Tuna Casserole is right up there with meatloaf and scalloped potatoes when it comes to comfort food. It’s been a family favorite for generations!
Flaky tuna is tossed with egg noodles, peas, celery, and mushroom soup. We top this with a buttery breadcrumb topping and bake it until it’s bubbly. Serve this easy recipe with some quick Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits and a side salad for the perfect meal!
We love belly warming casserole recipes. From Cheesy Chicken Casserole to Beef Taco Casserole, there is something so comforting about a bubbly warm meal from the oven.
It’s no surprise that this tuna noodle casserole has held its place at the top of so many family favorite recipes. It is easy to make, but it’s affordable, tasty, and versatile. Nearly any leftovers or any kind of veggies can be tossed right in! Be creative with this tuna fish casserole recipe!
It can go from prep to presentation in no time at all! Need a quick potluck entrée for work or a neighborhood event? This is hands down the best tuna noodle casserole recipe out there!
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
The best part of this tuna casserole recipe is that it takes minimal effort to put together and once it’s in the oven, toss a simple caesar salad to round out the entire meal. Simply combine the ingredients while the noodles are cooking and mix everything together. Sprinkle on the crumb topping and pop into the oven!
Be sure to cook the noodles ‘al dente’ since they will continue to cook in the oven and you want to avoid mushy noodles! I make this tuna casserole with egg noodles, but you can use any kind of pasta you’d like. We use simple vegetables including onion, celery, and peas. This recipe is great with any veggies including leftover Green Beans, roasted carrots or steamed broccoli.
This tuna casserole recipe can be made ahead of time as well so it’s great to prep now and bake later. The creamy, cheesy, mushroom sauce that will satisfy even the pickiest of palates!
How to Freeze Tuna Casserole
It is super easy to freeze a casserole, before or after it’s cooked! It is important to fully thaw a frozen casserole before putting it in the oven to avoid overcooking some areas and undercooking others, especially if the casserole was uncooked to begin with. Just leave it overnight in the fridge to allow it to thaw safely and then bake until it reaches 165°F.
If the casserole is fully baked, let it cool completely before wrapping it and freezing it. Another great tip is to line assemble the casserole in a foil lined pan and freeze after it’s been fully wrapped and sealed. Save that casserole pan for another use! Properly wrapped and sealed casseroles can be frozen for up to 6 months without damaging flavor or texture.
Easy Tuna Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups egg noodles measured dry *approx 6 ounces
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- ⅔ cup frozen peas thawed
- 5 to 6 ounces canned tuna drained, 1 can
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 can
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine topping ingredients and set aside.
- Boil noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Cook onion and celery in butter until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- In a large bowl combine noodles, onion mixture, peas, soup, milk, cheese, tuna and parsley. Mix well.
- Spread into a 2qt casserole dish and top with crumb topping.
- Bake 18-20 minutes or until bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Dinner
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This recipe is delicious. Can it be made ahead and frozen?
So glad you loved it. There are detailed freezing instructions in the post.
Was craving this comfort food, and I picked the right recipe. I added a second can of tuna to up the protein, and used cream of celery soup (what I had on hand). Do not skip the topping – it really makes the dish.
delicious recipe! my 15 year old daughter rates it 9 on 10 and so do I. It is very flavorful and creamy! will definitely make it again
Made this for me for my birthday. I’m the only one in the house that eats it. It was delicious! I love your recipes.
Perfect recipe. Delicious
this looks delicious, it would be helpful if you included recipes for families of 4
You can adjust the serving sizes on the print page. Please note, it will adjust the amount of ingredients only, not the written directions.
Recipe is adjustable if needed. The serving size of 6 is perfect for a family of 4. I know I don’t eat the same amount as my husband who does concrete all day, nor as much as my growing teenager! We usually have enough to feed the 4 of us with 1 serving left over!
Instead of using panko I crunched up some Doritos and put all over the top. Yum
Fabulous recipe. A springboard recipe it is… add a bit of leftover veggies or what have you. Dash of Cayenne or Tabasco to suit your taste. I added an extra cup of pasta and it made a huge casserole to freeze as a separate dish. Recipe as is makes a huge casserole. Thank you for this keeper recipe Holly.
Recipe is adjustable if needed. The serving size of 6 is perfect for a family of 4. I know I don’t eat the same amount as my husband who does concrete all day, nor as much as my growing teenager! We usually have enough to feed the 4 of us with 1 serving left over!
I added just a tad bit more crispies on top. Perfect blend
I haven’t tried this one -yet. I would like your advice on changing the tuna to fresh catfish.
(I fish a lot). Also one of your notices says that you would appreciate us sharing your recipes but the next line says sharing on social media is prohibited. What better way to share your ideas and great recipes… and to link peeps to your page…??
I haven’t tried this with fresh fish, sounds like a great idea! Sharing is always appreciated, I kindly ask that entire recipes aren’t posted on social media.
I hated tuna noodle casserole until I found this recipe. It is now a staple in our household. We have to make a double batch each time and it only lasts 24 hours. It is the definition of comfort food.Thankyou
made with large elbow macaroni, omitted peas. added dash creole seasoning. no panko used crushed potato chips and evol not butter. really good !
instead of panko on top I used French’s fried onion crumbled with butter and a little bit of cheese on top
oh yes must try
Such an adaptable and classic comfort food! As written, but I also added seasoning salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of cayenne. I doubled the milk and the tuna. This satisfied my craving and it was the perfect foundational recipe. The best springboard I’ve found. thank you so much!
This is my go-to casserole dish that’s easy to make and family approved! I usually make this with whatever I have on hand, i.e…use chicken, cream of chicken soup, and broccoli. I use what I have on hand, I love how versatile this recipe is!
I made this almost exactly as written, only difference was I used 3/4 cup milk. My family doesn’t care for dry casserole. This was delicious. Even my mother in law loved it. I highly recommend this. It is family approved!!! The only complaint is it serves 4 to 5, not 6. I guess we must eat bigger servings.
Loved your comment.
What is the best way to heat from frozen?
For a whole casserole, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed. You may need to add about 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Haven’t had this in years. Been looking for nostalgic foods. I’ve had a cold and miss mom’s cooking. Made your tuna casserole and I’m sure I’m on my way to recovery.
Thanks for a great and simple recipe!
Hope you’re feeling better soon Marci!