Tuna Noodle Casserole
This classic Tuna Noodle Casserole has canned tuna and egg noodles smothered in a creamy mushroom soup filling with cheese and peas. Top it off with buttery Ritz crackers, crispy fried onions, or potato chips.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry egg noodles, about 4 cups cooked
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes, optional
- 8 oz. shredded White Cheddar cheese, equal to 3 cups
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 rib Celery, diced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans solid white albacore tuna in water, drained. (5 oz. per can)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, or try my homemade version
- 1.5 cups half and half, see notes
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temp
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Casserole Topping
- 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Shred the cheese and set aside to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Decrease heat to low. Add the drained tuna, salt/pepper, celery salt, cream of mushroom soup, half and half, and sour cream. Stir until combined. Gradually sprinkle in the White cheddar and stir until well-combined and smooth.
- Cook the egg noodles 1 minute shy of what the package instructs. Add 2 bouillon cubes to the boiling water to enhance the flavor of the egg noodles if desired.
- Add the peas and drained egg noodles to the cream sauce and use a silicone spatula to gently stir until combined.
- If not using an oven safe skillet, transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.
- Top with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Combine the Ritz crackers and melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 5-7 minutes, until the top is brown and crisp.
- Garnish with diced green onions and serve!
Video:
Notes
Pro Tips:
Make Ahead Method: 1-2 days ahead:
To Skip Baking:
- Half and Half is made of half milk, half cream. You can also use evaporated milk.
- Frozen carrots, corn, and green beans may also be added.
- Sliced mushrooms can also be used and sautéed with the onions and celery.
- For best results, shred the cheese from a block instead of using bagged shredded cheese, which contains cellulose and doesn't melt as well.
- My homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or cream of chicken soup can also be used instead of a can.
- 2 cups of leftover chicken makes a good substitute for the Tuna in this casserole.
Make Ahead Method: 1-2 days ahead:
- Tuna Noodle Casserole can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to bake.
- If baking from a cold state, add 15 additional minutes of covered baking time.
- Let it defrost in the fridge for up to 24 hours prior to baking or bake from frozen and add 1 hour to covered baking time.
To Skip Baking:
- Boil the noodles until fully cooked (vs. boiling for 1 minute less).
- Top the assembled casserole with Parmesan cheese. Cover and simmer over medium heat until warm and bubbling, 5-10 minutes.
- Add a topping that doesn't require baking to become crispy, such as crushed Ritz (without melted butter mixed in), or potato chips.
Nutrition
Calories: 589kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 135mg, Sodium: 1728mg, Potassium: 488mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1308IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 479mg, Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!