Tuna Noodle Casserole (No Canned Soup)

The classic tuna casserole gets a glowup in this easy homemade noodle casserole recipe, no canned soups or mixes required. Instead, build this delicious dish of tender egg noodles, flaky canned tuna, a creamy white sauce, green peas, sharp cheddar cheese, and a delicious panko breadcrumb topping.

It call comes together in just minutes!

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If you’re a fan of tuna noodle casserole, then you’re in for a treat. If you’re not a fan, well, I will help you become one!

This easy casserole made from pantry staples is ultimate comfort food, an old fashioned food that is still a star today.

You’re going to love how easy it is to make this “from scratch” that making a second one for the freezer will become second nature.

Why Make My Tuna Noodle Casserole

It’s a classic. This casserole dish is the epitome of vintage, classic casserole recipes. With a homemade white sauce that tastes amazing, you’ll wonder why you over bought cream of nothing soups!

It is easy to make. It really takes very little effort to make this tuna noodle casserole. You can whip it up and get it in the oven in less time than it takes to find your car keys.

It’s delicious. Seriously, so good, with wholesome ingredients. This is the perfect casserole to help you eat well on a budget.

Ingredients

There are three main parts to this easy casserole. Here’s what you need to make a homemade tuna noodle casserole:

Sauce Ingredients

If you like, you can make a double batch of this sauce and freeze it for later, like you might our homemade Cream of Celery soup.

butter – I use real butter in my white sauce, but you can use margerine or oil instead. Butter gives it great flavor! Remember you can freeze butter, so stock up when you see a sale.

flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour works well in this recipe, but you can also gluten-free blend if you are also using gluten-free noodles.

milk – The higher the fat content in the milk, the richer the casserole will taste. That said, you can use whatever milk you normally use.

diced celery – Celery adds flavor and fiber to the sauce. You can omit it or add sauteed onions and/or mushrooms instead. 

Parmesan cheese – Shredded parmesan adds more flavor and texture to the sauce.

herbs and spices – I like to use salt, dried dill, lemon zest, and black pepper to give the sauce some zing. If you’ve got a favorite fish seasoning or a jar of Old Bay Seasoning, you can substitute that.

Casserole filling ingredients

wide egg noodles – You can use any pasta you like, but wide egg noodles are classic for tuna noodle casserole.

canned tuna – I like using albacore tuna, but you can use skipjack or chunk light tuna in this tuna casserole recipe. In a pinch, you can substitute canned chicken for the tuna.

frozen peas – I love the sweet contrast of peas with any kind of fish. I use sweet peas in my Tuna Mac, too. You can use drained, canned sweet peas if you prefer.

chopped green onion – This adds a bite of spice as well as a feeling of freshness to the casserole.

cubed cheddar cheese – Cheddar adds a nice contrast of flavor as well as a creamy texture to the casserole.

Casserole topping ingredients

panko breadcrumbs – You can use fresh or dried or homemade breadcrumbs, but pank gives it an extra bit of crunchiness to the casserole topping. You can substitute crushed potato chips for the buttered bread crumbs if you prefer. This is traditional, but some brands of potato chips, such as Kettle, become too hard when baked. For that reason, I now recommend buttered panko. 

melted butter – Butter mixed with the breadcrumbs adds extra flavor and texture to the casserole topping.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make this easy tuna noodle casserole:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a pot on the stove over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Cook until bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Stir in the celery, cheese, salt, dill, lemon zest, and black pepper. Simmer on low until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles until al dente. Rinse and drain.

In a large bowl, combine the soup, noodles, tuna, green onion, peas, and cheese cubes.

Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle this over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

To Make Ahead: assemble according to the recipe and store the uncooked casserole in the fridge until ready to bake. Alternatively, you can freeze the casserole for a later day. Just thaw it overnight prior to baking.

Serving Suggestions: Serve Tuna Noodle Casserole as you would any other pasta bake, with a simple side salad or cooked vegetable and garlic bread or rolls on the side.

How to Make a Meal Prep: You can assemble the casserole in single-serve containers for meal prep. Just be sure that the dishes are oven safe. Bake and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Otherwise, divide the baked larger casserole into portions into meal-prep containers. Refrigerate as directed.

Make a Plan for Leftovers: Leftover casserole is delicious reheated the next day. Promptly refrigerate leftovers and use within 4 days. Remember that food should not be left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

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