As I’ve gotten older my palate has become more adventurous, preferring flavors that surprise and excite me. But I grew up in the Midwest in the ’80s when creamy casseroles were a dinnertime staple, so I still have a soft spot for classic dishes like this Tuna Noodle Casserole. It might not be as flashy as many of my other creations, but this Tuna Noodle Casserole recipe is filling, creamy, and totally comforting! I did update the classic a bit to fit my current cooking style by making this tuna noodle casserole 100% from scratch, with no canned condensed soup.
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What is Tuna Noodle Casserole?
This classic casserole dish starts with a creamy mushroom sauce combined with delicate egg noodles, peas, and tuna, then it’s topped with a buttery breadcrumb, cracker, or potato chip topping. The classic version of tuna noodle casserole uses canned condensed cream of mushroom soup for the sauce, but in the recipe below I’ve whipped up a homemade creamy mushroom sauce instead. It does take a little more time, but it’s totally worth it, IMHO!
Ingredients for Tuna Noodle Casserole
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cheesy, creamy, cozy, and comforting tuna noodle casserole recipe:
- Vegetables: This cozy casserole features onion, mushrooms, and peas for tons of color, texture, and flavor.
- Butter: Butter is the base for the thick cream sauce and makes the breadcrumb topping deliciously golden brown and crispy.
- Flour: Flour combines with the butter to create a roux that thickens the creamy sauce.
- Milk and Broth: We use a combination of both milk and broth to create the creamy sauce so that it’s both rich and flavorful.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese thickens the creamy sauce and gives it tons of flavor, similar to the canned condensed soups that your grandma used.
- Wide Egg Noodles: The delicate texture of egg noodles and their wide shape balance perfectly with the chunks of tuna throughout.
- Tuna: I went with chunk light tuna packed in water for this recipe to keep it light and budget-friendly. If you have room in your budget, solid white albacore tuna will give you even better flakey chunks of tuna in the casserole.
- Breadcrumbs: A simple buttery breadcrumb topping creates just the right amount of texture on top of the casserole as it bakes. Some people like to use crushed Ritz crackers or even potato chips in place of the breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan: A little Parmesan mixed in with the breadcrumb topping gives the breadcrumbs just the right amount of flavor.
Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole
One of the most popular variations of this classic casserole is to add cheddar cheese. So if you like your tuna noodle casserole extra cheesy, feel free to stir in a cup of shredded cheddar when combining the sauce, pasta, and tuna. It will get nice and melty as the casserole bakes! Parmesan is another great option.
What to Serve with Tuna Noodle Casserole
This casserole can be a bit on the heavy side, especially if you prefer to make the cheesy version, so I like to pair it with a light and simple side salad. The delicate flavor and texture of the salad perfectly balance the creamy tuna casserole and it helps you get a little more green on that plate. Plus, it only takes five minutes to make! A simple Three Bean Salad might also be nice.
How to Store Leftovers
Tuna noodle casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for about four days, although it will get drier the longer it is in the refrigerator. You can also freeze tuna noodle casserole for longer storage. Once it’s fully chilled in the refrigerator, simply transfer to the freezer where it will keep for about three months. I suggest dividing the casserole into single servings before freezing so you can reheat one portion at a time. To reheat, let the frozen tuna noodle casserole thaw in the refrigerator over night, then microwave until hot.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Servings 6 1.3 cups eachIngredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.32)
- 4 Tbsp butter, divided ($0.44)
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced ($1.69)
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided ($0.04)
- 1/4 tsp pepper ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 2 cups whole milk ($0.40)
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth ($0.13)
- 4 oz. cream cheese ($0.75)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas ($0.25)
- 8 oz. wide egg noodles ($0.70)
- 2 Tbsp breadcrumbs ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan ($0.22)
- 12 oz. chunk light tuna, drained ($1.79)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion and add it to a skillet with 1 Tbsp butter. Sauté the onion over medium heat until softened.
- While the onion is cooking, slice the mushrooms. Add them to the skillet with the onion and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper. Continue sautéing over medium heat until the mushrooms have softened. Remove the mushrooms and onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the flour and an additional 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet. Cook and whisk over medium heat as the butter melts. Continue whisking as the butter and flour bubbles and foams for about one minute.
- Add the milk, broth, and cream cheese to the skillet. Whisk to combine with the butter and flour mixture. Continue cooking over medium, whisking until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce begins to simmer, at which point it will thicken.
- Add the frozen peas and the cooked mushrooms and onions back to the sauce. Stir to combine, then season with more salt and pepper (about ½ tsp salt and another pinch of pepper). Set the sauce aside.
- Begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Once boiling, add the egg noodles and boil for about 7 minutes, or just until tender. Drain the noodles in a colander.
