Un-Tuna Casserole
Looking for a Meatless Monday casserole option to feed your family? This simple, dairy-free Un-Tuna Casserole serves all the comfort of the old classic, without the dairy and high sodium of canned cream of mushroom soup. We'll substitute garbanzo beans (chickpeas) instead of tuna. This casserole is very versatile, based on the vegetables you have on hand. You could swap out peas for broccoli, add chopped carrots or minced garlic, or whatever veggies you have in your frig that you need to use up.
Ingredients:
For The Sauce:
1 1/4 cups plant milk, unsweetened and unflavored, my preference is cashew milk because it’s rich, creamy consistency
1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews - See below for a nut-free option
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp granulated dried onion
Pepper - a few grindings
For The Base:
1 1/2 cups uncooked whole grain elbow, shell, or small pasta
1 small onion, chopped
4 medium cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup green peas, frozen or thawed
1 - 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
Instructions:
Place the plant milk, cashews, granulated onion, thyme, and pepper into a blender and set aside, (so the cashews can soften)
Cook the pasta in a large pot according to the instructions on the pasta package; drain and place the pasta back into the pot, off the heat.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Add chopped onions and mushrooms to a skillet on medium-high heat, stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes, until softened and lightly browned, adding a little water only as needed to prevent sticking. Add this mixture, as well as the peas, to the pot of cooked pasta.
Place the drained garbanzo beans into a food processor and pulse just until the beans are brown down, but not mushy. If you don’t have a food processor, mash the beans with a potato masher. Add to the noodle pot.
Blend the sauce ingredients that have been soaking in the blender until smooth. Add to the pot and stir this mixture.
Spoon into a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
* Note: For a nut-free, lower-fat version, replace cashews with 3/4 cups cooked cannellini beans (from a 15 ounce can, drained).
Adapted from www.forksoverknives.com
