Some foods are just comforting, giving us a little reminder of childhood days gone by. Many things have changed since then and now we’re the ones making the tasty meals!

One of my favorite nostalgic meals is tuna noodle casserole. This easy dish has everything in one casserole pan- your pasta, veggies, and protein. But, in this updated version we get a lot more veggies and a little bit of parmesan cheese for a more modern taste. It speaks to how our favorites can evolve and change with us. Some things we don’t need to leave behind.

One classic way to make tuna noddle casserole is to start with a box of mac & cheese and to use some canned “cream of” soup. But, for this version we’re making our own béchamel and using egg noodles instead. This gives a really smooth, creamy flavor that never tastes too salty or artificial. This way tastes much more like home cooking which we love around here!

Then for the veggies we’re using a classic combination of diced carrots, peas, and celery. But, to that we’re also adding some bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, and spinach to make this a bit more of a veggie-forward dish and to give the casserole more depth of flavor.

If you don’t love these veggie options then you can add the ones that work for you. I could imagine zucchini or kale or broccoli in this modern tuna noodle casserole.

A bit of parmesan on top elevates this casserole even more. Once this is out of the oven you’ve got a classic casserole that will remind you of the family dinners of your childhood, but with a more nutritious and grown up flavor.