Are you ready for a taste of pure comfort? You know, those dishes that just instantly make you feel warm, happy, and taken care of? Well, today, we’re diving into a true classic dish that’s been bringing smiles to tables for generations. Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole!
But this isn’t your grandma’s dry, boring casserole. This is an updated, incredibly delicious, and ridiculously easy version that you are going to absolutely fall in love with.
Its soft and perfectly cooked noodles swimming in a rich and-cheesy sauce. And yes, we’ve got that flaky, delicious tuna in there, adding a wonderful savory depth.
The best part? It’s your weeknight superhero. You’ve got a busy schedule, right? Well, this comes together with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients and minimal fuss. We’re talking minutes of prep for a meal that delivers on huge flavor and even bigger comfort. It’s affordable, it’s satisfying, and it’s always a hit with the whole family.
Ingredients for Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole
12 oz (340 g) egg noodles (or pasta of your choice)
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup to give that rich and comforting base that we all love in casseroles.
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream (optional but recommended for creamy texture, also adds a tangy note to the caserrole
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided) to save some for golden crust on top
2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in water, drained and flaked
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers (for topping)
1 tablespoon melted butter (for topping)
Step by step Instructions
Cook the noodles/pasta
Grab and big pot and fill it with water. Don’t forget to add salt to the water generously. Get the water boiling and then add noodles/pasta and cook them up until they are al dente and not mushy. Once they are done, drain them and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics
Grab a large skillet and get it over medium heat. Toss in the butter and let the butter melt down nicely. Now add chopped onion and cook them until they are nice and soft, probably for about 3 – 4 minutes.
Stir in some garlic for about 30 seconds or just until it gets super fragrant.
Make it creamy
Now its time to build the creamy sauce. Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk and sour cream, if you are using it. Give it a good stir until everything is nicely combined. Now for the flavor, season with salt, pepper, and a little bit of thyme.
Add the tuna and veggies
Fold in the tuna frozen peas, and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese. Mix it really well until everything is coated.
Combine with noodles
Add the cooked noodle. Gently mix it all together until the noodles/pasta are perfectly coated with the creamy sauce.
Transfer and top it off with cheese
Now carefully pour the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Make sure it’s spread out evenly. And sprinkle the rest of the cheese all over the top to get an amazing cheesy crust.
Add crunchy topping
In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and some crushed cracker with melted butter. Give it a stir until everything is coated. Sprinkle this over the casserole.
Bake to golden
Place the casserole into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes or until you see it hot and bubbly. around the edges and when the top is golden brown.
Serve and savor
Once it’s out of the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes and serve.
Recipe Notes
You can use egg noodle or any pasta you love for cheesy tuna noodle casserole. You can also use Rotini, honestly, it depends on your taste. Make sure you cook them according to the package directions until they are al dente.
Some you you might be tempted to skip the onions but it adds a subtle sweetness and a depth of flavor.
Make sure the tuna is drained well. If not, it will add extra liquid to the casserole.
Try to use freshly grated cheese instead of the pre-grated kind. I know pre-shredded cheese is super convenient (and no judgment if you’re in a rush), but it usually has anti-caking agents added to keep it from clumping in the bag. The problem is, those additives actually stop the cheese from melting smoothly. So if you want that really creamy, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth texture in your casserole, freshly grating it yourself is totally worth the extra minute or two.
Storage Tips
Let the casserole cool down to room temperature, then cover it tightly in an airtight and transparent container. You can store this in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
If you want to use it again, you can also heat it in a microwave with a splash of milk so that it becomes a little creamy. If you decide to reheat the whole dish in the oven, make sure to cover it with foil and bake at above 350°F.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months, either unbaked or after it’s cooked. For that, make sure to wrap it tightly in foil or use a freezer-safe container. It will keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.
Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 oz 340 g egg noodles (or pasta of your choice)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream optional, for extra creaminess
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2 cans 5 oz each tuna in water, drained and flaked
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or parsley
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers for topping
- 1 tablespoon melted butter for topping
Instructions
Cook the noodles/pasta
- Grab and big pot and fill it with water. Don’t forget to add salt to the water generously. Get the water boiling and then add noodles/pasta and cook them up until they are al dente and not mushy. Once they are done, drain them and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics
- Grab a large skillet and get it over medium heat. Toss in the butter and let the butter melt down nicely. Now add chopped onion and cook them until they are nice and soft, probably for about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Stir in some garlic for about 30 seconds or just until it gets super fragrant.
Make it creamy
- Now its time to build the creamy sauce. Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk and sour cream, if you are using it. Give it a good stir until everything is nicely combined. Now for the flavor, season with salt, pepper, and a little bit of thyme.
Add the tuna and veggies
- Fold in the tuna frozen peas, and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese. Mix it really well until everything is coated.
Combine with noodles
- Add the cooked noodle. Gently mix it all together until the noodles/pasta are perfectly coated with the creamy sauce.
Transfer and top it off with cheese
- Now carefully pour the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Make sure it’s spread out evenly. And sprinkle the rest of the cheese all over the top to get an amazing cheesy crust.
Add crunchy topping
- In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and some crushed cracker with melted butter. Give it a stir until everything is coated. Sprinkle this over the casserole.
Bake to golden
- Place the casserole into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes or until you see it hot and bubbly. around the edges and when the top is golden brown.
Serve and savor
- Once it’s out of the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes and serve.
