Vegan Tuna Casserole
A comforting vegan twist on the classic tuna noodle casserole, made with mashed chickpeas and nori for that briny, "fishy" flavour, tossed with pasta, peas and a creamy mushroom sauce, then baked golden under a crispy Panko topping.
Ingredients
For vegan tuna:
- 1 can chickpeas drained
- ½ stalk celery finely chopped
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- ½ red onion chopped
- 30 g vegan mayonnaise
- 50 g nori seaweed flakes can be found as a snack at Asian stores
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil it has a "fishy" taste and smell
- 40 ml water
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper
For the casserole:
- 250 g fusilli pasta cooked according to the instructions on the package; you can use GF if you want
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 300 ml condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup cashew milk
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese grated
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs use GF if needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare the "tuna":
- In a bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork. Don't puree them, you want the mixture flaky and slightly chunky in texture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the finely chopped celery, red onion, green onion and nori flakes.
- In a blender, combine the vegan mayonnaise, water, vinegar, flaxseed oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add this sauce to the chickpea mash and mix well.
- Place the faux-tuna mixture in a bowl, cover and set aside.
For the casserole:
- Heat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Put the cooked pasta in a bowl and add the peas, the vegan tuna, the condensed cream of mushroom soup, the cashew milk and the grated vegan cheddar. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish greased with oil.
- In a small bowl, mix the Panko breadcrumbs with the olive oil and sprinkle over the pasta mixture.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until it browns on top and forms a crispy layer.
Notes
Nori flakes are often sold as an Asian snack, so check the snack aisle at Asian stores if you can't find them elsewhere. Don't skip the flaxseed oil, it's what gives the mixture its authentic fishy aroma. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven to keep the topping crisp.