- While the noodles are boiling, prepare the breadcrumb topping. Melt 1 Tbsp butter, then stir in the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
- Combine the creamy mushroom sauce, cooked and drained noodles, and drained tuna.
- Transfer the casserole mixture to a 3 quart casserole dish, then top with the breadcrumb topping.
- Bake the casserole for about 25 minutes or until heated through and golden brown on top. Serve hot and enjoy!
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How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole – Step by Step Photos
Start by finely dicing one yellow onion. Add it to a skillet with one tablespoon of butter and sauté over medium until the onions are soft.
While the onions are sautéing, slice 8oz. of mushrooms. Add the mushrooms, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to the skillet with the onions and continue to sauté until they are tender. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a clean bowl.
Add two more tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour to the skillet. Continue to cook over medium, whisking the butter and flour together as the butter melts. Continue to cook and whisk for about one minute after the butter and flour mixture begins to bubble and foam. The butter and flour mixture helps thicken the sauce.
Add 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of vegetable broth, and 4oz. cream cheese (cut into chunks) to the skillet. Continue to cook and whisk these ingredients together over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce begins to simmer.
Add the cooked onions and mushrooms and ½ cup frozen peas to the creamy sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper (I added another ½ tsp salt and a pinch of pepper). Set the sauce aside.
Begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add 8oz. wide egg noodles. Boil for about 7 minutes, or just until tender. Drain the noodles in a colander.
While the pasta is boiling, mix together the Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a small bowl, then stir in 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan.
Finally, combine the creamy mushrooms sauce, cooked and drained egg noodles, and one 12oz. can of tuna (drained). If you wanted to add cheddar, this is the point where I’d stir it into the mix.
Transfer the casserole mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish and top with the Parmesan breadcrumb topping.
Bake the casserole for about 25 minutes in the preheated 350ºF oven, or until heated through and golden brown on top.
Serve hot and enjoy the creamy goodness!
I love that I don’t have to use condensed soup to make this tasty casserole. My family loves it! I substitute chopped celery and carrots for onion since my husband hates onion. And I double the crumb topping.
I would suggest you add Alfredo with the homemade as well and maybe use two unions if you making a big pot of it.
Super enjoyed this! Felt even richer than the ingredients would tend to make me think.
I love Tuna Noodle Casserole but no one else in my household does. Sooo….I made it for my lunches for the week. I thought it was really good, even reheated, but was just missing a little something so I added a dollop of Sour Cream to my bowl and Perfection! This one is a keeper!
Any way greek yogurt would be a good sub for the cream cheese?
Unfortunately, I don’t think that would be an equal sub, but you’re always welcome to give it a go!
This meal was so delicious. The sauce was awesome and easy to do. Thank you for sharing
I made a vegetarian version of this tonight.
I subbed chickpeas for tuna. I also had some leftover fried onions from the holidays for the topping.The broth was flavorful, and I think it depends on what kind of stock you use. I used better than bullion no chicken broth.
It was really good! I will make it again
This turned out very well and tasty! I was a little worried based on some of the comments saying it was runny and not flavorful. I didn’t experience either of those and followed the recipe without any modifications. I will definitely be making it again.
Just made it, added a little extra salt (based on other comments) and it was great!!
My husband and I made this recipe, but with rotisserie chicken instead of tuna and it was delicious! We would love to make it again for our family. Do you think it could be made in advance and refrigerated for 24-36 hours before baking?
Yes, just keep in mind that the noodles will get softer, but if you enjoyed the leftovers then it won’t be much different from that. :)
This was absolutely delicious! I subbed 2/3 red bell pepper for the mushrooms and I discovered while cooking I did not have frozen peas as I thought I had, so I subbed in frozen whole green beans and cut them up with kitchen scissors while they cooked in the cream sauce. I used a 9×13 dish so I doubled the bread crumbs and parm. My husbands doesn’t like tuna so I hope to sub canned chicken next time, I will definitely make this again!! Yum! Oh and I subbed wheat pasta too because I have dying to use it in a dish I knew my husband wouldn’t eat. Haha!
Thanks for giving us a recipe without canned soup! Prep time given is 10 minutes. The first and second times I made this prep took closer to 30 minutes. Cook time given at the top of the recipe is 55 minutes. Cook time given in step 10 is 25 minutes. So, while the total time was close to the estimated 1 hour and 5 minutes, the instructions are contradictory. I liked this enough to make it twice, using yellow fin tuna in oil. Overall, it’s nice. Unclear whether the 3 quart casserole dish should be a 9 by 12 lasagne pan or a deeper round or oval dish. I’ll know after dinner tonight which works better. :-)
This recipe came out great! The only changes I made were to decrease the milk to 1.75 cups (based on previous comments) and I added herbs in with the onions and mushrooms when browning.
