Best Tuna Noodle Casserole

This Tuna Noodle Casserole is made with a simple, from-scratch mushroom cream sauce, egg noodles, bright green peas, and a buttery cracker crust. It’s better than you remember and ready in under an hour.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Tuna Noodle Casserole

I grew up eating Tuna Casserole against my will. It was beige in color, bland in flavor, and mushy in texture. Now that I’m a classically-trained chef, though, I reimagined this classic recipe in a way that appealed to my modern culinary sensibilities and personal taste.

The first obvious step was to replace the canned cream of mushroom soup. I’m not a food snob, and sometimes I endorse canned soups (such as in Tater Tot Casserole), but for Tuna Casserole, I wanted more flavor. I used my homemade cream of mushroom soup recipe, and I have instructions on how to season your casserole at every layer to avoid blandness.

I swapped the canned green peas of my childhood for frozen peas which adds both color and stronger flavor. I also added a crunchy cracker crumb topping to balance out the soft textures of the casserole. I added a pile of lemon wedges and some hot sauce on the side for serving. A little acid brightens up the whole casserole. This convenience food of the past is now bright and fresh and perfect for casserole season.

Tuna Casserole Ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Crushed Ritz crackers: Smash ’em up and drown them in butter. Bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or saltine crackers make good substitutes.
• Salt and pepper: Seasoning during different stages of cooking makes sure the flavor is there with every bite. Especially with creamy casseroles! You want to add some salt to the sauce to keep it from tasting bland.
• Egg noodles: Tender egg noodles provide just the right texture in the casserole, and they cook fast too. Feel free to use any other pasta (such as macaroni or penne) instead.
• Mushrooms: Hate mushrooms? Just leave ’em out. Celery is a really great substitute.
• Tuna: Use your favorite brand (canned or in a pouch) of chunk light tuna. White albacore tuna works too. For tuna casserole, I usually look for tuna packed in water.

How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Heat a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the noodles until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in the bottom of a Dutch oven or skillet and sauté the onions and mushrooms over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are nicely browned and the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, crush the crackers make the cracker topping.

3. Add the peas, tuna, broth, cream, and parsley and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to let it thicken into a creamy sauce. Stir in the noodles and season to taste with salt and pepper (do not skip this step or your casserole may be bland!).

4. Pour the casserole ingredients into a baking dish, smooth the top, and scatter the buttered cracker crumbs over the noodles. Bake at 450 degrees until hot and bubbly, only about 15 minutes.

5. Serve the casserole with lemon wedges on the side (a little fresh lemon juice cuts through the richness of the casserole).

How to Make Creamy Tuna Casserole Ahead of time

You can assemble the casserole up to 2 days before you plan to serve it. Just cover it with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, add the cracker topping and pop it in the oven.

Best Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe Variations

• Yield: This Tuna Casserole recipe makes about 12 cups of casserole which is enough for 8 servings, 1 ½ cups each.
• Salmon noodle casserole: An equal amount of canned salmon takes the recipe in another delicious direction.
• Chicken noodle casserole: Leftover rotisserie chicken is a great replacement for those who don’t like fish.
• More vegetables: Add or substitute frozen carrots, corn, or sliced scallions. Just make sure whatever vegetable you add is already soft (cooked). Just sauté them in a little bit of butter or olive oil before you get started.
• Cheesy: For a melty treat, fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese into the casserole before pouring into the baking dish.
• Gluten-free: Since this recipe doesn’t contain all-purpose flour, you can make the casserole gluten-free by using GF crackers and GF noodles. That’s it!
• Take it to go: Bake this casserole in the oven-safe insert of a 9×13-inch crockpot and then tote it with you to your family gathering. Bonus, you won’t have to ask your host to keep it warm!

How to Store Tuna Noodle Casserole

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Assemble the unbaked casserole and wrap tight with foil or plastic wrap. Then place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before baking as directed in the recipe.

Serving Suggestions for Tuna Noodle Casserole

Serve Tuna Casserole with plenty of minced fresh parsley, lemon wedges for squeezing, and hot sauce or Tabasco.

Since this tuna pasta bake is rich and hearty, choose lighter side dishes to round out your menu. A fresh garden salad with red wine vinaigrette is always a good choice. Or, try a fruit salad or air fryer green beans.

More casserole recipes

Casserole Recipes

Baked Mac and Cheese

Breakfast Recipes

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Side Dish Recipes

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Casserole Recipes

Vegetable Casserole

Recipe for Tuna Noodle Casserole

By Meggan Hill

This Tuna Noodle Casserole is made with a simple, from-scratch mushroom cream sauce, egg noodles, bright green peas, and a buttery cracker crust.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 8 servings (1 ½ cups each)

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Calories 412

5 from 14 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the topping:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter melted
• ▢ 35 Ritz crackers smashed into fine crumbs (1 sleeve, see note 1)

For the casserole:

• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper (see note 2)
• ▢ 8 ounces wide egg noodles (about 3 cups, see note 3)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 10 ounces white button mushrooms trimmed and sliced thin, optional (see note 4)
• ▢ 1 onion peeled and minced
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas
• ▢ 2 (7-ounce) foil pouches solid white tuna flaked (see note 5)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• ▢ Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions 

• To make the topping, in a small bowl, add crackers crumbs and melted butter and toss to coat. Set aside.
• To make the casserole, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to boil. Add egg noodles and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add mushrooms, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until mushrooms are browned and their liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
• Add peas, tuna, parsley, broth, and cream. Bring to simmer, about 10 minutes. Add cooked noodles and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Do not skip this step or your casserole may be bland!
• Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Ritz crackers: Smash ’em up and drown them in butter. Bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or saltine crackers make good substitutes.
2. Salt and pepper: Seasoning during different stages of cooking makes sure the flavor is there with every bite. Especially with creamy casseroles! You want to add some salt to the sauce to keep it from tasting bland.
3. Egg noodles: Tender egg noodles provide just the right texture in the casserole, and they cook fast too. Feel free to use any other pasta (such as macaroni or penne) instead.
4. Mushrooms: Hate mushrooms? Just leave ’em out. Celery is a really great substitute.
5. Tuna: Use your favorite brand (canned or in a pouch) of chunk light tuna. White albacore tuna works too. For tuna casserole, I usually look for tuna packed in water.
6. Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of casserole which is enough for 8 servings, 1 ½ cups each.
7. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5 cupsCalories: 412kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 19gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 559mgPotassium: 410mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 863IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill