When it comes to comfort food or a more economical meal, nothing beats a good old-fashioned recipe. And nothing is more old-fashioned than an old-fashioned, homemade tuna noodle casserole.
This recipe will take you back to the days when every night was assigned a specific dinner and you never deviated from the plan. If you have a large family or love keeping leftovers in the refrigerator for future meals then casseroles are for you. Among all the casseroles you could choose from, it’s hard to imagine one as iconic or as definitive as a tuna noodle casserole. This no-frills, simple, from-scratch recipe is going to have you charting your weekly meal plan in no time!
Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole
In my opinion, you can’t have tuna casserole without egg noodles. Tuna noodle casserole is the quintessential perfect dinner pairing. Even more than meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Use wide egg noodles to make sure your tuna noodle casserole gets enough substance. The other secret ingredient to this fantastic tuna noodle casserole is the dry cornbread stuffing mix from Stovetop!
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
If like me, you grew up eating this meal every week, then you will get swept away with the nostalgia of this perfect traditional dish. It’s easy to make and it uses simple ingredients, so you don’t have to take out a loan to buy everything you need for this recipe. It’s a casserole, so everything goes in and there is no waste, plus it lasts for days in the refrigerator if you manage to have any left-over. The made-from-scratch sauce is out of this world. And yes I did add a little bit of Cajun spice!
Tips and Variations
Sometimes you want to go exactly by the book. Other times the situation demands different, even if it’s just for the sake of changing things up a little bit. Here are tips for some of the most common changes to tuna noodle casserole.
Different Toppings
Cornbread stuffing is the best way to top a gorgeous tuna noodle casserole, but it’s not the only way. You can make this casserole on the fly even if you don’t have this ingredient on hand. Some of the best fixes for the crumbly topping are bread crumbs, French’s Fried Onion, Ritz crackers, crushed baked potato chips, or some combination of these alternative ingredients together.
Different Veggies/Cheese
An excellent way to change things up for your tuna noodle casserole is using different ingredients for the veggies and cheese. The tuna and the noodles are a given, but everything else is up for reconsideration. My go-to cheese is Colby-jack, but a pepper jack might adjust the extra zing you need. A nice mild or medium cheddar will do nicely as well. For a switch of veggies, you can try a mix of carrots, peas, and corn, or use broccoli florets instead.
What to Serve with Tuna Noodle Casserole
The best thing to serve with tuna noodle casserole is a good salad. Caesar or garden salad will do nicely. If you prefer hot veggies, roasted butternut squash or baked asparagus will also go nicely. Garlic Bread makes another good choice for an additional component. The casserole is like a skillet meal which is an all-in one, so sides are not strictly necessary. All that’s left is to plan dessert!
How to Store and Reheat
Wrap your casserole dish well in aluminum foil to keep air out, or store in an airtight container, and store your tuna noodle casserole in the freezer or refrigerator. Thaw frozen casserole for one day in the refrigerator before reheating and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
For multiple leftover meals, portion out the leftover tuna casserole in individual containers to avoid thawing and reheating the same casserole multiple times.
Ingredients for Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Tuna is a budget-friendly, easily available protein that is the main ingredient in this dish.
- Frozen peas add a sweetness and a pop of color to the dish, and it’s a classic ingredient that goes with tuna noodle casserole.
- Wide egg noodles are the perfect noodle for holding all the sauce and it is also a classic ingredient.
- Colby Jack cheese adds a mild flavor and gooey texture to the dish.
- Onion enhances the flavor of the sauce
- Butter adds flavor and richness to the sauce and is used to sauté the onions.
- All-purpose flour is used to make the roux and thicken up the creamy sauce.
- Whole milk is the main ingredient in the sauce which makes it rich and creamy.
- Garlic salt enhances the flavor of the dish.
- Slap Ya Mama seasoning adds a kick of heat and adds additional flavor.
- Black pepper adds flavor to the sauce.
- Smoked paprika is a great addition that adds a bit of an earthy flavor to the sauce.
- Stove Top® cornbread stuffing dry mix is a great addition for a crispy, crunchy topping that adds a ton of flavor.
How to Make Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole
This quick easy and classic recipe only takes a few simple ingredients to make and is very easy to throw together when ready. Here’s how to make it.
Step 1 – Prep and Cooking the Pasta
Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water per package directions for al dente. Drain, rinse and return to the pan.
Step 2 – Making the Creamy Sauce
Using a large skillet or frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are tender. Sprinkle flour over onions, stir to combine and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Gently pour milk into the skillet and whisk until smooth, and stir in seasonings and pepper to sauce. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and cook until sauce starts to thicken up.
Step 3 – Add the Tuna and Noodles
Add tuna and shredded cheese, stir. Next, add egg noodles and peas to the mixture, stir to combine and pour into the prepared baking dish.
Step 4 – Make the Topping
In a small bowl, add dry stuffing mix and melted butter. Stir and then top with casserole with the stuffing mix.
Step 5 – Bake
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is simple and straightforward, but there are still some things you may want to know, so here are the most common questions I get about tuna noodle casserole.
Yes. But just to al dente. You want it to still have some bite since it will soak up some of the sauce and become tender while cooking it in the oven.
I use enough milk in this recipe to let the noodles absorb some of the sauce and keep the casserole from drying out. Don’t leave it in the oven too long and make sure you are not using a casserole dish that is too big. Thin casserole will dry out much more easily.
Yes, of course, it can. Don’t leave it out at room temperature for too long. When reheating a refrigerated tuna noodle casserole make sure you let it rest at room temperature while you preheat the oven back to 350 degrees. Cover the casserole and bake for 20 minutes. If microwaving, hit it with some butter spray so it doesn’t dry out.
You can also freeze your tuna casserole, just remember to thaw it out in the refrigerator a day before you take it out to reheat it. To freeze, simply seal or wrap the casserole so that it is air-tight.
Try This Delicious Tuna Casserole Recipe Today
This tasty uncomplicated recipe is such a nice option when you have limited ingredients and you don’t want to go to the store with a huge shopping list. It’s such a convenient meal solution that you can make anytime. So why not make it right now?
Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounce can tuna, drained
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- 12 ounce wide egg noodles
- 1 ½ cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
For the Creamy Sauce
- 5 teaspoons butter
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 -3½ cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Topping
- 1 cup Stove Top® cornbread stuffing mix, dry
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water per package directions for al dente. Drain, rinse and return to the pan.
For the Creamy Sauce
- Using a large skillet or frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are tender.
- Sprinkle flour over onions, stir to combine and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Gently pour milk into the skillet and whisk until smooth, and stir in seasonings and pepper to sauce.
- Continue cooking, stirring constantly, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and cook until sauce starts to thicken up.
- Add tuna and shredded cheese, stir.
- Next, add egg noodles and peas to the mixture, stir to combine and pour into the prepared baking dish.
For the Topping
- In a small bowl, add dry stuffing mix and melted butter. Stir and then top with casserole with the stuffing mix.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the oven and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
