Gather round the dinner table for this meal. Tuna Casserole with Egg Noodles is classic comfort food! Tender egg noodles and mushroom soup mixed with albacore tuna, combined with shredded cheese, sliced mushrooms and fresh peas.
Baked until hot and bubbly with a crunchy golden brown topping, this meal is pure comfort food!
There are many great casserole recipes on the blog, be sure to put the King Ranch Chicken Casserole on the menu for this week! It's like a cheesy chicken enchilada without all the fussy prep!
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What makes this recipe irresistible
This delicious Tuna Noodle Casserole recipe is pure comfort food! It's made using simple pantry ingredients that you keep on-hand. It's an affordable meal that even your pickiest eaters will gobble up!
Everyone needs a simple recipe like this to put together because it's all about pantry staples. It's a great meal when you don't know what to cook and don't feel like going to the store. Look in your pantry and refrigerator, I bet you'll have everything you need!
The end result is an easy tuna casserole with a crispy, crunchy topping! It's great for busy weeknight meals!
Ingredients
You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients. For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- flaky tuna, you'll need 2 cans of tuna fish (I prefer solid white albacore tuna) - you can substitute canned chicken, that will be terrific as well.
- extra wide egg noodles or medium egg noodles are the traditional choice, but you can use other types of noodles; penne, rigatoni or elbow macaroni pasta would be delicious as well.
- mushroom cream soup - cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup can be substituted.
- mushrooms - I used canned mushrooms, but you can also use fresh mushrooms. You can also omit them and this classic tuna noodle casserole will still be delicious!
- shredded cheddar cheese and parmesan - substitute Colby, or pepper jack, all are great choices! You could substitute pecorino if parmesan cheese isn't available.
- frozen peas are best!
- half & half - you can substitute whole milk or even evaporated milk, that would make it super creamy!
- bread crumbs - panko breadcrumbs will make the topping super crispy - yum! You can also use Italian bread crumbs for crispy flavor.
Tuna Casserole with Egg Noodles
Equipment
- 9x13 casserole dish
Ingredients
- 16 ounces egg noodles wide egg noodles or whole wheat egg noodles can be used.
- 10 ounces tuna chunk light tuna, packed in water, well drained - two cans
- 7 ounces sliced mushrooms one can, well drained
- 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken canned soup - you'lll need two cans.
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups cheese shredded
- 1 ¼ cups half and half
- ¾ cup dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon butter divided
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Boil egg noodles until just al dente (the package called for 7-8 minutes I boiled them for 6) in salted water. Drain well
- Butter the baking dish using 1 tablespoon butter.
- Drain the tuna and flake. Drain the mushrooms. Shred the cheese.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the mushroom soup with the half and half.
- Add the cooked noodles, tuna, mushrooms, peas, and cheese to the mushroom sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything together well and pour it into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with bread crumbs and drizzle the remaining melted butter over the crunchy topping. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
- Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Notes
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Nutrition
Instructions
This is an overview, for detailed instructions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Cook noodles according to package instructions to al dente'.
- In a large bowl, stir together the soup, milk, mushrooms and tuna making a creamy sauce.
- Fold in the noodles and cheese into the cream sauce, pour the tuna mixture into a baking dish, add the bread crumb mixture to the top, melt butter and drizzle on top of the casserole.
- Bake the cheesy tuna casserole in the oven, finish under the broiler. Garnish with parsley or thinly sliced green onions.
How easy is that? A pantry meal that's delicious and doesn't break the bank - gotta love that!
Equipment
- These mixing bowls - I have two sets and use them daily!
- I have two sets of measuring spoons. I like these because they fit in the spice jars.
- 9x13-inch baking dish - this one has great handles, making it easy to handle when hot.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ's)
Bread crumbs - store-bought or homemade, whatever you have! What, no bread crumbs? Substitute with potato chips, crushed pretzels or a can of fried onions.
You can easily make your own bread crumbs using stale bread, rolls or croissants. Just give them a rough chop and blitz them in the food processor.
Bake covered for the first 30 minutes - uncover and finish by browning under the broiler.
I recommend solid white albacore tuna packed in water. That's our preference. You can use light flaked tuna or tuna packed in oil. Just be sure to drain it well.
Deb's top tips
Save a cup of pasta water or use or a cup of milk. Add it sparingly as you combine the mixture it is super saucy before baking. Nobody likes dry casseroles!
- Make in advance - Prepare the casserole up to a day before. Wait to add the topping until you're ready to bake.
- Double this classic recipe and freeze a second casserole. An easy dinner tonight or the days you don't want to cook!
Variations
This is just the BEST Tuna Casserole and you can have fun making it your own.
- Top the noodle casserole recipe with crushed potato chips, crushed ritz crackers or French fried onions - yum!!
- Spice it up with a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes or a couple dashes of hot sauce. Substitute chicken for tuna, that's an option too!
