 mainly composed of egg noodles and canned tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...

 fish, with canned peas and corn sometimes added. The casserole is often topped with potato chips, corn flakes or canned fried onion
Fried onion
Fried onions or French fried onions are a popular snack food or garnish accompaniment to various recipes, made from pan frying or deep frying onions thus preparing them in a manner similar to that of French fried potatoes....

s. It is a common dish in some parts of the United States of America. Tuna casserole is convenient to the extent that it may be prepared using no fresh ingredients.

History

Casseroles became a very popular household dish in the 1950's for a number of reasons; mainly the ingredients were cheap and easy to find at the store: a can of tuna, a can of vegetables, a can of soup, and a package of egg noodles and after 35 minutes is a prepared family dinner. Tuna casserole could also be frozen or refrigerated and then reheated to be eaten as a left over the next day. Tuna casserole is a very popular dish to take to pot lucks or in small communities, to be taken to the home of someone who is sick as a gesture of kindness.

While every tuna casserole is different, historically, tuna casserole is made with a twelve ounce package of egg noodles, one quarter cup of chopped onion, two cups of shredded cheddar cheese, one cup of frozen green peas, twelve ounces of canned, drained tuna, two 10.75 ounce cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup, two ounces of sliced mushrooms and one cup crushed potato chips. The cooked noodles, onion, cheese, peas, tuna, soup and mushrooms are mixed in a 9x13 baking dish, with the potato chips and more cheese sprinkled on top, and then cooked at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) for fifteen to twenty minutes. A typical serving of tuna casserole contains 611 calories, 26.2 grams of fat and 103 mg of cholesterol.

Tuna mornay

Also a common dish in most parts of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 this dish is instead called Tuna mornay and served with a Mornay sauce
Mornay sauce
A Mornay sauce is a Béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added. Usually, it consists of half Gruyère and half Parmesan cheese, though some variations use different combinations of Gruyère, Emmental cheese, or white Cheddar....

 (Béchamel with cheese added, or cheese sauce). Peas and corn are usually added. Additionally, wheat pasta is used rather than egg noodles.

See also

  • Hotdish
    Hotdish
    Hotdish is a variety of baked casserole that typically contains a starch, a meat or other protein, and a canned and/ or frozen vegetable, mixed together with canned soup. The dish is popular in Minnesota...

  • Comfort food
    Comfort food
    Comfort food is food prepared traditionally that may have a nostalgic or sentimental appeal. Comfort foods may be foods that have a nostalgic element either to an individual or a specific culture...

  • Funeral potatoes
    Funeral potatoes
    Funeral potatoes are a traditional Latter-day Saint hotdish or casserole dish that originated in Utah, United States.Funeral potatoes get their name from commonly being served as a side dish during traditional after-funeral dinners...

  • Green bean casserole
    Green bean casserole
    Green bean casserole is a casserole consisting of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and french fried onions. The recipe may also call for ground black pepper and soy sauce. It is a popular Thanksgiving side dish in the United States.-History of recipe:...

  • Midwestern cuisine
  • Timballo
    Timballo
    Timballo is an Italian dish consisting of baked pasta, rice, or potatoes, usually with one or more other ingredients included.-Etymology:The name comes from French word for kettledrum...

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