Tuna Casserole Recipe

Classic tuna casserole is one of my husband’s absolute favorite meals. It’s not glamorous but it’s a filling and nutritious dinner. Tuna noodle casserole is an old-fashioned home-cooked meal that doesn’t require a culinary degree to prepare. Let’s be real. People like this casserole (and this is no ordinary cafeteria tuna noodle casserole).

And it’s delicious! I’ve added a few embellishments (optional of course!) to enhance the flavor, texture, and nutrition. Crisp water chestnuts, bright green peas, and sharp cheddar cheese will make your casserole shine.

Reasons To Love Tuna Casserole

It’s made with pantry items. One of the attractive features of tuna noodle casserole is that you can make it with pantry items. It’s perfect for that weeknight when you forget to thaw meat. That happens to me with some regularity and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

A note about canned soup. While ordinarily here at Rachel Cooks, we try to stay away from over-processed foods, I do use canned cream of chicken soup in my tuna casserole. It’s quick, easy, and gets the job done. However, if you want to make your casserole without soup, make a creamy sauce like this one in my green bean casserole to replace the soup.

The recipe has a couple of surprise ingredients. I often amp up this easy recipe with whole wheat noodles to make it a little more healthy, and extra sharp cheddar because we love it. I also include bright green peas and chopped water chestnuts in my casserole. Maybe everyone does this, I don’t know. The water chestnuts add terrific crunch.

Ingredient Notes

• Noodles: Egg noodles, wide whole wheat noodles, macaroni, or rotini, it’s your choice. Cook whatever you choose according to package directions. I like to cook them al dente, or slightly undercooked, because they’ll continue cooking in the casserole when it’s baked.
• Cream of Chicken Soup: Yup, canned soup. If cream of chicken isn’t your thing, try cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup. Look for Healthy Choice or Lower Sodium soup, if you’re concerned about the salt content.
• Solid White Albacore Tuna: We like this type of tuna the best, packed in water. Feel free to use the tuna you like best. I know that white albacore has more mercury than skipjack tuna but as long as you don’t eat it every day, you probably don’t have to worry.
• Sliced Water Chestnuts (Canned): One of my secret ingredients. Look for them in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.
• Frozen Peas: My mom always put peas in her tuna casserole and why not? They add color, flavor, and nutrition. It’s a win win situation. Feel free to leave them out if you’re against green things in your food. No need to thaw them!
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: This strongly-flavored cheese adds a lot of pizzazz to the casserole. If you don’t care for it, substitute another type of cheese.

How To Make Tuna Casserole

Turn the oven on to preheat and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or another large casserole dish.

Cook the noodles as directed on the package.

While the noodles are cooking, open the cans. Drain the water chestnuts and chop them into slightly smaller pieces.

In a very large bowl, combine the tuna, soup, most of the cheese, water chestnuts, and peas. There’s no need to thaw the peas first. Stir the mixture well.

When the noodles are ready, drain them, and add them to the bowl. Stir lightly until everything is all mixed up.

Spread the mixture into the prepared dish, top it with a little more cheese, and bake.

That’s it! It’s super easy. If you want to round out the meal, serve a crisp green salad like this easy arugula salad. A fresh citrus salad is a good go-along, too. If you have room for dessert, try old-fashioned homemade chocolate pudding.

Troubleshooting

Dry Tuna Casserole

• Not enough liquid. This is the most common problem. Even after cooking, noodles continue to soak up moisture. Try stirring a half cup of milk into the mixture before baking if your casserole consistently turns out dry.
• Overbaked. Tuna casserole is mostly cooked before you put it in the oven; it merely has to heat up. If you bake it too long, it will dry out. If you happen to use an overly large pan, the casserole will be spread more thinly and will need less time to heat.
• Oven wasn’t preheated. You may not think that preheating the oven is essential but it really is. The bottom coils in the oven get really hot when the oven preheats and tend to burn the bottom of the casserole if it’s in there while the oven is preheating. If casseroles often turn out dry, consider the possibility that your oven runs hot and turn the temperature down a bit.
• Top is hard and dry. If you haven’t added a crunchy topping, cover the pan with foil while heating to prevent drying out the casserole.

Recipe Variations

There are lots of ways to customize this tuna noodle casserole recipe. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a few alternate toppings.

• Alternate toppings: Crushed potato chips, french fried onions (from a can), buttered bread crumbs, crushed Ritz crackers mixed with melted butter and shredded cheese.
• Include onions: If you like onions (and my husband does not), stir in finely minced onions.
• Substitute chicken. If you’re not a fan of tuna, cooked shredded chicken is great, too. Canned chicken is also a good substitute.

Make Ahead Tip

This recipe makes a large casserole. If you’re cooking for a smaller group, divide the mixture between two baking dishes. Bake one casserole to eat now, and freeze the other for an easy meal in the future.

Wrap it securely, label it, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Leftover casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, larger amounts in your toaster oven or oven.