Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

not your grandmother's tuna casserole

(2 ratings)
Recipe by
Chiara Cyr
Dover, NH

I love exploring with spices and ingredients, so this is something that I put together one night for my parents and myself. It's low sodium and has little to no dairy, so it is perfect for lactose intolerant people (or even those allergic to milk, if you take out the butter and substitute with more olive oil). I really like to use Mimiccreme brand unsweetened heavy cream substitute, because it is made from almond and cashew creams and tastes awesome (they also have a sweetened version, if you want to make ice cream with it!). In this recipe, I used frozen ahi tuna cut into 3-4 inch chunks from the grocery store; so if you use fresh tuna, I suggest adjusting the cooking times accordingly. I love that this dish is light, even though it doesn't look like it should be. I eat a low-glycemic and anti-inflammatory diet, so this is perfect for those who do the same!

(2 ratings)
yield 4 -5
prep time 5 Min
cook time 25 Min

Ingredients For not your grandmother's tuna casserole

  • vegetable cooking spray
  • 2 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp
    butter, unsalted
  • 1
    small onion, chopped
  • 12 oz
    bag frozen artichokes
  • 1 1/2 c
    non-dairy heavy cream substitute
  • 1/2 c
    vegetable broth
  • 1 lb
    tuna steaks/pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • capers
  • 2 tsp
    cumin or curry
  • red pepper flakes

How To Make not your grandmother's tuna casserole

  • 1
    Spray a large pan (12 inch, if you have one) with cooking spray and heat at med-high.
  • 2
    Add butter and evenly distribute it throughout the pan.
  • 3
    Place each piece of tuna flat on the pan and let cook for about 3 minutes per side (slightly longer if not fully thawed).
  • 4
    When tuna is finished, place on a plate and set aside.
  • 5
    Add the other tablespoon of butter and add the onion. Sauté until clear to golden.
  • 6
    Add artichokes to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Be sure to stir often.
  • 7
    Next is where you would add capers to your liking. If you do not like capers, it is a trivial part to the dish that could be omitted to the cook's taste.
  • 8
    Add vegetable broth and lower heat to medium. Let simmer until broth has gone down slightly (about 5 minutes).
  • 9
    Next add the tuna back into the pan and add the spices, being sure to cover both sides of the tuna.
  • 10
    Add the heavy cream substitute and let simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates a little and leaves a thick cream.
  • 11
    Serve alone or over pasta cooked in 5 parts water and 1 part vegetable broth.
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