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Tuna Casserole

A from-scratch tuna noodle casserole: egg noodles, peas and good canned tuna in a creamy mushroom sauce, baked under buttery toasted breadcrumbs until bubbling.

Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Rest
5 min
Makes
Serves 6
Jump to the recipe
A pasta casserole in a glass baking dish on a red tablecloth
Photo: Muhammad Khawar Nazir / Pexels

Tuna noodle casserole has a reputation that comes almost entirely from the canned-soup version: gray, gluey, and tasting more of the can than of anything else. Made from scratch, it is a different dish. A quick mushroom cream sauce, egg noodles cooked just short of done, good tuna and a crunchy buttered crumb on top. It takes about the same time as the shortcut and tastes like real food.

The sauce starts with mushrooms browned in butter. Browning is the important word; mushrooms that are crowded in the pan release their water and steam into gray, rubbery slices. Spread them out in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and let them cook undisturbed until the liquid evaporates and the edges turn golden. That color is what gives the sauce its savory depth, the flavor the canned soup was imitating.

Flour, then broth and milk, turn the mushrooms into a creamy sauce in about five minutes. A spoon of Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon are small but important: tuna is rich and slightly fishy, and a little acidity keeps the casserole tasting fresh rather than heavy. The sauce should be pourable when it comes off the heat. The noodles absorb some of it in the oven.

Cook the egg noodles a couple of minutes short of the package time. They finish in the sauce while baking. Fully cooked noodles go soft and break up when stirred with the sauce, and by the time the casserole comes out of the oven they have lost all their texture.

Choose the tuna with care. Solid white albacore packed in water is mild and holds together in big flakes. Tuna packed in olive oil is richer and more flavorful; drain it well. Avoid the chunk light tuna that turns to shreds. Break the tuna into large flakes and fold it in last, gently, so it stays in recognizable pieces.

Frozen peas go in straight from the freezer and add color and sweetness. Onion and celery are here for sweetness and a little crunch; leave either out if you prefer.

The topping is what makes it worth looking forward to. Panko breadcrumbs tossed in melted butter and Parmesan bake into a crisp, golden crust that contrasts with the creamy noodles underneath. Crushed potato chips or buttery crackers are the old-fashioned alternatives and work just as well.

The same crumb-topped comfort runs through million dollar chicken casserole, and easy fish stew is a lighter seafood dinner. For another weeknight casserole, chicken and rice casserole bakes in one dish.

Tuna noodle casserole from scratch

A from-scratch tuna noodle casserole: egg noodles, peas and good canned tuna in a creamy mushroom sauce, baked under buttery toasted breadcrumbs until bubbling.

Noodles, tuna and peas under a crumb crust

For the casserole

  • 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles
  • 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
  • 8 oz (225 g) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 rib celery, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (475 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar, grated
  • 2 cans (5 oz / 140 g each) solid white albacore tuna, drained
  • 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas

For the topping

  • 1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Brown the mushrooms, undercook the noodles, bake

  1. 1 Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9×13 in (23×33 cm) or 3 qt (2.8 L) baking dish. Cook the noodles in salted boiling water 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain.
  2. 2 Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook, stirring only occasionally, until browned and their liquid has evaporated, 7–8 minutes.
  3. 3 Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, 4 minutes, then the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
  4. 4 Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, then the milk. Simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, 3–4 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the Dijon, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cheddar until melted.
  5. 5 Add the noodles and peas to the sauce and stir to coat. Break the tuna into large flakes and fold it in gently. Spread in the baking dish.
  6. 6 Toss the panko with the melted butter and Parmesan and scatter evenly over the top.
  7. 7 Bake uncovered 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and the topping is deep golden. Rest 5 minutes and sprinkle with parsley.

Canned soup, potato chips and making it ahead

  • Canned soup shortcut: replace the flour, broth and milk with one 10.5 oz (300 g) can of cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup (240 ml) milk.
  • Potato chip topping: crush 2 cups (60 g) plain potato chips and use them instead of the panko mixture.
  • Make ahead: stir ¼ cup (60 ml) extra milk into the sauce, assemble without the topping, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. Add the topping and bake 30–35 minutes.
  • Leftovers: refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350°F (180°C) with a splash of milk.
  • Freezing: freeze before adding the topping for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before baking.

Dry casserole, the right tuna and other pasta

The sauce was too thick, or the noodles were fully cooked and absorbed it all. Keep the sauce pourable and undercook the noodles.

Solid white albacore in water or olive oil holds together in large flakes. Avoid chunk light tuna, which shreds.

Yes. Rotini, penne or medium shells all work. Cook them 2 minutes short of the package time.

Yes. Skip them and add an extra ½ cup (120 ml) broth. The sauce will be milder, so taste and add a little more salt.