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This classic tuna noodle casserole has been in my family forever and ever. My grandma made it for my mom, and my mom has been making it for over 40 years; now it’s one of my fave comfort-food dinners. Made with tender egg noodles, flaky tuna, a rich, creamy cheese sauce, and no canned soup in sight, it’s finished with buttery breadcrumbs for an easy, budget-friendly casserole that only takes 30 minutes to bake!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Is Your New Favorite Casserole
- While tons of tuna noodle casserole recipes have canned cream of mushroom soup, I made this with a quick homemade cheese sauce made of roux, milk, and cheddar. It only takes a few extra minutes, and the payoff is a casserole that’s richer, creamier, and full of real cheesy flavor.
- I looove my family recipe, but definitely made some changes to amp up the nutrition and bring out the cheesy flavor and creaminess. I kept everything I love about traditional tuna noodle casserole, but added that rich homemade cheese sauce and vegetables for more texture and flavor.
- There are times when I like quick meals without sacrificing taste, and this creamy casserole delivers: it takes 30 minutes to cook, uses simple pantry and freezer staples, and I can throw it together any time I feel like it without a side quest to the grocery store. It’s a complete meal that doesn’t need many sides either — a simple salad or steamed or roasted vegetables go well!
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- I’ve found that freshly shredded cheddar melts SOO much better than pre-shredded cheese. It takes a few extra minutes to grate it yourself, but the sauce turns out smoother, creamier, and much less grainy.
- It’s better to slightly undercook the egg noodles since they’ll continue cooking in the oven. I take them off the stove just before they’re fully done, which keeps them tender and prevents the casserole from drying out.
- One thing that really helps is letting the milk and cheese come to room temperature before you start. I also take the saucepan off the heat before stirring them in. That helps keep the sauce silky instead of separating.
Ingredients
Egg noodles – I always use wide egg noodles because they hold onto the creamy sauce and give this casserole its classic texture. If you don’t have egg noodles, rotini, fusilli, or medium shells work well too.
Butter and all-purpose flour – These create a simple roux, which thickens the homemade cheese sauce without relying on canned cream of mushroom soup. For a gluten-free version, swap in your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour.
Whole milk – I recommend whole milk for the richest, creamiest sauce. Don’t use 2% here because the sauce just won’t be quite as rich, and we want it super creamy!
Cheddar cheese – I prefer shredding cheddar from a block, as it melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese and gives the sauce the creamiest texture. Sharp cheddar adds extra flavor, but mild or medium cheddar is a great option too.
Canned tuna – I typically use chunk light tuna packed in water, but albacore works too if you prefer larger, meatier flakes. Make sure to drain it well before adding it to the sauce.
Frozen peas – I love the pop of sweetness and color frozen peas add, but it’s easy to leave them out. You can also add other veggies, like broccoli, spinach, asparagus, or corn; they’re some of my faves you could rotate.
Breadcrumbs – Plain breadcrumbs are best because they soak up the butter nicely. You could also use Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs. They’d add a little extra garlic and herb flavor. Also, if you’re dealing with allergies, gluten-free breadcrumbs are an easy substitute!
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
Make the roux – Start by melting the butter in a saucepan over low heat, then whisk in the flour until smooth. Continue whisking for about 1 minute, until the roux turns lightly golden and begins to bubble.
Whisk in the milk – Next, quickly remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk, adding a little at a time to keep the sauce smooth. Return the pan to medium heat and whisk constantly, until the sauce thickens (it should bubble).
Add the cheese – Take the saucepan off the heat, then stir in the cheddar cheese and all seasonings until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce.
Cook the noodles – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the egg noodles until they’re just shy of al dente, using the shortest cooking time listed on the package. Drain them well and transfer them to your casserole dish.
Assemble the casserole – Add the cooked egg noodles to a casserole dish, then pour the cheese sauce over the top. Add the drained tuna and frozen peas.
Bake – Gently fold everything together until the noodles, tuna, and peas are evenly coated in the creamy cheese sauce. Spread the mixture into an even layer, then bake at 350°F for 15 minutes while you prepare the breadcrumb topping.
