Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe (2024)

By Stacy Williams October 25, 2022

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Ready for an amazing casserole recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights? Make this grown up tuna noodle casserole recipe for a classic comfort food filled with sautéed mushrooms, Colby jack or cheddar cheese, crispy fried onions and more! You’ll never turn your nose up at a bowl of tuna noodle casserole again!

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Does anyone else remember the days of tuna noodle casserole being served for dinner? It was that famous blue box, a can of peas and a can of tuna. I loved my Mom but bless her heart, she could not cook. As a result, we ate a lot of blue box and tuna for dinner.

I can’t even eat the blue box by itself these days for this reason.

Part of the reason why I can’t stand it is that these days, mytastes are a bit more complicated.I love food and when I eat, I want plenty of flavor; especially when I make a tuna noodle casserole recipe.

What Are The Ingredients in a Tuna Casserole?

That’s why this particular recipe uses what I would say are grown up ingredients. Egg noodles, olive oil, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup and so on all come together to make a creamy sauce that may just make you want to lick the casserole dish!

I kid. Maybe.

Just be sure to let the skillet cool before you lick it.

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Can I Make This Tuna Noodle Casserole with Chicken or Turkey?

If you don’t like the taste of tuna, you can easily swap it out and make this with chicken or turkey. The flavor stays the same no matter which one you use.

Tuna does tend to be a little cheaper though so if you’re looking to stretch your food budget, I would opt to keep tuna as the protein. However, if you do have a picky eater, there’s no worry about changing things up.

What Can I Top Tuna Noodle Casserole With?

The recipe itself calls for your casserole to be topped with fried onions. However, not everyone likes them or keeps them in their pantry. Luckily, you can top yours with things such as crushed potato chips, Italian seasoned bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers without changing the flavor too much.

Keep in mind that the onions do add some flavor to the final dish. If you change the topping, you will change the flavor somewhat. It just shouldn’t be enough to really matter much.

How Long Can Tuna Noodle Casserole Sit Out?

Like any dish that includes seafood, you will want to store any leftover tuna noodle casserole in the refrigerator in an airtight container as quickly as possible once dinner is done. At the absolute max, it can sit out around an hour and half to two hours.

Can I Make Tuna Noodle Casserole Ahead of Time?

Somewhat. There are things you can do ahead of time to make the prep work easier, but unless you are planning on freezer cooking, I suggest you make it fresh for the most part for the best flavor.

Prepwork such as dicing the onion and sauteeing the mushrooms can be done ahead. However, I would cook noodles and make the sauce only when you’re ready to put the casserole itself together.

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Can you freeze tuna noodle casserole?

Yes! This casserole recipe is freezer friendly too! If you’re planning on freezing it, use a 8 x 8foil baking pan with lidlike THESE. Make the tuna noodle casserole recipe as written but stop before adding the french fried onions and freeze instead.

It’s super simple!

How to Reheat Tuna Noodle Casserole?

To cook your frozen tuna noodle casserole, thaw completely before you bake it. Add the french fried onions after it’s thawed and bake as directed. Whether you freeze it or not, this tuna casserole recipe really does come together for a cheap family meal very quickly!

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4.91 from 10 votes

Grown Up Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

Ready for an amazing casserole recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights? Make this grown up tuna noodle casserole recipe for a classic comfort food filled with sautéed mushrooms, Colby jack or cheddar cheese, crispy fried onions and more! You'll never turn your nose up at a bowl of tuna noodle casserole again!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Casserole, Colby Cheese, Dinner, Mushrooms, Tuna

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 686kcal

Author Stacy Williams

Cost 10.00

Equipment

Ingredients

8 oz. Tuna drained or 1.5 c. shredded chicken or turkey breast
3 tbsp. Olive oil
½ lg. White onion diced
3-4 med. Bella mushrooms washed and sliced
4 oz Cream cheese
½ c. Sour cream
1 10.5 oz can Cream of mushroom soup
¾ c Milk
8 oz Egg Noodles or Rotini
1 c Colby jack cheese shredded
1 c French fried onions
1 tsp. Garlic powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees then slice the mushrooms and dice the onions. Lightly grease your baking dish with cooking spray. Start water for pasta. While the water is heating, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onions and mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent. After the onions are done, cook pasta until al dente (7 minutes or so).
3 tbsp. Olive oil, 1/2 lg. White onion, 3-4 med. Bella mushrooms, 8 oz Egg Noodles
Add mushroom soup, cream cheese, sour cream, milk and garlic powder to the frying pan and heat until it’s hot. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes once its hot.
4 oz Cream cheese, 1/2 c. Sour cream, 1 10.5 oz can Cream of mushroom soup, 3/4 c Milk, 1 tsp. Garlic powder, Salt, Pepper
Drain the pasta well and add to the pan and stir to mix. Make sure your pasta gets covered well.
Once you’ve mixed the pasta well, add the tuna (make sure it is well drained) or cooked chicken to your pan and mix it all up again. Pour the mixture into your baking dish.
8 oz. Tuna
Add the shredded cheese on top.
1 c Colby jack cheese
Sprinkle the french fried onions on top.
1 c French fried onions
Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes or just until the onions are golden brown. Serve hot.

