Keto Tuna Casserole {with Real Noodles!}

This Keto Tuna Casserole has real honest-to-goodness noodles in it. And the carb count is still just 6 grams per serving.

Jump to:

• 💬 Keto Dieters Often Ask
• 🥣 Ingredients
• 🍄 Shrooms
• 🤔 The pea problem
• 🍞 Breadcrumb Topping
• 🍜 Low Carb Noodles
• 📖 Instructions
• ❄️ Storage
• 📋 Recipe

Greetings 👋

If you are looking for some pure 1950s comfort food, then you've come to the right place. In fact, we've been waiting all day for you to come home from work. And we've prepared your favorite dish, tuna noodle casserole.

So tuck a napkin into your collar and dig right in!

Just kidding, you are going to have to make this retro casserole all by yourself.

But don't worry about the carb count, because this is a Low Carb Tuna Casserole. That's because this recipe uses a rotini noodle that is made by the Great Low Carb Bread Co. It's a low carb noodle that actually has a relatively high amount of carbs, but it also has a very high amount of fiber. So the total net carbs for one serving of this classic tuna noodle casserole is just 6g.

💬 Keto Dieters Often Ask

🥣 Ingredients

• Great Low Carb Bread Co. Rotini Noodles
• butter
• garlic
• red bell pepper
• mushrooms
• salt
• black pepper
• heavy whipping cream
• chicken broth
• arrowroot powder
• water
• canned tuna
• frozen peas, optional
• cheddar cheese

"Condensed mushroom soup, while far from perfection, is a very present help in time of culinary trouble." -M. F. K. Fisher (1942)

🍄 Shrooms

Classic tuna noodle casserole is very easy to make since you are just dumping in a can of cream of mushroom soup as the base.  When you are making low carb casseroles, nothing is that easy, I'm afraid.  We'll need to make our own cream of mushroom soup out of real mushrooms, chicken broth and heavy whipping cream.

But this will work in our favor in the end.  Our Keto Tuna Casserole will be higher in nutritional value because the mushrooms aren't overly processed and cooked to death.  Mushrooms are a great source of potassium which is an essestial mineral and an electrolyte.  Your body needs electrolytes when you are in the state of Ketosis because your body flushes out a lot of water.  Eating mushrooms can even ward off the dreaded "Keto flu".

So eat up, it's good for ya!

🤔 The pea problem

You've got one optional ingredient for this Low Carb Tuna Noodle Casserole: peas. If you want to make an exact replica of traditional tuna noodle casserole, you need to have a few peas, but they aren't so low carb friendly, unfortunately. They add a sweet note and a bright pop of color, but if you leave them out, you'll save yourself 2g net carbs per serving. 

🍞 Breadcrumb Topping

Tuna noodle casserole often has a crumble topping of breadcrumb or even crushed potato chips, but I like to keep it simple and stick with just melted cheese.  It keeps the carb count down, and it's a prettier casserole without it.  But you can sprinkle three tablespoons of almond flour or crushed pork rinds on top of the cheese if you like it crispy on top.

🍜 Low Carb Noodles

Now I've seen Keto casserole recipes that take the mushroom idea a little too far and use them in place of the noodles.  I've seen recipes that use cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles as well, but that is not the path we will tread.  I recommend using real store-bought noodles made by either Great Low Carb Bread Co or ThinSlim Foods.  Both brands boil up like regular noodles.  I used rotini noodles for my recipe and it turned out beautifully.  

If you like this Low Carb Tuna Casserole, you might like my recipes for Keto Beef Stroganoff, Keto Mac and Cheese or Keto Spaghetti and Meatballs.

📖 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 X 13 inch or 3-quart casserole dish.
2. Add rotini noodles to a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes, then drain in a colander.
3. In a large skillet, heat butter over Medium heat until frothy. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add red bell peppers and saute for 1 minute more. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook for 7 minutes.
4. Add heavy cream and broth to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together arrowroot and water. Pour into the pan and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes more.
5. In a large bowl, mix together noodles, sauce, peas, tuna and 1 ½ cup cheese.
6. Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and the noodles are beginning to brown.

❄️ Storage

Like most casseroles, Keto Tuna Casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes on High, or bake it at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until warmed through. It will last in the freezer for up to 6 months, but try not to forget it in there, will you? It's easy to forget about things once they slip beneath the frozen broccoli.

And don't let the number of steps dissuade you from making this 1950s era "Tuna Surprise".

This Keto Tuna Casserole recipe actually comes together very quickly. You can make it in about 50 minutes, so it's a great throw-together weeknight dinner.  And with only 440 calories and 6g net carbs, it is sure to fit into your low carb diet.  

So don your frilly apron, and let's get started!

Ok, chow for now!

(But let's keep in touch.)

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📋 Recipe