Mom’s Best Tuna Noodle Casserole
Posted: 04/08/20
Updated: 01/10/23
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This tuna noodle casserole is the best… it’s my mom and grandma’s recipe! A creamy, cheesy sauce coats egg noodles, dotted with green peas and flake tuna, topped with melty cheesy and buttery breadcrumbs. This classic recipe is rich and creamy, made from scratch but so quick and easy to throw together. No canned soups here! A true budget meal but indulgent at the same time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Growing up, we ate my mom’s tuna noodle casserole recipe all the time, and it’s still one of my favorites. Mom’s been making it for over 40 years, and her mom made it for her when she was a kid. As Catholics, they had it every Friday (It was that or fish sticks, ha!).
- Even now, whenever I need a quick and cheap comfort food meal from the pantry and freezer, this one comes to mind. I admit, it’s not totally the casserole from my childhood. I upgraded it to be super creamy and saucy, with some veggies.
- This recipe doesn’t use any canned soups like most tuna noodle casserole recipes. No cream of mushroom – just real roux, milk, and cheese!
Key Ingredients
Tuna – You can use tuna in water or oil, whichever you prefer. Water-packed tuna will be a little lighter when it comes to calories and fat. If you want to double up on the amount of tuna used in this recipe, you absolutely can!
Noodles – Egg noodles are the classic noodle-of-choice when it comes to tuna noodle casserole, but you can use any type of noodle you like best. If you’re looking for a noodle-less option, check out our recipe for Whole30 Tuna Zoodle Casserole (Paleo, Dairy Free)!
Chef’s Tips
- For a gluten free version, substitute the egg noodles with an equal weight of gluten free noodles. Use the same amount of gluten free flour.
- You can use gluten free breadcrumbs if you can find them, but if not, it’s super easy to make some out of gluten free bread. Or just leave them out! They are totally optional.
- If you don’t have peas or just don’t like them, you can leave them out. You can also sub basically any other veggie you like in their place. Chopped broccoli? Asparagus? Spinach? Corn? All great options.
- Since the noodles get cooked twice (once on the stove, again in the oven) you want to make sure they’re just barely cooked when you take them off the stovetop. This will keep them from overcooking in the oven.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes
- Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Crockpot Chicken and Rice
- Poppy Seed Chicken
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Whole30 Casserole with Chicken, Broccoli, Rice, and Mushrooms (Paleo, GF)
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with Goat Cheese
- Healthy Authentic Seafood Gumbo (Gluten Free, Whole30, Paleo, Low Carb)
- Cranberry Rosemary One Pan Chicken (Paleo, Whole30 Option)
- Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
Mom’s Best Tuna Noodle Casserole
This tuna noodle casserole is the absolute best with no canned soup, just a creamy sauce, egg noodles, green peas, and flake tuna, all topped with melty cheesy and buttery breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
- 1 5-ounce can chunk light tuna drained and flaked
- 8 ounces egg noodles see Notes for gluten free
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 5 tablespoons flour See Notes for gluten free
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt plus extra to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley optional
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs see Notes for gluten free
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish, optional
Equipment
- 2.5-quart Baking Dish
- medium saucepan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
For the Noodles
- Cook according to package directions in heavily salted water, for shortest amount of time recommended.
- Drain and transfer to baking dish. Set aside.
For the Sauce
- Melt 5 tablespoons butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour. Stir until smooth.
- Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles and turns golden. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
- Stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup shredded cheese, stirring until melted
For the Casserole
- Pour sauce over drained noodles in baking dish. Add tuna and green peas and stir to combine. Bake in oven 15 minutes.
- While casserole is baking, melt remaining tablespoon butter in small bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs and large pinch of salt.
- After casserole bakes 15 minutes, sprinkle remaining ½ cup shredded cheese on top, then sprinkle buttery breadcrumbs over cheese.
- Return to oven and bake 5 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Make it Gluten Free: Substitute egg noodles with equal weight gluten free noodles. Use equal parts gluten free flour instead of regular flour. Use gluten free bread crumbs, make some out of gluten free bread, or omit.
Video
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 532kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 120mg, Sodium: 404mg, Potassium: 181mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 607IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 514mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 27g
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.
Thank you for this recipe! My moms tuna casserole never used canned soup and I searched forever to find one like this. I remember she used velveeta instead of shredded cheddar and topped it with potato chips. Made it to this recipe with only those substitutions and it took me back to one of my absolute favorite comfort meals as a kid.
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I might add some more tuna. I topped with Cheez-its on 1/2 and potato chips on the other. This makes a lot for 2 people
Yum!
I used almond flour and it never quite blended together. I will try oat flour, has anyone else had any luck with gluten free flours? Very tasty despite this.
We’re glad you still found it delicious!
My husband went back for seconds. Let’s just say he doesn’t normally go back for seconds when I cook!
That’s awesome! I know that made you feel good. 🙂
Okay folks, this one’s a keeper! The only thing I changed was doubling the breadcrumb topping.
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Looking for lower fat, lower cholesterol adjustment for this recipe. Can you substitute smart balance for the butter? Lower fat cheese or vegan cheese? Thanks!
Hi, Kate! You could definitely use a low-fat cheese. We haven’t tried this one with Smart Balance or vegan cheese so can’t say for sure how those subs would turn out. Let us know if you try them!
I have to say this was delicious. I’m not a pea lover but added them anyway. By no means did it ruin this dish for me. My husband loved it as well even though he’s not a tuna lover. He even went back for seconds. Only change was I used 2 cans of tuna. Thank you for a great recipe. Will certainly make it again and again.
We’re thrilled that you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
This was wonderful! So much better than with condensed soup! Extra creamy and delicious and nice and cheesy. I grew up on tuna casserole with condensed mushroom soup without cheese. Adding cheese the way my husband’s mom always made it, at his request brought it up a notch but making your cheese sauce from scratch like this took it to the top of the list in comfort foods!
My only other comment is to say that the prep time is more like 20-25 minutes and worth every moment of it!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I made this for my 76 year old father in law while his wife was in the hospital. He doesn’t eat much, and doesn’t really comment on food, but he loved this and talked about how good it was for days!! His wife is away this week so I’m making it for him again.
Used double the amount of albacore tuna because it’s yummy, and only had heavy cream so I thinned that out with some water.
The breadcrumbs on the top are the icing on the cake, and if you like a crunchy topping, I highly suggest doubling the amnt called for (or tripling!) and using Panko if you have it. Not necessary, but I like to take things to the next level 😉
Really SUPER delicious and puts the old school tuna casserole from my childhood to shame!
We are thrilled you and your father-in-law loved this recipe! Hope it brings some comfort and joy while his wife is recovering in the hospital. Thanks for sharing this feedback!
I made this for my 76 year old father in law while his wife was in the hospital. He doesn’t eat much, and doesn’t really comment on food, but he loved this and talked about how good it was for days!! His wife is away this week so I’m making it for him again.
Used double the amount of albacore tuna because it’s yummy, and only had heavy cream so I thinned that out with some water.
Really SUPER delicious and puts the old school tuna casserole from my childhood to shame!