- Melody Hartzler
- January 27, 2018
Tuna Butternut Squash Casserole (Whole30, Paleo)
Growing up I loved tuna, my dad hated the smell, so at home I could only eat it when he was out of town. That did happen to be a lot. Back in elementary school I also packed it in my lunch and had to ask the principal to open my can. Pouches didn’t exist yet, and the pull tab cans were hard for a 5th grader; I did feel bad when he spilled it on himself a couple of times.
At home I often paired tuna with the famous Kraft Mac and Cheese, so this recipe is inspired by that creamy comfort food taste except this one has no grains, no dairy, and is loaded with healthy fats and veggies. The possibilities are endless with this dish, it could easily be made with shredded chicken too. I’ve also made it before with cheese, so if dairy is ok for you go for it! If you do add a creamy cheese, you can probably decrease the mayo to 1/2 cup. The healthy mayo used in this recipe is from Thrive Market and is the Primal Kitchen brand which is Whole 30 approved. I also got the Plantain Chips and Safe Catch tuna there. Use one of the links above and get 20% off your first 3 orders. You also get a free 30 day trial.
This month 10% generated from affiliate links will be going to the ministry She Has a Name out of Columbus, Ohio. Human trafficking is unfortunately growing all around us. I’ve had family and friends personally observe it recently. I’m thankful for organizations like this that are shedding light on darkness and helping to redeem those that have suffered in these horrific situations.
Enjoy this recipe, stay well and warm this winter.
Tuna Butternut Squash Casserole (Whole30, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 30 oz Frozen Butternut Squash Three 10 oz bags
- 1 TBS olive oil I used garlic and onion infused oil to make my dish low fodmap.
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt adjust per taste
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper adjust per taste
- 5 slices bacon
- 2 cups Spinach I used fresh or you could use frozen (thawed and drained)
- 1/2 cup Diced Onion Leave out for low fodmap
- 2 cloves garlic Leave out for low fodmap
- 2 cans Tuna Safe Catch found on Thrive market
- 1 cup Mayo Use Primal Kitchen or Homemade from Thrive Market
- 2 TBS Dijon Mustard
- 1 cup Plantain Chips Optional, I used Thrive Market brand.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 25 minutes, until tender, tossing once halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, add 5 slices of bacon diced. I typically use kitchen scissors and just cut the slices into pieces as I'm adding them to the pan to avoid getting a cutting board dirty. Cook until bacon pieces are crispy, then remove bacon with slotted spoon. In the bacon drippings, add the spinach, onions, and garlic. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until tender.
- In a separate bowl mix tuna, mayo, mustard. After the squash is done and the spinach, onions, and garlic are tender and fragrant. Mix everything in with the tuna mix. Then place in a round or square casserole dish, top with crushed plantain chips (leave out for Whole 30), and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Spice it up with some crushed red pepper if you like spicy or even some curry powder would be yummy. 🙂 If you are ok with dairy you can add parmesan cheese to the top as well.
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