Beyond Tuna Casserole

"I've many seafood casseroles on a buffet. Depending on how you play it, they can be an elegant choice for catering. Plus, the flavor options are unlimited.  

“I’m putting together the spring catering menu featuring the Seafood and Andouille Sausage Casserole. Shell pasta works really well with this, and it’s good to toss the panko topping with oil so it doesn’t dry out.” —Nazim Khan, executive chef senior, Personal Touch Catering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

“According to 11-14 year olds, our tuna noodle casserole is the ‘best ever.’ When I taught a cooking class for 6th, 7th and 8th graders, this was a huge hit. The students all went home with a small pan to share with their families, and they reported back that their families requested for them to make it for dinner again! My son calls the seasoned bread crumbs on top ‘magic dust.’

“This tuna casserole is also one of our cafeteria’s favorite comfort foods. The convenience of tuna in a pouch and pre-shredded cheese makes this a simple menu item to prep. It’s a great way to get a serving of Omega-3 rich fish into our diet.”  —Cori Thomas, director of food services, Natividad Medical Center, Salinas, CA

“We make two types of seafood casserole. One has a cream sauce and the other has a tomato-based sauce—more like a stew. —Christopher Kaschak, executive chef, UNH Dining-Holloway Commons, Durham, NH