Easy Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Easy Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole, one of the most delicious casseroles you will eat. Full of tuna, a creamy sauce and peas. Or substitute with broccoli or mushrooms, or you choose. This delicious recipe was also featured on Tasty!
This Tuna Casserole will always remain creamy and Yummy. A couple of our favourite creamy Casseroles are Broccoli Cheese Bake or this delicious Simple Scalloped Potatoes.
Nothing like comfort food to make you feel all warm and cozy even when you aren’t quite feeling it. From Creamy to Cheesy. Apparently the term Comfort Food was first used in 1966. Eating comfort food was suppose to increase positive feelings and help lift depression. Personally I think it works.
I love Baked Pasta and Casserole dishes. The Creamier the better. I find the weekend is the best time to make these since most of them need a little more time. And Sunday leftovers can be Monday night’s dinner, nothing better than that!
Or you can make it in advance, refrigerate it and then bake it when time is limited, like during the week.
Recipe Ingredients
- Egg noodles
- Homemade white sauce
- Spices
- Milk – whole or 2%
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Frozen peas or you can substitute with broccoli, cauliflower or even mushrooms
- Tuna – canned in water or oil drain well
- Breadcrumbs
How to make a Tuna Casserole
Pre-heat the oven. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
In a small bowl with a fork combine the melted butter and bread crumbs, set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water cook the peas just until tender, remove with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl. Add some salt to the boiling water and then add the noodles, cook until al dente, drain.
In a medium/large pot over low to medium heat melt 1/4 cup butter, whisk in the flour, basil, oregano, thyme and salt.
Slowly whisk in the milk and stir constantly until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Fold in the drained noodles, peas and tuna.
Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle with topping.
Bake 20 minutes, let sit 5 minutes and serve.
Do you bake it Covered?
I bake my Tuna Casserole uncovered because of the breadcrumb topping. I like it to bake nice and crunchy. Because the noodles are pre boiled it doesn’t take long to bake, therefore no worry of it burning.
What Vegetables can I use in a Tuna Casserole?
I like to use peas only because we love peas in our house, but my Mom always made this with broccoli. Or how about cauliflower, green beans or mushrooms or even mixed peas and carrots.
What type of noodles can I use?
I like to use egg noodles in this but if you prefer you could use a dry pasta noodle such as spirals or rigatoni.
How to Store it
The Casserole should be stored tightly wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last approximately 2-3 days in the fridge.
Can the Tuna Noodle Casserole be Frozen?
You can freeze this Casserole either baked or unbaked. If it is unbaked then be sure to cover it tightly or with plastic wrap (make sure pan is oven and freezer safe). When you decide to bake it make sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge.
It should be completely thawed before baking to make sure that it cooks completely through.
If you are freezing the baked casserole, be sure to let it cool completely before tightly wrapping with plastic wrap. The casserole whether baked or unbaked will last up to 6 months in the freezer.
This Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole is full of everything you need, it is a meal in itself. If you want, serve it with your favourite tossed salad and dinner is ready. Buon Appetito!
More Delicious Casserole Recipes:
- Italian Green Bean Casserole
- Creamy Broccoli Bacon Pasta Casserole
- Italian Sausage and Vegetable Rice Casserole
Easy Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
FOR THE TOPPING
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup frozen peas*
- 7 ounces dried egg noodles (3 – 3 1/2 cups cooked)
WHITE SAUCE
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon basil
- 1 dash thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups milk (2% or whole milk)
EXTRAS
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cans tuna (2 x 6 1/2 ounce / 2 x 184 grams, drained and flaked)
*You can substitute with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease a 10 x 8 x 2 inch (27 x 21 x 6 cm) baking dish.
FOR THE TOPPING
- In a small bowl with a fork combine melted butter and bread crumbs, set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water cook the peas until tender, remove with a slotted spoon, add the egg noodles and cook until al dente, remove and drain well.
- In a medium pot over low to medium heat melt the butter, whisk in flour, basil, oregano, thyme and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and stir constantly until sauce thickens**
- Remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese stir to combine.
- Fold in the drained noodles, peas and tuna.
- Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle with topping. Bake 20 minutes, let sit 5 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
**Make sure the sauce starts to boil, then once it starts to boil lower the heat to simmer it whisking constantly until thickened.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from February 10, 2015.
Can I use bow pasta instead of the noodles?
Hi Mercy, sure bow pasta would work too, I think pretty much any pasta except for the small types. Hope you like it.
Excellent
This recipe was delicious! So tired of dry casseroles. I admit I had doubts that it might be runny, but it was perfect. Put in celery peas & mushrooms. I would let it sit around 10 min after baking.
Hi Peggy, thanks so much, love the addition of mushrooms. Take care.
Another winner Rosemary! Followed your recipe to the tee and the casserole was delicious. It’s a keeper for sure.
Thanks Nancy, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
This just looked good, so I made it. My husband and I enjoyed it with biscuits.
Hi Ruthie, thanks so much, glad you both enjoyed it.
Casserole was good but not great. Next time I will add sauteed onions and a bit of minced garlic. I cut the milk back to 3 cups and added another 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper. My gluten free panko bread crumbs didn’t brown well so before I used the broiler at 400* for 5 mins. I spritzed with a drop of canola. All in all for the first time making this recipe it was good.
Thanks my love it
Hi Cecilia, thank you so glad you enjoyed it.
I just love tuna casserole and this looks like something I would like to try the problem is my husband does not like any kind of fish, can I substitute canned chicken?
Hi Debra, sure I think canned chicken would work. Let me know how it turns out. Have a great week.
I am subbing canned chicken, gluten free flour and gluten free breadcrumbs. It smells amazing! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Stacey, thanks so much, I hope you enjoyed it! Have a great weekend.
Am I the only one that’s confused by the math problem next to how much tuna to use? Is it 1, 2 ounce can that doesn’t seem like enough. Sorry if this is a dumb question but I’m lost.
Hi Megan, sorry about that, the ounces was in the wrong place, let me know how it goes.
Yummy!! Never made this with white sauce,always used lower sodium cream soups,celery or mushroom. Didn’t have time to take a picture my sister-in-law and brother couldn’t wait!!!
Hi Barbara, thanks so much, yes it goes pretty quick in my house too! Have a great week.
Hi! We don’t drink cow’s milk in our home (preference not an allergy). Do you think almond milk would be sufficient to make the sauce? Thanks!
Hi Tiffany, I have never made it with almond milk but apparently you can it’s a one for one substitution and be sure to use unsweetened almond milk. Let me know how it turns out.
Tried this tonight and it’s delicious! It has a nice creamy,flavorful sauce. I had some leftover Mac and cheese and used that with the other ingredients. I think the sauce flavors will lend themselves nicely with chicken and will make with that next time! Thank you!
Hi Tina, thanks so glad you enjoyed it and yes I am sure it will taste good with chicken. 🙂
Backed off on the milk (3 cups, not 3 1/2), added sauteed onions and a splash of Sherry. I hate peas; used steamed broccoli. Delish!!
Hi Diane, sounds great, so glad you enjoyed it.
This recipe was delishious,is a keeper. Sandy
Hi Sandra, thanks so much, so glad you like it. 🙂
COULD you’ve make this a day ahead and refrigerate for 24 hours?
Hi Erica yes that should work, make it and then bake it. Rosemary