This grain-free, dairy-free Paleo Tuna Zoodle Casserole is cozy, healthy, and budget-friendly. Made low carb and Whole30-friendly with zoodles, plus egg-free and nut-free options!
My husband loves Tuna Noodle Casserole. I have to admit, I didn’t even know what it was until I met him. The first time I made tuna noodle casserole for my husband, I was vegan. Ha! Yes… I used to be vegan. Well, by the time he and I were serious I had added sea life back into my diet. So I made him this dairy-free, heavy, gluten-full tuna casserole with lots of dairy-free cheese. He ate it. Bless his heart.
This Paleo Tuna Zoodle Casserole is the upgraded version. Real tuna, gluten-free, dairy-free, and delicious. This recipe makes for awesome meal prep, it’s comfort food in a bowl!
Ingredients
- Albacore Tuna: if we’re voting with our dollars, I’m voting for sustainably caught, wild tuna. It’s the most nutrient dense version and it supports fishing practices that protect our oceans.
- Cashew Cream: like a lot of my dairy free creamy recipes, cashew cream is key! If you’re not already making my cashew creamer for your coffee and other cooking needs you are missing out! This stuff is thick, creamy, and thickens when warmed. It’s amazing, and in this Paleo Tuna Casserole, it adds a dairy free creamy element that really makes the recipe comfort food!
- Pecans: while you can also use walnuts or cashews, I think pecans add the perfect level of crunch and fatty, nutty flavor.
- Paleo Mayo: my favorite pre-made mayo is Primal Kitchen. You can also make your own homemade mayo.
Step by Step Instructions
- STEP 1: Pre-heat your oven to 325°F. Zoodle your zucchini. Lay the zoodles flat on a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with salt. Let them rest here to they release liquid while you prep the rest.
- STEP 2: Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms in to the casserole dish.
- STEP 3: Open and drain tuna cans, flake the tuna into the casserole dish. Add in the salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon mayo, mustard, lemon juice and rosemary. Mix well.
- STEP 4: Wrap the kitchen towel around the zucchini and squeeze any excess water out. Add the zoodles to the casserole dish and toss to combine.
- STEP 5: Pour in the cashew cream and gently mix.
- STEP 6: Toss broccoli with chopped pecans in a bowl and mix with remaining mayo. Spread this mix over the top of the casserole and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. It will be toasty on top and creamy inside! Make sure to use a knife to cut your pieces before serving or your zoodles will pull out the whole thing!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Nut-free: you can make this Paleo Tuna Zoodle Casserole nut-free by using a sun butter or tahini to make a cream sauce. Mix 2 tablespoons with 1/2 cup water until smooth. You can also use this cauliflower alfredo recipe. Omit the pecans.
- Egg-free: skip the mayo, mix 1 tablespoon of gelatin with cream sauce or use AIP cheese.
- Baking dish: use a 5×7 or 8×8 baking dish. Double the recipe for a full-size casserole!
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: reheat in the oven at 350°F or in a pan with a tablespoon of bone broth, covered with a lid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Tuna is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. The low carbs in this dish paired with the healthy fats and lots of protein from tuna make it a great keto option.
Lots of healthy fats keep this casserole nice and moist. When reheating, you can add a tablespoon of bone broth to the pan and cover it with a lid.
If you have a good egg-free mayo, go for it!
You can make this Paleo Tuna Zoodle Casserole nut-free by using a sun butter or tahini to make a cream sauce. Mix 2 tablespoons with 1/2 cup water until smooth. You can also use this cauliflower alfredo recipe. Omit the pecans.
Looking for more free recipes?
Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for all of the latest updates.
Paleo Tuna Zoodle Casserole
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole!
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 cans Safe Catch Albacore Tuna, in water
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 3 large cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2–3 tablespoon paleo mayo (Primal Kitchen or Homemade, search one minute mayo for my recipe)
- 1 broccoli crown, cut into florets then minced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, or cashews)
- 2/3 cup cashew cream (see text above for details)
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 325°F.
- Zoodle your zucchini. Lay the zoodles flat on a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with salt. Let them rest here to they release liquid while you prep the rest.
- Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms in to the casserole dish.
- Open and drain tuna cans, flake the tuna into the casserole dish. Add in the salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon mayo, mustard, lemon juice and rosemary. Mix well.
- Wrap the kitchen towel around the zucchini and squeeze any excess water out. Add the zoodles to the casserole dish and toss to combine.
- Pour in the cashew cream and gently mix.
- Toss broccoli with chopped pecans in a bowl and mix with remaining mayo. Spread this mix over the top of the casserole and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. It will be toasty on top and creamy inside! Make sure to use a knife to cut your pieces before serving or your zoodles will pull out the whole thing!
Recipe Notes:
- Nut-free: you can make this Paleo Tuna Zoodle Casserole nut-free by using a sun butter or tahini to make a cream sauce. Mix 2 tablespoons with 1/2 cup water until smooth. You can also use this cauliflower alfredo recipe. Omit the pecans.
- Egg-free: skip the mayo, mix 1 tablespoon of gelatin with cream sauce or use AIP cheese.
- Baking dish: use a 5×7 or 8×8 baking dish. Double the recipe for a full-size casserole!
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: reheat in the oven at 350°F or in a pan with a tablespoon of bone broth, covered with a lid.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 272
- Fat: 20.7g
- Carbohydrates: 8.1g
- Protein: 14.6g
Amy says
This looks amazing. Would it be possible to substitute cashew butter (store bought) for cashew cream?
Cristina Curp, FNTP says
You can make cashew cream by mixing store bought cashew butter with some water, 2:1 ratio, until it;s a heavy cream consistency
Jen says
I don’t tolerate cashews all that well…so I used Cristina’s Cauli Alfredo from Made Whole…SO GOOD! I have made this twice in two weeks now during our shelter in place. I also used slightly undercooked spaghetti squash instead of zucchini (not a fan). After squash wasI cooked, i cut each half into quarters to make the “noodles” smaller and bite-sized. PERFECTION!! THANK YOU CRISTINA!!
Cristina says
Amazing Jen! Love that modification!
Rebecca says
Hi! I have made this many times now as it has become a favorite in our household. I have a lot of canned salmon right now, but no canned tuna (and trying to avoid extra trips to the store). Do you think this recipe would translate well substituting salmon? I have also been adding 1/4 cup cheddar on top right before baking, so I would also be curious to hear your thoughts on still adding the cheese (or not) if I use salmon. Thank you SO much! 🙂
Cristina says
Salmon would be great in this!
Rebecca says
So, it turned out great with the salmon (and the cheese). ? I just made it (AGAIN) last night but was able to use the original tuna. This is such a keeper recipe. I grew up on regular tuna noodle casserole (and my husband always looked forward to when I would make it, but now he prefers this healthier version).
Cristina says
Awesome!