Basically any casserole consists of:
- a starch (pasta in this recipe)
- vegetables
- meat or other protein, or additional vegetables
- and a sauce.
This recipe explains how to use your favorite ingredients (or the ingredients you have available) to make a low-sodium casserole.
This recipe uses the Low-Sodium Condensed Cream of XXX Soup as one of its sauce options.
Cook's Choice Casserole
Serves: 8.
Ingredients
Starch:
- 8 oz bite-sized pasta (macaroni, rigatoni, or ziti, or spaghetti broken in half)
Oils and Seasoning:
- ½ Tbsp unsalted butter OR vegetable oil
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp seasoning of your choice (For example, Mrs Dash Original Blend or Mrs Dash Garlic Herb)
- (optional) 1 clove garlic, minced
Veggies:
- 1½ cups chopped fresh or frozen vegetables (for example: onions, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, and/or squash)
Protein or additional veggies:
- 1-1/2 cup cooked meat (chicken, turkey, or beef), cubed or shredded OR additional chopped vegetables if you are making an all-veggie casserole
Sauce:
- For a cream sauce, use ⅓ cup cream of xxx soup mix and 1- ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- Or, use 1-1/2 cup basic tomato sauce. (see recipe under sauces)
- Or, use 1-1/2 cup Alfredo sauce (see recipe under sauces)
Optional ingredients:
- (optional) ¼ cup crunchy topping (For example: breadcrumbs, panko, or toasted almonds)
- (optional) ⅛ to ¼ cup shredded cheese, if desired (cheddar, parmesan, Romano, or Parmesan)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions (omit the salt) for al-dente, but stop cooking a minute early.
- Heat a large skillet or pan to medium high. Then add the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, add chopped vegetables. Sauté 6-10 minutes, until vegetables are almost at desired doneness.
- Lightly spray a casserole dish with oil. Mix vegetables, meat, sauce, and pasta. Then put entire mixture in a casserole dish.
- If desired, you can cover casserole with foil and either refrigerate it up to 24 hours before baking or freeze it for 2-3 weeks.
- If casserole is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Sprinkle the casserole with (optional) crunchy topping and (optional) cheese just before baking. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes until heated through and the top begins to brown. (If casserole was refrigerated prior to baking, bake it 40-45 minutes. If casserole was frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then bake it 40-45 minutes.)
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ½ cup. The sodium content of your casserole will depend on the ingredients you choose to use to make your casserole. Use the Nutrition Information page to help you to estimate the sodium content of your “cook’s choice” recipe ingredients.
