Skip to main content

Tuna Noodle Casserole with Leeks and Fresh Dill

3.8

(36)

Image may contain Plant and Food
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Leeks and Fresh DillLevi Brown

The Original: Any old canned tuna mixed with cream of something (chicken, celery, mushroom) soup. Our Version: Oil-packed albacore in a roux-thickened sauce flavored with leeks, dill, and Gruyère. Our one old-school concession? A crunchy, crushed-potato-chip topping.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; from about 2 large)
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
Coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
8 ounces wide egg noodles
1/2 cup coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 5- to 6-ounce cans albacore tuna (preferably packed in olive oil), drained, broken into 1/2-inch chunks
2 cups coarsely crushed salted potato chips (about 2 ounces)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt unsalted butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and celery seeds to saucepan; sprinkle lightly with coarse kosher salt. Cover saucepan and cook until leeks are tender but not brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Gradually add milk and half and half; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Season leek sauce to taste with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Remove sauce from heat.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain noodles, reserving 3/4 cup noodle cooking liquid. Transfer noodles to large bowl. Pour leek sauce over noodles. Add grated Gruyère cheese and dill and stir to blend; add reserved noodle cooking liquid by tablespoons until mixture is moist and creamy (about 8 tablespoons). Fold in tuna. Transfer to prepared baking dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover with foil and keep refrigerated.

    Step 3

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake noodle casserole, covered with foil, until heated through, about 20 minutes if freshly made or 30 minutes if chilled. Remove foil. Sprinkle crushed potato chips over and continue to bake, uncovered, until top is golden brown and filling bubbles, about 10 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 509.4 kcal calories
45.4 % calories from fat
25.7 g fat
11.2 g saturated fat
101.1 mg cholesterol
46.4 g carbohydrates
3.1 g dietary fiber
6.1 g total sugars
43.3 g net carbohydrates
23.2 g protein
#### Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Cured fish, cream, and lemon make an elegant base for this unexpected one-pot pasta.
In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.
Mexican pasta probably isn’t something you’ve thought about before, but this poblano sauce may have you rethinking your devotion to the red variety.
Love a tuna melt? Meet your new favorite nachos—fast and filling all thanks to tinned fish.
This side dish is flavorful enough to also serve as a main course.
Who says latkes have to be potato? Brussels bring a delicious cruciferousness.
Do you need heavy cream to make fettuccine Alfredo? Debatable. Will it be delicious? Undeniable.
A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.