Add the breadcrumb topping – After 15 minutes of baking, remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top, then add the buttery breadcrumbs. Return it to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the breadcrumbs are lightly golden.
Serve – Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving so the sauce has a chance to thicken. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top and serve.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
This is such an easy tuna noodle casserole recipe, right?! When it comes to sides with this dish, I like something fresh and crisp to balance the rich, creamy sauce. A simple green salad, roasted or grilled broccoli, air-fried asparagus, or roasted Brussels sprouts are my top picks. Another fave is warm dinner rolls or garlic bread, because they soak up the homemade creamy cheese sauce sooo nicely!
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven until warmed through, or microwave individual portions in short bursts, stirring once or twice if needed. You don’t want to zap it too long in the microwave and end up with dried-out noodles!
One of the reasons this casserole has survived in my Catholic family over the generations is because you can freeze this, a practice I still do today! Just add a splash of milk when reheating to bring back that creamy consistency.
More Comfort Food Dinners
Frequently Asked Questions
No doubt this sucks when it happens! A watery casserole is usually caused by overcooked noodles or excess moisture from the peas or tuna. Cook the noodles just until al dente, drain the tuna super well, and let the casserole definitely let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so the sauce has time to thicken.
For sure, you can assemble it 24 hours in advance (just cover it tightly in the fridge) When you’re ready to make dinner, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, and then bake as directed.
When the filling is hot and bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden brown. I advise using an instant-read thermometer and inserting it into the center; the temperatures should be 165°F.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Best Tuna Noodle Casserole Ever (Just Like Mom Made!)
Equipment
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Large pot
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Large wooden spoon
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colander
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8×12 casserole dish 2 ½ quarts
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Oven
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medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
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whisk
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Small microwave-safe bowl
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Spoon or small silicone spatula
Ingredients
For the Noodles
- 8 cups water
- ½-1 tablespoon salt
- 8 ounces uncooked egg noodles see Notes
For the Cream Sauce
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour see Notes
- 2 ½ cups whole milk at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley optional
- 1 cup shredded fresh cheddar cheese at room temperature
For the Casserole
- 1 5-ounce can chunk light tuna in water drained, flaked; see Notes
- ¾ cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup shredded fresh cheddar cheese at room temperature
For the Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs plain or Italian seasoned; see Notes
- 1 large pinch salt more or less to taste
Serving Suggestions (All Optional)
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
For the Noodles
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Add 8 cups water to large pot and place pot on stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring water to boil, then add ½-1 tablespoon salt. Stir to incorporate.
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When salted water begins to boil, add 8 ounces uncooked egg noodles and stir to incorporate. Boil noodles for shortest amount of time indicated on noodle packaging.
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Once noodles have boiled for desired length of time, immediately pour noodles and water into colander. Drain noodles very well, then transfer noodles to casserole dish. Set dish aside.
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Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit while preparing cream sauce.
For the Cream Sauce
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Add 5 tablespoons unsalted butter to medium saucepan and place pan on stovetop over low heat. Heat saucepan until butter is almost completely melted, stirring butter occasionally.
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Cook flour mixture over low heat approximately 1 minute, stirring constantly, until mixture turns golden and begins to bubble.
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When all milk has been added, return saucepan to heat and increase heat to medium. Simmer mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened and begins to bubble.
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Remove saucepan from heat. Add 1 cup shredded fresh cheddar cheese in small increments, whisking constantly, until all cheese has been incorporated and melted.
For the Casserole
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Place casserole dish in preheated oven. Bake casserole 15 minutes while preparing breadcrumb topping.
For the Breadcrumb Topping
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Place 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave butter in 15-second increments, stirring well between each burst, until butter is melted but not bubbling or boiling. Carefully remove bowl from microwave.
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Add 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and 1 large pinch salt to bowl with melted butter. Stir ingredients together until well blended, with all breadcrumbs completely buttered.
To Serve
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Return baking dish to oven. Bake casserole 5 minutes more or until cheese layer is melted and bubbly, then carefully remove dish from oven and set aside. Let casserole rest 3 to 5 minutes.
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Garnish casserole with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve warm with preferred sides.
