Tuna casserole
 Tuna casserole that just came out of the oven | |
| Place of origin | United States, Australia, Finland |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | egg noodles, tuna, peas |
Tuna casserole is a casserole primarily made with pasta or rice and canned tuna, with peas sometimes added. The dish is often topped with potato chips, corn flakes, breadcrumbs or canned fried onions.[1] Tuna casserole is a common dish in some parts of the United States, often prepared using only nonperishable pantry ingredients.
History[edit]
Casseroles became popular in American households in the 1950s mainly because the ingredients were cheap and easy to find at the supermarket. Tuna casserole could also be frozen or refrigerated and then reheated to be eaten the next day. Tuna casserole is popular to take to potlucks, and may be taken to the home of someone who is sick or going through bereavement as a gesture of kindness.[2] While there are countless variations of tuna casserole, historically it is made with egg noodles, chopped onion, shredded cheddar cheese, frozen green peas, drained canned tuna, condensed cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, and crushed potato chips. The cooked noodles, onion, cheese, peas, tuna, and soup are mixed in a baking dish, with the crumb topping and more cheese sprinkled on top, and then baked.
In 2010, Bon Appétit featured a from-scratch tuna casserole recipe, developed by Molly Stevens and featuring leeks, fresh dill, and Gruyère cheese.[3] Chrissy Teigen featured a tuna casserole recipe in her cookbook, Cravings, with her version including typical nonperishable ingredients such as canned tuna, cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, cheese, and a potato chip topping, with her version also featuring jalapeño peppers.[4]
Tuna Mornay[edit]
Tuna casserole is commonly known as tuna mornay in Australia. The dish is prepared with a mornay sauce (béchamel with cheese added, resulting in a cheese sauce). Peas or corn are often included.
Tonnikalavuoka[edit]
Tonnikalavuoka or tonnikalapastavuoka, literally meaning "tuna pasta casserole", is a Finnish version of the dish. It is one of the most popular school meals.[5] The primary ingredients are tuna and pasta, often with tomatoes and garlic included and shredded mozzarella sprinkled on top.[6][7]
Popular culture[edit]
In the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, Gabe Kotter's wife Julie frequently makes her "world famous" tuna casserole, which is actually notorious for being so bad. As Gabe remarked to his wife during an argument, "Nobody puts prunes in a tuna casserole!"
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Moore, Mary (15 December 1952). "Fresh from the Kitchen: Buffet Supper for Holiday at Small Cost". Windsor Daily Star. p. 30. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Smith, S. E. "What is Tuna Casserole?". wisegeek. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
- ^ "Tuna Noodle Casserole with Leeks and Fresh Dill". 29 January 2010.
- ^ "John Legend Cooks Sick Chrissy Teigen Potato Chip Tuna Casserole".
- ^ Siivonen, Marissa (10 February 2022). "Yksi kouluruoka on selkeä suosikki eri puolilla Suomea, paitsi Tampereella – suosituimpien listoille on noussut myös uudempiakin annoksia". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "Tonnikalapasta uunissa" (in Finnish). K-Ruoka. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "Tonnikalapastavuoka" (in Finnish). Calvo. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
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