Modified Tuna Casserole

I wanted to try a recipe for a tuna casserole that wasn't quite as heavy as the traditional casserole I grew up with. I really liked the idea for replacing the noodles with veggies, therefore making it a more complete meal with a single dish (although when I made this, we also cooked up a side of quinoa to add a grain and make the meal more filling even though it might have been a bit overkill). I used a mixture of broccoli and cauliflower for the frozen vegetables, but I think this would be really nice with some carrots or peas as well.

Modified Tuna Casserole

Yield: 10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

36 oz. frozen vegetable blend, thawed
12 oz. drained tuna
12 oz. extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli (*see recipe)
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp celery seed

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Lay frozen vegetables on the bottom of a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
• Combine cream cheese, onion, aioli, seasonings, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until smooth.
• Mix in the tuna until just combined with other ingredients, then spread evenly on top of the vegetables.
• Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, serve immediately.