This tuna noodle casserole has no flavor and it was a runny mess. Are you afraid of spices well they won’t bite, this sure did need some more maybe less milk? I will not be making this again.
This came out great! I only had a 6oz can of tuna so I added a small can of drained minced clams and it was delicious.
Didn’t add mushrooms or peas because of family dislikes. Added carrots instead and followed recipe. Delicious!! Will definitely make again.
We INHALED this. Easy to make although I think I used more butter. So delicious. Thanks for this recipe.
Tuna noodle casserole is my favorite comfort food and this one did not disappoint! I doubled the peas because I love them and added 1/2 tsp salt instead of 1/4 tsp in Step 2. Also used 1 cup of half and half and one cup of 2% because that’s what I had. Delicious!
We just had tuna recently. What else can I use with this recipe?
Tim
Try rotisserie chicken or canned salmon. Whatever protein you go with, it should be precooked, XOXO -Monti
This recipe is completely tasteless. It has put me off ever wanting a tuna noodle casserole again. And I actually added things for more flavor. This was completely tasteless, regardless.
Made this last night but sauce didn’t really thicken, I think two cups of milk and one cup of broth is too much.
I followed recipe the sauce has absolutely no flavor. Very blah dish. Will not make again.
I just made this for dinner tonight. I replaced the tuna with one 14.5oz can of drained salmon that I flaked with a fork. So stinking yummy!
This is a must make! It’s delcious. I followed the recipe as is with a bit more salt.
Can you prep ahead and bake later? I’m wondering if I could prep the casserole part ahead and refrigerate. I’d add the topping then bake later.
Absolutely! XOXO -Monti
I substituted half coconut cream/half soy milk for the whole milk as that is what we tend to have on hand. I accidentally threw in the whole 16 oz. bag of cooked whole wheat egg noodles. Oops! It seems to have worked fine though, thankfully.
This is the best “adult” version of my favorite meal that I’ve ever made. Thank you so much for this… will be making again and again! I added extra peas b/c I love them, but other than that, followed the recipe exactly. Thank you!
Can this be frozen? I’m single and can’t eat casseroles all at once.
To be honest, I haven’t tried freezing this one, so I’m not sure how it will hold up. It has some characteristics that might make it less than stellar after freezing/thawing (a creamy sauce, for instance), but it’s hard to say without testing it.
This was absolutely delicious! The only thing I did differently was add Old Bay seasoning to the sauce and the breadcrumbs and pimentos to the sauce because my husband asked for something red. I don’t typically comment on recipes, but this was really such a good upgrade to a normally bland comfort food. Thank you!
I wonder how well this would freeze? Maybe not very well because of the dairy
Yeah, I haven’t tried freezing this one, but in general, sauces thickened with flour tend to separate when frozen and thawed.
Excellent, I used Bella mushrooms 🍄, the cream cheese lends a creamy tang.
I left the mushrooms out and doubled the peas. Almond milk worked, I just had to simmer for an extra ten min or so. It will eventually get creamy.
I baked in a wider dish so I doubled the bread crumb topping. 10/10 delicious.
Wow amazing! So I had heavy cream left over from the shrimp Alfredo recipe and used it with this. Was so good!! Another winner. So grateful for your website!! Thank you!
Loved this recipe— it’s very good for a couple of days. But don’t reheat it in the office microwave unless you want to annoy everyone! I found that out.
Haha! The curse of tuna. 😅
Very good, but better after it sat for a little bit after coming out of the oven. Next time, I’ll replace some of the broth with white wine.
Delicious! I used whole wheat noodles, a lower fat cream cheese and a half and half cashew milk and can milk and a no sodium broth. Just to make it healthier for me and it was fabulous. It was creamy and the best I have ever made. Thought I was going to miss the can soup, but no more can soup for me! Using the fresh mushroom was a healthy idea and sauteing the onions gave it a great flavor. Thanks for much for the recipe.
Best tuna noodle casserole I’ve ever had. The sauce is money. I made it exactly as shown – no substitutions – and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Great recipe, already made it twice! I added a diced bell pepper with the onion and used 12 oz of egg noodles as opposed to 8. Baked it in a 9×13 glass pyrex dish so I made extra topping and also baked it a few extra minutes.
I made this today and it was so good. Just a simple, classic, delicious, old-timey kind of tuna noodle casserole. I made it exactly as the recipe said, but when I make it again I think I’ll double the crunchy topping. Loved that. Highly recommend.
An EXCELLENT recipe!! I added 1 tbsp of worcester sauce and about 2 tbsp of pure horseradish (in a bottle- not the prepared type). Both great additions to a wonderful recipe.
At what step did you add these in? Sounds great!
What step did you add these in? Sounds great!
Love it!
However, the prices are tripled and quadrupled here in Hawaii. This meal would cost a Hawaii resident about $40-50 depending on the store.
