Tuna casserole is a classic comfort food featuring tuna and egg noodles in a creamy sauce, topped with cheese and cracker crumbs and baked to perfection.
Old Fashioned Tuna Casserole
Tuna casserole is one of my all-time favorite foods and this recipe is based on how it was made when I was growing up.
Tuna casseroles have been a staple since the 1930’s when Campbell’s Condensed Mushroom Soup began to be used instead of making a white sauce. Using the condensed soup made this casserole a breeze to prepare!
This old-fashioned tuna casserole is baked in a creamy sauce and topped with a crispy, cheesy, golden brown crust. It’s the perfect combination of flavors and textures and comes together in about 30 minutes, making it the perfect easy weeknight meal!
Some recipes call for pimento or peas. However, my version of this traditional comfort food did not include those. Feel free to add them if you like! (More substitutions in the Prep Tips section).
However, I do love adding sautéed onions and celery to the dish for additional flavor and texture. This is an extra step but one that really makes this casserole taste better.
Since this blog is about traditional recipes, the use of Campbell’s Condensed Mushroom Soup is important. Over the years, I’ve tried other types of mushroom soup, but they don’t have the same flavor.
The traditional condensed mushroom soup tastes a bit salty to me, so, I did not add any additional salt to this recipe. I also added mayonnaise and milk to give the sauce a more cream sauce taste and texture.
Recipes like tuna casserole were one of the many ways that cooks could feed their families, easily, and economically. I grew up in a time where many families were large and there were many people to feed.
Today, I make it just because I love the taste. Enjoy this beloved comfort food! — Sara
Related: Check out this collection of Unique Canned Tuna Recipes for more ideas to use this classic pantry staple!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of egg noodles
- 2 Tablespoons butter (for cooking onions)
- 2 cans of tuna
- 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 small onion
- 2 stalks celery
- ½ cup of mayonnaise
- ½ cup of milk
- 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
- Crushed crackers, corn flake cereal of breadcrumbs
- Pepper (optional)
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- Large Sauté Pan or Skillet
- Medium Casserole Dish
- Dutch oven or Large Pot
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. Chop the onion and celery.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan. Sauté the onion and celery in the butter until tender.
- Drain the cooked egg noodles and return to the pot. Drain the liquid from the tuna and use a fork to flake the tuna while adding to the noodles. Stir the soup, mayonnaise, milk, onion/celery mixture, and half the grated cheese into the pot. Stir to combine.
- Spoon the casserole ingredients into a baking dish and top with remaining grated cheese and crushed crackers.
- Bake until heated through and the cheese is melted.
Prep Tips
- One of the great things about this recipe is that you can customize it for your own tastes by adding different things or even omitting the vegetables. I love the taste of sautéed onions and celery. But for other families I know added peas, pimentos, or black olives for taste and some color.
- I used cheddar cheese in the sauce and on top. I suggested 8 ounces, but you can use as much or as little cheese as you want.
- For the crunch topping I had some Ritz crackers on hand, so I went with that. Other crunchy toppings that work well are breadcrumbs, potato chips, or crushed corn flake cereal. You can also skip the crunch topping and just use cheese.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tuna Noodle Casserole Need To Be Covered When Baking?
While some casserole recipes may call for covering the dish with foil during baking, tuna casserole cooks best uncovered. This allows the cheese to melt and the topping to crisp up perfectly.
How Do You Keep Tuna Casserole From Drying Out?
- The creamy sauce is designed to keep the casserole moist. In addition to the cream of mushroom soup, this recipe incorporates mayonnaise and milk, both of which keep the noodles soft and flavorful.
- A thick layer of cheese on top of the casserole not only creates a crispy and delicious crust, but it also helps trap moisture inside the casserole and prevents the dish from drying out too much.
- Another way to prevent a dry tuna casserole is to make sure not to overbake it. Since you cook the noodles first and the tuna is already pre-cooked, you’re only baking the dish enough to warm it in the middle and melt the cheese. The key is to bake the casserole until the cheese is melted and bubbly, but not browned.
- Finally, when the casserole is done baking, allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. This lets the casserole and noodles absorb any remaining moisture.
How Do You Heat Up Tuna Casserole?
You can reheat leftover tuna casserole in the oven or in the microwave.
For the oven, cover the dish with foil. When reheating, foil is helpful because it keeps any moisture from evaporating. The casserole will dry out a bit in the fridge, so we want to keep it moist when reheating. Simply bake until the dish is warmed through in the middle.
If microwaving, scoop the casserole into a microwave safe dish (NO FOIL!!) You may want to add a bit of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth to the dish so it won’t dry out when cooking. Heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. If the casserole seems hot before 3 minutes, you can go ahead and stop the microwave.
Can You Use Chicken In A Tuna Noodle Casserole?
Sure! If you have canned chicken on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of the canned chicken for the canned tuna in this recipe. That’s why this recipe is so great – you can use different types of protein that you have in the pantry!
More Casserole Recipes To Try
- Corn Casserole
- Cheesy Celery Root Casserole
- Broccoli Cheese Casserole
- Swiss Green Bean Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Classic Tuna Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- Casserole dish
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- 2 cans tuna fish
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup milk this can be increased if you are not using mayonnaise
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated
- 1/2 cup crushed cracker crumbs bread crumbs or corn flake crumbs can be used
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions.
- Chop the onion and celery.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan. Sauté the onion and celery in the butter until tender.
- Drain the cooked egg noodles and return to their pot.
- Drain the liquid from the tuna and use a fork to flake the tuna while adding to the noodles.
- Add the soup, mayonnaise, milk, onion/celery mixture, and half the grated cheese into the pot and stir until combined.
- Spoon the casserole ingredients into a baking dish.
- Top with remaining grated cheese and crushed crackers and baked until heated through and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
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