This baked tuna casserole recipe is such an easy recipe to make! It’s pure comfort food, and you only need a handful of ingredients to make it. It is the perfect meal to make when you’re not sure what to make for dinner, as it’s hearty and comes together quickly, making it ideal for a busy weeknight.
While this dish may seem simple, don’t let it fool you! It’s so flavorful and you’ll love all the different textures in each bite. The egg noodles are perfectly tender, the base is cheesy and creamy, the tuna is juicy, the peas add a wonderful pop of color and sweetness, and the breadcrumbs are irresistibly crunchy on top. Serve this with my homemade dinner rolls or garlic bread for an even more filling meal.
If you want other easy casserole recipes for dinner, then try my chicken casserole, chicken spaghetti, or corn casserole recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Egg noodles — these are a must for tuna casserole! Compared to traditional pasta, egg noodles have a higher egg-to-flour ratio, resulting in fluffier, lighter noodles that hold their shape well when baked. However, if you don’t have egg noodles, you can substitute any other pasta noodles.
Cream of mushroom — this is a classic ingredient that creates the creamy base of the casserole. If you’re not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, you can use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup.
Tuna — I recommend using high-quality canned tuna for the best flavor. Solid white albacore tuna is a great option, as it has a great texture and a mild flavor, so it tastes less fishy. The canned tuna I use is not packed in water or oil, so there’s nothing to drain. If you’re using a different canned tuna, make sure to drain well before using it.
Cheese — I use cheddar cheese, but feel free to use your favorite cheese.
Breadcrumbs — bread crumbs are a simple way to add a crunchy topping to your tuna casserole. You can also use panko breadcrumbs, potato chips, or even ritz crackers.
How to Make Tuna Casserole
1. Boil the egg noodles in salted water according to package directions, and drain. You are aiming for al dente.
2. While the noodles are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the melted butter and cook until tender.
3. In a large bowl, combine the canned soup and milk, stirring until smooth.
4. Add the hot noodles, cooked onion, tuna, 1 cup cheese, and peas. Stir together until well combined.
5. Transfer to a greased 13×9-inch casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
6. Place the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until melted. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake until bubbly and lightly golden brown, about 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Not only is it more cost-effective to buy a block of cheese to shred yourself, but it also tastes more fresh compared to buying pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese also has added ingredients to prevent them from clumping in the bag, so shredded cheese from a block melts more smoothly and evenly.
- Feel free to switch the cheddar cheese for your favorite melty cheese, such as mozzarella, gruyere, or pepper jack.
- Be careful not to overcook the egg noodles. The noodles will continue cooking in the oven, so you don’t want them to be overdone.
- There’s no need to thaw the peas before adding them to the baking dish. When frozen, it helps keep them from overcooking. This ensures they stay firm and green instead of turning brown and mushy.
- There’s no need to cover the casserole as it bakes. If you cover the casserole as it bakes, the topping won’t be crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few reasons why your casserole may be dry. The most common mistake is not adding enough liquid. Do not skip stirring in milk to the cream of mushroom as the egg noodles soak up the liquid, keeping the casserole moist. Also, I recommend setting a timer for your oven, as overbaking will dry the casserole out. Finally, make sure you’re using the correct sized baking dish for your casserole. If it’s too large, the casserole will bake through faster, leading to a dry dish.
It is super easy to freeze a casserole, either before or after it’s cooked. If baked, allow the casserole to cool fully before wrapping it up in a layer of plastic and freezing for up to 3 months. When ready to eat or cook, simply thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge and bake as directed or reheat until warm throughout. Use aluminum containers if you plan on freezing the casserole as they’re lighter, and you won’t risk thermal shock on ceramic dishes.
You sure can! Assemble this easy tuna casserole recipe a day before, tightly wrap it in plastic, and keep it in the fridge. The next day, bake as directed.
Store leftover tuna casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to eat, you can reheat it in the oven until warmed through or use the microwave. If you want to keep the breadcrumb topping crispy, use the oven.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Tuna Casserole recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Tuna Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13″ casserole dish
- Medium skillet
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles (340g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion diced (202g)
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (298g per can)
- ½ cup milk (120mL)
- 2 (7-ounce) cans tuna drained (198g per can)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (226g)
- 1 cup frozen peas (170g)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (56g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 13×9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Boil the egg noodles in salted water according to package directions, and drain.
- While the noodles are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the soup and milk, stirring until smooth. Add the hot noodles, cooked onion, tuna, 1 cup cheese, and peas. Stir together until well combined. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Place the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until melted. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Bake until bubbly and lightly brown, about 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Not only is it more cost-effective to buy a block of cheese to shred yourself, but it also tastes more fresh compared to buying pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese also has added ingredients to prevent them from clumping in the bag, so shredded cheese from a block melts more smoothly and evenly.
- Feel free to switch the cheddar cheese for your favorite melty cheese, such as mozzarella, gruyere, or pepper jack.
- Be careful not to overcook the egg noodles. The noodles will continue cooking in the oven, so you don’t want them to be overdone.
- There’s no need to thaw the peas before adding them to the baking dish. When frozen, it helps keep them from overcooking. This ensures they stay firm and green instead of turning brown and mushy.
- There’s no need to cover the casserole as it bakes. If you cover the casserole as it bakes, the topping won’t be crispy.
Made this tonight with 3 cups rotisserie chicken. It was delicious. Thanks John for the great recipes
Hi John,
neither in my husband’s family nor in mine is canned tuna eaten warm. (In the summer, cold on warm spaghetti with a little lemon and basil … delicious). That’s why I was a little skeptical when I read the recipe. When we had to raid our pantry when there was nothing fresh left in the house, I had everything together for this. And I must admit, it tastes fantastic. Much better than expected, it will now be added to our standard meals (at least when we have to raid the pantry again). Thank you so much for your recipe.
Best wishes, Sandra
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I never liked anything with tuna in it until I tried this recipe!! The fresh lemon, dill, and chives are so good. I also love the addition of potato chips to the top! I have made this several times and will be making it for dinner next week! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe. And so many others!! 🙂
delicioso!!!!!
The fresh dill and lemon are perfect in this dish! I sautéed about a half cup of shallots in the butter, then added the garlic. Chives were not available so I used parsley for some freshness. It’s all about the lemon and dill though! My new favorite recipe!
Kettle chips worked great.
Just put in the oven, I can tell by the sauce this will be fabulous. Just an fyi, I didn’t see when to add the lemon juice so I added at the same time as the zest. My granddaughter is sitting by the oven waiting for this to be ready. The potato chips won her over.