Video
Cheddar Cheese: Instead of using prepackaged shredded cheese, I recommend buying a block of fresh cheddar and shredding it yourself. Prepackaged shredded and grated cheeses typically contain starches and other fillers to prevent clumping, but they can make the cheese grainy and keep it from melting like it should.
Dairy Products: To ensure your dairy products don’t seize, separate, or curdle, bring them to room temperature before starting this recipe. Remove the saucepan from direct heat before incorporating any dairy ingredients, to prevent heating them too quickly.
Make it Gluten Free: Substitute egg noodles with the same amount of gluten-free noodles. Use gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of regular flour. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, make some out of gluten free bread, or omit the breadcrumb topping entirely.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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My husband & I really enjoyed this recipe. It was a little labor intensive but worth it.
Glad y’all enjoyed this recipe, Jen!
My family liked this MUCH better than the same recipe using condensed soup. The flavors were spot on and the crisp topping was excellent.
That’s great! Thank you for the review.
Have you tried freezing this? How well does it free if so? Excited to try it!
Hi Amy! Yes, this tuna noodle casserole freezes great! It should last at least a month, maybe two. It’s great for meal-prepping!
I make the same. I add peas and corn. Complementary. Sesame seeds combined with breadcrumbs. Think Bread rolls. Nuttiness. I used wheat pasta but use egg vermicelli for my spaghetti bolognaise with basil. This one works cause it has pasta, protein and nice veg. Good winter filler.
Omg!! I made this for dinner tonight..Hands down its the best I’ve had. Quick and easy to make. I will pass this on to my Daughters so they can make it for their Families.
I hadn’t made tuna noodle casserole in years and decided to give this recipe a try. It was simple, quick and satisfying. I did modify it by using: 2 cans of albacore tuna to increase the protein, farfalle pasta instead of egg noodles, 4 tablespoons of butter in which to cook the flour (just to cut back a bit on the fat), and instead of buttered bread crumbs for the topping I used fried onions (like the ones used on green bean casserole). It was a success. Thank you!
I’ve made this 3 times in 2 weeks. My family adores it. It definitely a family favorite at our house! So much healthier than canned soup versions tastes so much better. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you for the great review! I am so happy your family loves this recipe.
I made this for dinner tonight and it the perfect comforting and filling meal for a cold snowy day. I loved how quick it was to throw together after a long day of work and everybody asked for seconds. I added a bit of cayenne pepper to the sauce and used a combination of white cheddar, Swiss and Pecorino Romano cheese. I also served with a simple green salad which was the perfect combination.
Made this for my husband’s birthday which happened to fall on Ash Wednesday so needed to make a meatless meal. He had never had tuna noodle casserole so this was his first time. I have made it before but with cream of mushroom soup so thought I would give this a try and make it without the soup. I didn’t have frozen peas but I did have frozen mixed vegetables so I used that. He loved it! Between the two of us, we ate over half! Leaving just enough for our daughter when she comes home from work. I think I will be making this one again!
I came to find this recipe again to make tonight because I can’t get myself to make Tuna Noodle Casserole any other way now! Your way is out-of-this-world delicious. This recipe is just fantastic/perfect and I wanted thank you so much for sharing!
This recipe turns the humble tuna noodle casserole into quite an impressive dish. My husband and I both loved it. I can’t wait to make it again!
I haven’t made a tuna casserole in so long that I didn’t have a recipe in my computer file, so I did some searching, and this looked intriguing. I never buy “chunk light tuna,” so I used the solid albacore tuna on hand, and I used two cans because when I opened the first can, it didn’t look like enough compared to the noodles and cheese. And I only had fat-free milk, but I added a bit of half-and-half to make up for it. I sprinkled on some panko bread crumbs right out of the package, maybe 1/3 – 1/2 of a cup, and no melted butter. This was SO GOOD. According to the recipe, it’s supposed to be 8 servings, but my wife and I ate just over half of it, with some sautéed kale and onions alongside. A truly wonderful dinner. I really liked the outcome with the 2 cans of tuna, so I’ll probably stick to that. I’ll definitely be making it again.
Thanks for sharing, Donald!