Oh, that is horrible, Diana! Is there a certain ingredient that pushes the price up?
I live on Maui and it would cost me no where near “$40 or $50” to make this. If I had to buy most of the ingredients it would be about $15 to make this. I do keep Parmesan, Butter, Milk, flour and tuna (large pack from Costco) and bread crumbs (I make them out of a stale piece of bread)canned chicken broth (also the case from Costco) in the house all the time so if you had to buy all of those ingredients, it would drive up the cost but not even close to $40 or $50.
Can you skip the cream cheese? It’s not been available here in a couple weeks. Would I add more milk? I planned to add some medium sharp white cheddar. Can this work instead of cream cheese? Thank you.
The cream cheese is pretty important because it both thickens the sauce and helps stabilize it so the sauce doesn’t break (separate) when baking. You can make a regular cheese sauce with the sharp white cheddar, but it is definitely more likely to separate when you bake it.
We too are having a supply chain issue with cream cheese. I used Tofutti “cream cheese” and it was wonderful!!
This is really similar to the recipe I use and have memorized from the Joy of Cooking. :) I usually make mine in a big cast iron skillet, so I can just stick it right into the oven once it’s all mixed together.
Now that my boys are getting bigger, I think I’m going to have to start doubling the recipe!
Can I substitute olive oil for the butter in this recipe?
I personally wouldn’t substitute olive oil for the butter because it has a totally different flavor. But it all comes down to your own flavor preferences. :)
Sounds delicious. Supper tonight. I have always made tuna noodle casserole with peas and a homemade medium white sauce but never added onion and mushrooms. I don’t know why I haven’t, but will tonight.
Raised my kids on tuna casserole, but usually just served it from the stovetop, cooking the pasta a bit more than would for more cooking in the oven. As soon as everything was well mixed and hot, there were hungry takers. DH wasn’t crazy about it–his mother never made casseroles–but it was a guaranteed lunch pleaser for the young ‘uns. Always sauteed mushrooms and minced onion, and melted plenty of mild cheddar cheese in the sauce. I sometimes used broccoli instead of peas, and plenty of whichever.
Love your version with cream cheese and the parm breadcrumbs! My mom made it with canned soup and put crushed potato chips on top, but I always made a bechamel, which with cheese is technically a Mornay sauce–I may have learned to do that in 9th grade home ec–and topped with grated cheese when I did bake it. The cheesy breadcrumbs are a much better choice. LOVE Edna’s suggestion to use pepper jack. A small can of chopped green chilis would be fun, too.
FANTASTIC! I hate canned cream of mushroom soup. My 11 yr. old grandsons first taste of cream of mushroom soup (first time I had made tuna noodle casserole for him) elicited this comment, “gma did you put pencil erasers in this stuff”? Needless to say, this recipe went over great! Even the picky 4 yr. old loved it. Everyone knows toddlers are very discriminating about their food…dontch know? Too funny Becca! MaryJo
….I grew up loving Tuna Noodle Casserole, but my Mother and Grandmother never made it with mushrooms, or cheese. I like the simple version of a really good bechamel, and letting the flavors shine through . My Grandmother always made the buttered bread crumb topping , broijed it for a few minutes, and it was so delicious. I still make this dish ,and I’m in my 60’s. We had ” wedge salad ” with a simple dressing , and ” Supper was served “.
Should this be made in a 9×13 or 8×8 dish. I know the recipe says 3quart which I think translates to 9×13 but want to make sure.
It depends on the depth of the dish, too. Mine is about 9×9, but it’s a little deeper than the traditional 9×13″ glass baking dish. Whatever dish is big enough to hold all of the casserole will work fine. :)
I just made this recipe exactly as is (except that I used three times as many peas because I’m a veggie fiend). It’s delicious! The addition of cream cheese to the sauce makes it exquisite. Thanks for another great recipe, Beth!
Not a tuna noodle fan but I am totally going to try that mushroom sauce in a tator tot hotdish. (And yes, it is a hotdish NOT a casserole, dontcha know!)😆
Hi. For people unable to eat dairy, can you use dairy free milk and dairy cream cheese?
I am gluten and dairy sensitive and although I haven’t made this particular dish yet, I have made many others and have just substituted dairy and gluten free options and they have been delicious! So looking forward to trying this recipe and using the sauce for other recipes or Mac and cheese minus the mushrooms.
I just made this with oatmilk because it’s what I had on hand, and I added nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor. I love the taste but it’s not as creamy as the original. I did add parm to the topping (I used panko again what I had on hand) but I don’t think it would be much different without.
Hi! You read my mind as I was craving some tuna but didn’t want to do another damn tuna salad. I love casseroles and tuna noodle is my favorite! I haven’t made one in a while but this recipe popped up when I got to the site so it must be fate. 😂. Thanks!
Try using shredded pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar…l just think it goes better.