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Plant Based Gal's "Tuna" Casserole

Ahhh tuna casserole - one of the true comfort foods from your childhood. This plant-based version is creamy, flavorful, satisfying and good for you too!
Keyword Healthy comfort food
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4 large servings
Author PlantBasedGal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • ½ cup raw cashews (no salt or oil)
  • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 cup garbanzo flour or other flour
  • 2 T nutritional yeast or more for cheezier taste
  • 2 cups uncooked pasta shells or elbows
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 8 oz mushrooms sliced
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables or peas frozen
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans or 1 15-oz. can, drained
  • ½ cup French fried onions or crumbs optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Place all sauce ingredients (plant milk, veggie broth, cashews, soy sauce, spices) into a regular blender and set aside so the cashews can soften. For Vitamix blender, you can blend 30 seconds without soaking the cashews. 

  3. Cook the pasta in a large pot until just done (follow instructions on package and do not overcook). Add frozen mixed vegetables or peas to boiling pasta during the last minute of cooking. Drain pasta and veggies in colander and put the combo back in the empty soup pot. Set aside.
  4. While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet to medium high and sauté onions with water for one minute. Add celery and mushrooms stirring and cooking for 5 to 7 additional minutes until mushrooms have released their liquid. Add the cooked onion, celery and mushrooms, and peas or mixed veggies to the large pot of cooked pasta.
  5. Add drained garbanzo beans to sauce mixture in blender and pulse several times until beans are slightly mashed, but not completely blended.
  6. Pour sauce and beans into pasta mixture and heat on medium for 2-3 minutes until sauce starts to thicken.

  7. Dump the casserole in an ungreased 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. For French Fried onion option, bake 35 minutes, then sprinkle with French fried onions and bake 5 more minutes until the top is lightly browned. 

  8. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with a green vegetable and salad.