- You can use any of the creamed canned soups in this recipe.
- Sautéed onions and mushrooms is a great addition to the tuna noodle casserole recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator - This from scratch Tuna Noodle Casserole keeps in the refrigerator up to three days. Refrigerate leftovers in a food storage container.
Freezer - Store in an airtight container, or wrap well with aluminum foil. It freezes wonderfully as well, up to three months. Get the best tips for freezing tuna casserole here.
Reheat - you can reheat leftovers in the microwave. My preference is baking so the top re-crisps (that's a word, right?!!). It will take a few more minutes to reheat out of the refrigerator - plan on baking 30-35 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Are you wondering what to serve with tuna casserole? Find over a hundred ideas here!
- This is the best tuna noodle casserole recipe! It's a rich dish, so serving steamed Brussels sprouts balances it with its simple, fresh flavor.
- 3 ingredient steamed green beans - super delicious, it takes just minutes to make!
- This one is a favorite! Braised Swiss Chard - buttery, savory - SO GOOD! Sauté on the stovetop while the casserole is baking!
Related Recipes
- This recipe for Fish Stick Casserole is surprisingly scrumptious! The potato filling is amazing!
- The blog is filled with easy recipes! Next time try Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
- Even your pickiest eaters will love this recipe! This ground beef casserole has a tomato cheese base and it's so simple to make - family favorite!
- Philly Cheesesteak Baked Tortellini Casserole, easy to make and a real crowd pleaser, this is always on the menu!
I bet you'll enjoy this for dinner, it's such a tasty meal! If you post a photo, please tag me! I'd love to see the photo of your Tuna and Noodle Casserole!
You can tag me with #bowlmeover or if you're on Instagram use @bowl_me_over I can't wait to see how this turned out for you!
Debra says
Wow! Just loved this recipe, Deb. Easy to follow your thorough instructions, and my hubby and I were quickly taken back to our 1960’s childhoods. Made it for “Throwback Tuesday!” Reconstituted dried shiitakes and substituted them in for the regular mushrooms. Never made the recipe with cheese after all these years - excellent addition.
Thanks from one Debra to another!
Debra Clark says
Hey Deb, nice to emeet you!! Isn't that so retro and classic? I love this recipe, which reminds me I need to make it again soon. Yum, yum, yum!! Thanks for the stars and for your support! I hope you find lots of yummy recipes!!
Julie Evink says
This classic tuna noodle casserole is so easy to make and that topping is the perfect finishing touch. My kids request this for dinner when it's their turn to pick it out!
Alyssa says
Tuna noodle casserole was one of my favorite meals as a kid. I can't wait to try this recipe out!
Brittany says
My husband loves tuna. This tuna noodle casserole is a perfect addition to our meal plan!
Bowl Me Over says
This easy recipe is a real winner, enjoy!
Cynthia Rusincovitch says
You're taking me back to my childhood here. My mom used to make tuna noodle casserole. I hated it because the peas were so squishy. It took me years to try it again. Now I love it because the peas are frozen not canned. Haha! It is funny the recipes that remind you of your history.
Bowl Me Over says
Oooh, then you definitely need to give this Tuna Casserole a try. It's going to be a hit I'm sure - enjoy Cynthia!
Kristen Yard says
My mom always made tuna noodle casserole when I was little, and I never could find just the right recipe to match hers--this is it! So creamy--ultimate comfort food!
Bowl Me Over says
Glad it was a hit Kristen! This is one of my go-to easy recipes on the blog!
Renee says
I followed the recipe as written but I wasn't thrilled. The egg noodles in the store come in 12oz packages, so 16 ozs seemed to be a lot. But I brought 2 packages & used 16 ozs as directed.. The casserole was super thick & the other items seemed to be out of balance. Because of that the cooking time was not enough time. It was not creamy & gooey as expected. I think I'll have to add some chicken broth to the remainder to salvage it. Any suggestions?
Bowl Me Over says
Interesting - I haven't had that experience. If it's too dry, then yes I'd add evaporated milk or chicken stock and top it with a little more cheese before you rebake.
Tracy says
My husband only knew how to make tuna casserole when I met him. It's been our joke for many years. I'm making your version because it's so similar. Thanks for sharing such a classic dish that has never gone out of style.
Bowl Me Over says
You're so welcome Tracy, enjoy! I know this will bring back great family memories!
Suzanne says
I am going to make this today and was wondering if I can use canned peas instead of frozen
Bowl Me Over says
I would just skip the peas Suzanne, I think the canned peas would just get squishy! You can substitute with fresh broccoli or asparagus.
Connie says
My tip for Tuna Noodle casserole is 10 minutes before it is done, sprinkle with French Fried onions!
Linda says
My tip for tuna casserole is to freeze the block cheese. That way you don't have to grate it, you can just slice it and it crumbles on its own.