Low Carb Tuna Casserole – This is my low carb, gluten free take on a traditional classic. You won’t even miss the pasta.
Tuna casserole is always reminiscent of my childhood dinner table. Quick and easy. The poor mans friend. Back then it only took a box of pasta, a couple cans of tuna, some condensed cream of mushroom soup, and peas. Now, I am giving it an elevated low carb, gourmet face lift. The dill and the mustard powder really bring this sauce to life. Serving it over cabbage was just a no brainer. Cabbage is a favorite among low carbers and makes an excellent substitution for noodles. It is filling, inexpensive and versatile. That is a winning combination. If you are a fan of cabbage recipes, check out some of my other variations. Fried Cabbage with Kielbasa, Oven Roasted Cabbage Wedges, and Paleo Cabbage Roll Soup just to name a few. What are some of your favorite ways to eat cabbage?
Check out some of my other favorite low carb, keto casserole recipes:
- Cheesy Smoked Sausage Cabbage Casserole
- Eggs Benedict Casserole
- Big Mac Casserole
- Three Cheese Ham and Broccoli Casserole
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Cabbage Noodle Tuna Casserole – Low Carb, Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
- medium head green cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut into large shreds
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp dried dill or 2 tbsp fresh dill
- 2 tsp dry mustard powder (get it here)
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
- 3 - 5oz cans albacore tuna, drained (I use this brand)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in an extra large ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
- Once heated, add the cabbage, onion, celery, garlic, sea salt and black pepper to the pan.
- Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender - about 10 minutes.
- Mix in the dill, mustard powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Pour the heavy cream and 1 cup Parmesan cheese into the pan. Mix in and keep stirring until the cheese has melted and combined with the heavy cream.
- Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Once the sauce has started to thicken, stir in the tuna and the peas.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top of the dish and transfer to the oven.
- Broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until the Parmesan on top has made a golden brown crust.
Recipe Notes
Per Serving - Calories: 377 | Fat: 28g | Protein: 23.5g | Total Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 3g | Net Carbs: 7g
***Please note that nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary greatly between brands. Always be sure to read labels***
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Love, love, love your Fried Cabbage with Kielbasa recipe. It’s so good!: ) Can’t wait to try this. Was always a fan of Mac n Cheese casseroles with tuna. This sounds like a much tastier and healthier alternative 🙂
Made this last night for dinner. It was yummy and a nice warm comfort meal reminiscent of the old classic. I am sad there were no leftovers for today’s lunch! Thank you for a great easy recipe. I prepped my cabbage noodles earlier in the week and used them for spaghetti and meatballs and then I packed up the rest of the cabbage noodles in the fridge to use for this. Will definitely make again. For those that don’t like tuna, I think it would be delicious with chicken too. And next time instead of the parm cheese browned on the top, I think I might try some crushed pork rinds.
Since my tuna noodle casserole calls for cream of mushroom soup, I just HAD to add mushrooms. I pureed them into the heavy cream. I really like this recipe…my husband did not, but, then, he does not care for tuna noodle casserole either!
Made this, so delicious! I used gruyere. My only question, my cream didn’t think as much as I hoped for, but otherwise, love it and making this again and again!
You can always simmer it a little longer or add a little more cheese to the sauce to help thicken it. So happy you enjoyed it!
This was so yummy! A gourmet version of my childhood memory. My husband and noodle loving 16 year old kept adding more and more to their plates. There was only a smidge leftover which I gladly ate with lunch the next day. Thanks for the great recipe!
Do you think you can use almond cream or coconut cream?
Yes, the sauce just won’t be as thick. You may want to add a little xanthan gum to help thicken it.
how long does this keep? i made this a few days ago but i dont want it to go to waste and i also dont want to get sick. My husband wont eat it and neither will my son.. i dont know why its freakin delicious.
If you are worried about it spoiling, you can always freeze it to reheat later.
If you are worried about it spoiling, you can always freeze it to reheat later.
I’m so excited to see this. I miss tuna casserole enormously!
I just made this. Yumm!! I tried to keep to your recipe but I used broccoli instead of peas, added more cheese and put all of it in instead of topping it off and broiling it. I try not to turn on the oven in the summer here in Houston! It tastes great, but mine is mushier than what your photo looks like. My cabbage probably cooked too long while I was getting the remaining ingredients prepared.
Oh also, I couldn’t find “Lemon Zest” so I used Lemon extract instead. Is it similar?
Lemon zest is just the rind of the lemon peeled off with a zesting tool.
I LOVED this! And both husband and stepkid had 2 helpings each! Total success.
Thank you!