Tuna casserole facts for kids
Tuna casserole just out of the oven
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| Place of origin | United States |
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| Main ingredients | egg noodles, tuna, peas |
Tuna casserole is a popular and easy-to-make casserole dish. It's mainly made with pasta (like noodles) or rice and canned tuna. Sometimes, people add canned peas and corn to it.
This yummy dish often has a crunchy topping. People use things like potato chips, corn flakes, bread crumbs, or canned fried onions. Tuna casserole is a common meal in many parts of the United States. It's great because you can make it using ingredients that last a long time in your kitchen cupboard.
History of Tuna Casserole
Casseroles became very popular in American homes during the 1950s. This was because the ingredients were usually cheap and easy to find at the supermarket. Imagine a quick family dinner ready in about 30 minutes! You just needed a can of tuna, a can of vegetables, a can of soup, and a package of egg noodles.
Tuna casserole is also very convenient. You can make a big batch and then freeze it or keep it in the fridge. This means you can easily reheat it for another meal later. It's a favorite dish to bring to potlucks, which are parties where everyone brings a dish to share. In some communities, people even bring tuna casserole to friends or neighbors who are sick or sad, as a kind gesture.
There are many different ways to make tuna casserole. But traditionally, it's made with egg noodles, chopped onion, shredded cheddar cheese, frozen green peas, and canned tuna. People often add condensed cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, and sliced mushrooms. The dish is usually topped with crushed potato chips and more cheese before baking.
Tuna Mornay in Australia
In most parts of Australia, this casserole is also very common. There, it's often called tuna mornay. It's usually served with a special sauce called Mornay sauce. This sauce is a Béchamel sauce (a creamy white sauce) with cheese added to it.
Just like in the United States, peas and corn are often added to tuna mornay. However, in Australia, people typically use wheat pasta instead of egg noodles for this dish.
See also
In Spanish: Tuna casserole para niños
