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Classic tuna noodle casserole is an old-fashioned, easy dinner that has been loved for generations! Best of all, the family-friendly dish comes together in about 20 minutes. You can’t beat the cheesy combination of tender noodles, canned tuna fish, and sweet peas tossed in a creamy sauce with crushed potato chips on top!
Table of Contents
- How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole | 1-Minute Video
- Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ingredients
- How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
- Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
If you love tuna fish recipes as much as we do, be sure to try this tuna pasta salad, the best tuna melt recipe, and this easy tuna Nicoise salad, too!
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole | 1-Minute Video
This is a GREAT casserole. Easy to make, delicious to eat.
– Joe
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This is the old-fashioned tuna noodle casserole recipe that I grew up on. My mom tweaked the original Campbells tuna noodle casserole with cream of mushroom soup to suit her taste preferences, resulting in a creamy filling of egg noodles, tuna fish, and peas topped with grated cheddar cheese and crushed potato chips. Here’s why you’ll love the easy recipe, too:
- Easy. The convenient tuna fish casserole recipe comes together with some basic kitchen staples, so it’s one of those easy options that you can turn to when there’s nothing else on the menu. There’s no need to make a roux from scratch with melted butter, all purpose flour, cream, or chicken broth. Instead, this easy casserole comes together quickly with helpful shortcuts like cream of mushroom soup and canned tuna.
- Affordable. With budget-friendly ingredients like noodles and canned tuna, this hearty, satisfying meal won’t break the bank.
- Versatile. Adapt this recipe to suit your preferences or to take advantage of whatever you’ve got on hand. For instance, use a different flavor of canned soup, a different variety of cheese, omit the peas or add other veggies instead, or mix up the topping with Ritz crackers or buttered breadcrumbs instead of potato chips. The options are endless…and it’s all good!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where did this classic recipe originate? According to Taste, this iconic casserole first popped up in the Pacific Northwest in 1930, when Sunset magazine printed a recipe for “Noodles and Tuna Fish en Casserole,” which came from a “Mrs. W. F. S.” residing in Kennewick, Washington. It’s been a staple in American kitchens ever since!
- Which kind of noodles work best for this casserole? A classic tuna noodle casserole calls for tender egg noodles. I like the fairly thin “medium” egg noodles, but you can also use “wide” or “extra broad” egg noodles.
- Which type of tuna should I use? I recommend solid white albacore tuna in water for this recipe. Either StarKist or Bumble Bee brands are my preference. The albacore tuna has a mild, less “fishy” taste than chunk light tuna, and a more firm, solid texture that holds up better when mixed into the dish. Make sure that you drain the tuna really well before combining it with the other ingredients. You don’t want a watery casserole filling!
- What can I substitute for the peas? If you don’t care for peas, you can omit them altogether or sub with a different vegetable of choice. Try crisp-tender broccoli florets, steamed or canned green beans, or frozen (thawed) mixed vegetables. Canned mushrooms or sautéed fresh mushrooms would also be a nice addition.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best old fashioned tuna noodle casserole. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Egg noodles: I like the fairly thin “medium” egg noodles, but you can use the “wide” or “extra broad” size instead. You can also substitute with different shapes of pasta, such as elbows, penne, spaghetti, and rotini.
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup: the creamy base of the casserole. Substitute with different flavors of condensed soup if you prefer, such as cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup.
- Milk: to thin the sauce.
- Canned tuna: I like the firmer, less “fishy” tasting solid white albacore tuna in water, but any variety is fine.
- Cheddar cheese: or substitute with any other type of cheese that will melt smoothly. For instance, mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Colby, Swiss, Colby Jack, Gouda, or Gruyere will all work. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese adds great flavor, too.
- Potato chips: for a crunchy, salty, flavorful casserole topping. You can use buttered bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, or French’s fried onions instead.
- Frozen peas (optional): little bright pockets of sweet green goodness! You can omit the peas if you don’t like them, or substitute with a different vegetable.
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
This easy tuna noodle casserole comes together with about 20 minutes of prep time. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s a quick overview:
- Boil the noodles.
- Stir together soup and milk.
- Add the cooked noodles, tuna fish, and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer the noodle mixture to a 1 ½-quart baking dish. Add grated cheese and sprinkle crushed potato chips on top.
