Inexpensive Tuna Casserole

[getoutamykitchen]

My mom had to raise 4 kids on a policeman's salary, so she was always looking for inexpensive meals to make. I grew up on Tuna Casserole. It only has 4 ingredients. A large bag of potato chips (crushed), 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 soup can of milk and 1 small can of tuna. Mush it all together, dump it in a casserole, bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes and it's dinner. I still make it today, but I learned to dislike tuna so I use a can of chicken breast instead.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Would any of us been able to grow up without some version of tuna casserole?

 

[babetoo]

i doubt it. my version is different but then there must be one hundred ways to do it.

 

[Loprraine]

I think I was about 25 when I tasted my first tuna casserole. Love the stuff. When I was young, we did eat lots of salmon / potato patties .

 

[Cooksie]

My dad wouldn't eat casseroles , so we never had tuna casserole. We had a lot of salmon croquettes, hamburger patties smothered with onions and gravy, and fried chicken. My husband won't eat canned tuna (even if I buy the pricey stuff ), but he loves just about every other imaginable type of casserole. Every once in a while I have to have my tuna fix, so I mix up a batch of tuna salad and just eat it on crackers. He about gags !

 

[Scotch]

Ate this once every week or two as a kid, and I LOVED it. Only difference was my mom used Cream of Mushroom soup.

 

[Andy M.]

Tuna casserole was all to frequent a dish when I was first married and paid once a month. I've never seen a recipe for it that didn't include noodles before. Live and learn!

 

[getoutamykitchen]

My dad wouldn't eat casseroles , so we never had tuna casserole. We had a lot of salmon croquettes, hamburger patties smothered with onions and gravy, and fried chicken. My husband won't eat canned tuna (even if I buy the pricey stuff ), but he loves just about every other imaginable type of casserole. Every once in a while I have to have my tuna fix, so I mix up a batch of tuna salad and just eat it on crackers. He about gags !

I've grown to hate canned tuna also due to it started to taste to fishy to me so I've been making it with canned chicken breast for the last 12 or 13 years. It's much better and my DH has to have canned jellied cranberry sauce with it.

 

[Scotch]

Check this version: TUNA TETRAZZINI

 

[getoutamykitchen]

Check this version: TUNA TETRAZZINI

A little bit to complicated for me, also I can't stand mushrooms.

 

[recipedirect]

My mother made the potato chip topped tuna casserole frequently. My sister hated it so much that once she poured dish soap over it so we wouldn't have to eat it. We didn't eat anything else either, no dinner for us.
Liz

 

[BreezyCooking]

I also grew up loving mom's tuna casserole - basically an "a la king" type sauce, mixed frozen vegetables, & tuna served over egg noodles.

Another favorite economy meal of mom's was Salmon Loaf - basically a meat loaf with canned salmon subbing for the meat. I still love & make that today because it's both very nutritious & versatile. In the winter I serve it hot - sometimes topped with a Hollandaise or Bearnaise sauce. In the summer, I can serve it cold with a garlic/lemon/caper mayonnaise on the side.

 

[punkrawkchef]

my mom made it with cream of mushroom soup and threw in frozen peas or served canned peas......yick.

 

[Andy M.]

...Another favorite economy meal of mom's was Salmon Loaf - basically a meat loaf with canned salmon subbing for the meat...

I remember salmon loaf. It was right there with the tuna casserole when we were always broke. I have successfully avoided thinking about both until now.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Now, now - all Salmon Loafs are not created equal - lol!

While mom did add chopped or sliced pimento-stuffed green olives to hers, I also add chopped Kalamata olives & enough other seasonings, depending on my mood, to make Salmon Loaf a worthwhile undertaking.

 

[Andy M.]

Now, now - all Salmon Loafs are not created equal - lol!

While mom did add chopped or sliced pimento-stuffed green olives to hers, I also add chopped Kalamata olives & enough other seasonings, depending on my mood, to make Salmon Loaf a worthwhile undertaking.

I'm glad you enjoy your salmon loaf. I just don't care for them and I don't think any amount of added "stuff" will change that.

 

[BreezyCooking]

No worries - my husband hates it too!! Lol!!!

 

[Constance]

I'd like to have a good recipe for salmon loaf. I've never tried it. I always end up making salmon patties, which we love.

I love canned salmon...sometimes I just eat it straight out of the can, with mustard and crackers.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Would any of us been able to grow up without some version of tuna casserole?

PICK ME! PICK ME!! I've never had tuna casserole in my entire life. I've never had liver either. We had a lot of stroganoff and ham steak but never tuna casserole. I guess mom didn't like it. I have served my daughter Kraft Mac and Cheese with tuna and peas added, but I've never eaten it. She had had it at a friends and wanted me to make it. That only happened once, never again. Does that count as tuna casserole?

 

[getoutamykitchen]

I have served my daughter Kraft Mac and Cheese with tuna and peas added, but I've never eaten it. She had had it at a friends and wanted me to make it. That only happened once, never again. Does that count as tuna casserole?

That doesn't count as tuna casserole, that counts as Kraft Mac and Cheese murder.