My husband thinks I make the best tuna salad in the whole world so I made a casserole that is similar to the way I usually make tuna salad.

This is a very unique original recipe and I doubt anyone did what I’ve forking done here before. Casseroles normally are made with cheese but I didn’t want to use any cheese in this recipe because cheese would spoil the flavor with my recipe and I needed something neutral so I used my secret ingredient that is great for casseroles and low fat thick but seem rich kind of sauces…….drum roll…….Silken Tofu. It’s healthy it’s low fat and adds that perfect something. For this recipe you wouldn’t want to use high end tuna for a casserole recipe unless your pockets got no bottom so I think the best choice is wild caught chunk light tuna. I normally make tuna salad with fresh lemon juice and the zest but I was all out of lemon so I used lime and it added the acidity that was needed.

Ingredients  for about 12 servings

12 oz egg noodles cooked al dente ( about 4-5 minutes in salted water)

13 oz chunk light tuna drained

12 oz artichoke hearts rough chopped (I used frozen thawed)

1/2 cup olives stuffed with pimentos rough chopped

1 Tablespoon capers

1 cup scallions rough chopped

1 apple in thick shreds

teaspoon kosher salt

teaspoon black pepper

4 XL eggs

18 oz silken tofu package drained and cut up

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon garlic confit (roast garlic with extra virgin olive oil covered for about an hour and whip)

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2oz fresh basil rough torn (Save some for the top for serving)

non stick cooking spray

6 teaspoons reduced balsamic vinegar (1/2 teaspoon per serving) finish with a drizzle

6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (1/2 teaspoon per serving finish with a small drizzle

Directions

Set your oven to 350 degrees F and get a 1/2 foil pan and spray it with non stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl combine your noodles, tuna, artichokes, olives, capers, scallions, apple, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon black pepper and set to the side.

I used a stick blender and first blended the tofu with the lime juice till smooth. Then add balsamic, garlic, salt and pepper and blend again. Now add the eggs and blend.

Add the blended tofu mixture and mix well into the large mixture and lastly mix in the fresh basil.

Transfer to your 1/2 pan and covered with sprayed foil so it doesn’t stick to the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about one hour 20 minutes depending on your oven. At this point the noodles aren’t crispy on the top.

Chill to set.

Portion and heat to serve.

Finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and some torn fresh basil.