- Bake the casserole for about 20-25 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
The best tuna noodle casserole recipe goes well with any of these sides:
- Crusty Baguette,No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, orNo-knead Skillet Focaccia
- Cast Iron Cornbread,Sour Cream Cornbread,Southern Cornbread,Pumpkin Cornbread,Cake Mix Cornbread,Skillet Cornbread,Sweet Cornbread,Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn,Corn Sticks,Broccoli Cornbread,Honey Butter Cornbread, orCornbread Muffins
- Sour Cream Blueberry MuffinsorBlueberry Corn Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits,Southern Buttermilk Biscuits,Flaky Biscuits,Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits,Sweet Potato Biscuits,Cheese Biscuits,Easy Drop Biscuits,7UP Biscuits, orCheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon
- Cranberry MuffinsorApple Muffins
- Pumpkin BreadorPumpkin Muffins
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette,Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette,Caesar Salad, or our favoriteHouse Salad with Candied Pecans
- Southern Fried Apples,Baked Apple Slices, orApplesauce
- Roasted Asparagus,Bacon Wrapped Asparagus,orSauteed Asparagus
- Amish Green Beans with Brown ButterorSouthern-Style Green Beans
- Parmesan Roasted CauliflowerorRoasted Broccoli
- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes or Baked Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with BaconorRoasted Root Vegetables
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Roasted Cabbage,Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Bacon, orFried Cabbage with Apples and Onion
- Cranberry Sauce
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard GreensorSweet and Spicy Collard Greens
- Fried Okra or Okra and Tomatoes
- Broccoli and Cheese
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: This is the ultimate prep-ahead meal to get dinner on the table quickly and easily — even on busy nights.Assemble the casserole, wrap tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.When ready to bake, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before putting it in the oven.
- How to Store: Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.Reheat the casserole in a 350°F oven, covered, just until warmed through (about 15-20 minutes). You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute.
- How to Freeze: Freeze the easy tuna casserole recipe before baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, cover with aluminum foil, andfreeze for up to 3 months.When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes, and then bake according to recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Use other flavors of canned soup. Cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup would both work well as substitutes for the cream of mushroom soup.
- Just about any noodles are fine. While egg noodles are most traditional, you can substitute with elbow macaroni, penne pasta, spaghetti, and rotini, too!
- Use chicken. Yep, you can even make this tuna casserole without tuna! Try an equal amount of canned chicken, use store-bought rotisserie chicken, leftovers from another meal, or boil your own chicken at home.
- Pick your favorite cheese. I use sharp cheddar, but any other good melting cheese is fine. Try Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby, Swiss, or American cheeses.
- For an extra-cheesy casserole, stir an additional 1 cup of grated cheese right into the filling.
- Add herbsto the sauce for more flavor. Try parsley, thyme, basil, or chives. A dollop of dijon mustard adds a little bit of zip to the sauce, too.
- Top the casserole with crushed Ritz crackers, buttered breadcrumbs, crushed French-fried onions, or crushed Corn Flakes cereal in lieu of the potato chips.
- Omit the peas, or substitute with a different vegetable of choice. Try crisp-tender broccoli florets, steamed or canned green beans, or frozen (thawed) mixed vegetables. Canned mushrooms or sautéed fresh mushrooms would also be a nice addition.
- Double all of the ingredientsand bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish to serve a larger family.
Tips for the Best Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
- Cook the pasta just until al dente(tender, but with a firm bite). The noodles will continue cooking in the oven, and you don’t want them to be mushy or overdone.
- Use solid white albacore tuna in water (not chunk light or other varieties).
- Drain the tuna fish really well before adding it to the casserole.
- There’sno need to thaw the peasbefore adding them to the dish. Just stir them in while they’re still frozen — this will help them stay nice and green in the casserole (rather than turning brown and mushy).
- Taste the filling before baking, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary.
- A splash of sherry in the filling adds another layer of delicious flavor!
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Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole
4.93 from 27 votes
Prep: 20 minutes minutes
Cook: 25 minutes minutes
0 minutes minutes
Total: 45 minutes minutes
Servings 3 people
Calories 533 kcal
This old-fashioned tuna noodle casserole is an easy, comfort food classic that's ready for the oven in just 20 minutes!
Equipment
Large Pot (I like using my Dutch oven for this)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces wide egg noodles (slightly more than 2 cups)
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna in water, drained and gently flaked with a fork
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup potato chips, coarsely crushed
- Optional: ½ cup frozen peas
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 1 ½ quart casserole dish; set aside.
Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, just until al dente (about 5-6 minutes). Drain.
In a large bowl, whisk together condensed soup and milk. Gently stir in the cooked noodles, tuna and peas (if using). Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle cheese on top, then crushed potato chips.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown and inside is hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- This is a small casserole, which serves about 3 people. To feed a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
- Cook the pasta just until al dente(tender, but with a firm bite). The noodles will continue cooking in the oven, and you don’t want them to be mushy or overdone.
- Use solid white albacore tuna in water (not chunk light or other varieties).
- Drain the tuna fish really well before adding it to the casserole.
- There’sno need to thaw the peasbefore adding them to the dish. Just stir them in while they’re still frozen — this will help them stay nice and green in the casserole (rather than turning brown and mushy).
- Taste the filling before baking, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary.
- A splash of sherry in the filling adds another layer of delicious flavor!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/3 of the casseroleCalories: 533kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 32gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 834mgPotassium: 1292mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 306IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 297mgIron: 3mg
Keyword: classic tuna noodle casserole, easy tuna noodle casserole, Tuna Noodle Casserole, tuna noodle casserole recipe
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Author: Blair Lonergan
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This recipe was originally published in November, 2020. It was updated in April, 2024.
