Whip up this Vegan Tuna Casserole whenever you need a quick dish that uses pantry staples. It’s easy on your wallet and perfect for end-of-the-month meals.
Every home has a go-to dish that they use when supplies are low and unexpected guests arrive. This Vegan Tuna Casserole is perfect for those spur-of-the-moment occasions or at the end of a long month.
It’s very easy to make and is an ideal recipe for beginner cooks or college students learning to stand on their own two feet.
Instead of tuna, we use canned chickpeas. Chickpeas are a rich source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. They’re an ideal source of plant-based protein for vegans. Keep the chickpea water to make dessert: Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse
As with most traditional casseroles, you can swap out ingredients and be creative. For this recipe, we use frozen peas. But it’s perfect for using up leftover veggies of all types. If you have vegan cheese, sprinkle it on top for a “Mac and Cheese” effect. Be creative and try out new herbs and spices to bring the extra flavor.
New to veganism? Read more at: What Can Vegans Eat?
Tips to make this Vegan Tuna Casserole
Keep mixing to prevent lumps
When you combine the flour with the melted butter, keep stirring. This will prevent lumps from forming and will result in a smooth sauce. Use a whisk to mix the milk and onion powder into the butter mixture.
Use a big pot so that there’s plenty of space to mix in the pasta and peas
The cooked pasta and peas are added to the white sauce. Make sure that you use a big enough pot so that you can mix the pasta into the sauce. If the pot is too small, you could risk squashing the pasta and peas, or not mixing the sauce all the way through.
Swap out wheat pasta for gluten-free
If you are gluten intolerant, you can swap the wheat pasta for a gluten-free variety. Cook according to the instructions on the package. Be sure to drain and rinse the pasta before adding it to the sauce. If you don’t drain the pasta, the sauce will be watery.
Bake in a deep casserole dish
Bake this vegan casserole in a deep dish so that the servings are chunky. You can even double the recipe if you have extra people over or would like to have leftovers the next day.
Vegan Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 ½ cups soya milk
- 4 T vegan butter
- 2 T flour
- 1 t onion powder
- ½ t freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta
- 1 ½ cups uncooked elbow pasta
- 2 cups frozen green peas
- 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 T melted vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To make the sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Slowly add the flour and mix well. Be sure to get rid of any lumps, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the soya milk and onion powder, whisk until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat.
To make the tuna casserole
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- Slightly mash the drained chickpeas with a potato masher, and add to the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta and peas, and gently mix it altogether.
- Place the pasta in an oven-safe casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and butter together. Add it to the top of the pasta.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with a fresh green salad or mixed greens.