The most beautiful food is prepared with the simplest ingredients. Roasting any vegetable in a hot oven with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice will yield the most amazing results. There are a lot of ways you can cook vegetables, but for me, hands down, roasting is the way to go. Everything from broccoli to hearty root vegetables tastes best when you prepare them this way.
Roasting is so easy. You don’t even need a recipe or any ingredients beyond good cooking oil and salt. Roasting also adds a savory depth of flavor one can only achieve once a bit of caramelization has occurred, and the veggies have delightful crispy edges. The result is a textured and tasty treat.
Remember when our mothers would cook vegetables? I certainly remember the mushy, bland, and offensively odorous sensations of boiled veggies. In contrast, roasting makes the vegetables charred and sweet, with wonderful little crispy leaves that provide texture and a bit of bitterness. I actually can’t think of a single vegetable that doesn’t benefit from roasting. Even salad greens like romaine can be roasted and transformed into a more flavorful version of their often-bland selves.
When cheese is involved, it puts any dish over the top. I would venture to say that even your kids would eat veggies roasted with cheese. Take any roasted vegetable and top it off with melted cheese (parmesan and gruyere are great options), and it is doubly delicious.
This tuna casserole is no exception. The mushrooms are roasted until they are caramelized and exquisitely sweet. The cream and cream cheese ensures a savory taste, and the tuna and peas add a smooth texture and delicate crunch. The cheese is gooey deliciousness and the crackers are the perfect topping to this delectable dish. Please try to buy the Italian tuna in water. It is a little bit pricier, but well worth it.
This recipe is courtesy of Food Network and will serve 8 to 10 people who will look forward to this easy and flavorful dish.
Ingredients for Sheet Pan Tuna Noodle Casserole:
Nonstick cooking spray
Kosher salt
One 12-ounce package wide egg noodles
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
8 ounces mild Cheddar, shredded on the large holes of a box grater
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Two 5-ounce cans white albacore tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup crushed butter crackers, such as Ritz (about 26 crackers)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and season generously with salt.
Add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente according to package directions, about 5 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain well. Set the noodles aside and return the pot to medium-high heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cook until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown in spots, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the half-and-half, cream cheese and reserved pasta water, then continue to cook until smooth and slightly thickened, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes more.
Reduce the heat to low, then whisk in the Cheddar, Dijon, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
Stir in the reserved cooked noodles, tuna and peas until evenly combined (the mixture should be saucy; it will thicken as it bakes).
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Mix the crushed butter crackers, panko and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium bowl until well combined.
Then sprinkle evenly over the tuna-noodle mixture.
Bake until the topping is well browned and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, about 10 minutes.
Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
It’s that simple!
