Ever have one of those nights where you are too tired to go to the store or to the drive thru, but you need something for dinner? So, in desperation you look around the pantry , fridge and freezer to see if there is anything that you might possibly whip up.
That scenario is exactly how my Greek yogurt tuna noodle casserole came about.
Tuna Noodles
In my pantry I always have a few cans of tuna and a variety of noodles / pasta. This time I had a half 16 oz bag of egg noodles and thought maybe I could make tuna noodle casserole.
I checked the freezer and sure enough I had a 10 oz bag of frozen vegetables and my plan was set into motion.
I began by cooking the noodles in boiling water until they were tender. After draining them I tossed them in a square (I believe 9 or 10 inch ) casserole dish. I drained the tuna and mixed it in along with the frozen vegetables.
Greek Yogurt Ranch
At this point I could have just added cheese and been done with it. However, I wanted to give my casserole a lively taste. I noticed in the fridge that I had a 6 oz container of Greek yogurt and that’s when it came to me. I would make a yogurt ranch sauce to mix into the casserole.
I used half the container of yogurt and mixed it with a quarter cup of milk. I used Lactaid milk, but I’m sure any kind would do. Then I pulled out my little package of Ranch dressing seasoning. I always keep a package on hand in the pantry, as it is great as a seasoning for so many things.
I mixed in about one teaspoon to the Greek yogurt and milk mixture. Once blended I tossed into the tuna casserole.
Better with Cheese
I am one of those firm believers that everything is better with cheese. So, it’s no surprise I tossed in a heaping helping of both Parmesan and cheddar cheese.
Lastly to top off the casserole I added French’s onions. The give a bit of crunch and salt to an dish.
After everything was mixed together I placed the dish in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- 1 teaspoon ranch mix
- 3 oz Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- 1-½ shredded cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan
- 8 oz Tuna
- 8 oz Egg noodles
- 10 oz Frozen mixed vegetables
- ½ cup French's onions
- Fill a cooking pot with water and bring to boil. Toss in the egg noodles and return to boil. Cook until al dente. Remove pot from stove and drain the water from the noodles.
- Transfer noodles to a 9 to 10 inch baking dish. Drain tuna and stir into the noodles. Add the mixed frozen vegetables.
- In a small bowl mix Greek yogurt, milk and ranch seasoning. Once well blended pour over casserole.
- Stir in cheeses. Top with French’s Onions.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.
Taste Test
So, this recipe was sort of a concoction of ingredients I had on hand. However, to everyone’s surprise it was really good.
It had great flavor with the ranch seasoning and a creaminess from the yogurt. And let’s not forget the cheesy goodness.
The recipe was so good I got a request to make it again a week or so later. It was at this time I thought I probably should formally write the recipe and perhaps share it will my lovely readers.
I encourage you to make this recipe yourself. I know I plan on making it again soon, as it is now one of my favorite weeknight meals.
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