Notes

To freeze: Stop just before adding fried onions and freeze. To cook from frozen, thaw fully, add the onions and bake as directed.
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not be correct. Please use discretion if you have a special diet.

Nutrition

FAQs

What is tuna noodle casserole made of? ›

Use 2 cans soup, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup pimiento, two 12-ounce cans tuna, 6 ounces (about 4 cups) egg noodles, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon butter. Bake in a 2-quart casserole for 30 minutes or until hot, then for another 5 to brown the bread crumb mixture.

Why is tuna noodle casserole dry? ›

Your Tuna Casserole Can Dry Out If You Don't Add Enough Liquid. This classic comfort meal is usually made with tuna, noodles, vegetables, sauces, and crunchy toppings like breadcrumbs or crushed crackers. Your tuna noodle casserole may also contain cheese, whole wheat flour, and other extras.

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Is it better to put tuna in water or oil for casserole? ›

Conversely, water-packed tuna is ideal for more traditional applications like tuna salad, casseroles, and the like. Furthermore, explains Ali, “the firmer texture holds up well in dishes such as tuna patties, burgers, and dips.”

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Is tuna pasta better hot or cold? ›

Tuna pasta salad actually tastes really great when it's either cold or room temperature. However, I would not try to heat it up. If you do not like your tuna pasta salad too cold, you can just leave it out for a few moments after being taken out of the refrigerator to let it adjust to room temperature.

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What is the crunchy stuff in my can of tuna? ›

Struvite, magnesium ammonium phosphate, are natural minerals that form while the fish is being canned. The magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate naturally found in the fish binds together and forms crystals. Fun fact: struvite is a form of kidney stone in humans, cats, and dogs.

Learn More Now ›

What method should be used to cool tuna casserole? ›

To safely cool a large batch of tuna casserole, divide it into smaller portions, put them in shallow containers, and refrigerate. Ensure the casserole's temperature drops to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and to 41 degrees or lower within six hours.

Should you rinse canned tuna? ›

By rinsing canned tuna, you essentially wash away some of the flavors and textures that come with it. If your tuna is packed in oil, rinsing it could mean saying goodbye to some of that moist, rich taste. And if it's water-packed tuna you're dealing with, a rinse will leave it more bland and flaky.

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Can I eat tuna pasta everyday? ›

Moderation Matters: Enjoying tuna pasta in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. Balanced Meal: Combining with whole-grain pasta and veggies enhances nutritional value.

Keep Reading ›

Is tuna pasta healthy for weight loss? ›

It's low in calories and fat yet is jam-packed with nutrients. Each serving of tuna has omega-3s and other various vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D and selenium. These nutrients are part of a healthy, balanced diet.

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Can you eat cold tuna pasta the next day? ›

Providing you have cooled your leftovers safely and kept them in the fridge, it is absolutely fine to eat your leftovers cold straight from the fridge…. However, if you like your leftovers warm, it's important that you reheat until piping hot throughout.

What is a casserole made out of? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

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Where did tuna noodle casserole originate? ›

The first one, “Noodles and Tuna Fish en Casserole,” came from Sunset Magazine, from a “Mrs. W. F. S.” residing in Kennewick, Washington, in 1930.

Get More Info ›

What material is casserole? ›

“A casserole dish and a baking dish are the same thing: an oven-safe piece of cookware, usually made of ceramic, porcelain, or glass,” says Anthony Contrino, an Emmy Award–winning culinary producer and food stylist. "They can come in various shapes, with the most common being rectangular, oval, or square.

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How many calories is a bowl of tuna noodle casserole? ›

Tuna Noodle Casserole With Vegetables And (mushroom) Soup (1 cup) contains 32.5g total carbs, 30.3g net carbs, 15.6g fat, 24.6g protein, and 372 calories.