Tuna casserole

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
• ½ large red onion, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
• 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3½ cups skim milk
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 (16-oz.) bag of frozen peas
• 9 oz. dried flat whole wheat egg noodles
• 1 ¼ cup coarsely grated aged cheddar cheese (about 6 oz.)
• 2 (5-oz.) cans of high-quality imported tuna packed in water

Topping:

• 1 Tbsp. dried flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup coarsely grated aged cheddar cheese (about 1 oz.)
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish, and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. When the butter foams, add the celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned. Stir in the red onions and jalapeño and cook for 3 minutes more.

Add Old Bay Seasoning and flour to the vegetable mixture, stirring until the flour is well incorporated. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring well to make sure no lumps of flour remain. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir in Greek yogurt and mustard, and set aside.

Add the egg noodles to the boiling water and cook until just tender (cut open a noodle—it should have a white core running through the middle), about 3 minutes. Drain.

Add cheddar cheese and egg noodles to the vegetable and milk mixture. Flake the tuna into the mixture and stir gently to combine. Add bag of frozen peas and stir to mix.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and set aside.

Combine the parsley, butter, cheddar and the panko bread crumbs in a mixing bowl, using your hands to mix well until all the butter is incorporated. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the casserole.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.

Nutrition analysis per serving: 420 calories, 14 grams fat, 26 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 420 mg sodium