Tuna Noodle Casserole
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Make the best tuna noodle casserole at home with tender egg noodles, creamy sauce, flaky tuna, and a golden Parmesan-Panko topping. This tuna noodle casserole recipe is cozy, creamy, and freezer-friendly — the ultimate comfort food.
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Why You’ll Love This Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
- Quintessential comfort food (and a childhood favorite)
- Speedy comfort food using pantry staples like canned tuna
- Amazingly creamy, cheesy and completely made from scratch (no canned soup here)
- The crispiest lemony Parmesan-Panko topping
- Freezer-friendly goodness, great for meal prep, convenience, quick meals or gifting to new parents
Tips for the Best Tuna Noodle Casserole Every Time
- Use egg noodles. Egg noodles are typically a top choice as they are flat and wide, becoming very tender and fluffy, easily absorbing the sauce and soaking in all the flavors. For the best tuna noodle casserole recipe, undercook noodles by 1–2 minutes before baking so they don’t get mushy.
- Good quality tuna goes a long way. Use canned albacore tuna for big flakes and flavor. For a budget-friendly swap, light tuna also works in tuna noodle casserole recipes.
- Mix it up. Use leftover shredded rotisserie chicken instead of tuna, add other vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots or green beans, or swap out the Panko for crushed Ritz crackers or potato chips.
- Freeze before baking. Tuna noodle casserole is a freezer-friendly meal prep option. Assemble ahead, freeze up to 3 months, and bake when needed.
Tuna Casserole vs Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna casserole recipes vary, but tuna noodle casseroles always include egg noodles baked in a creamy sauce. Traditional tuna casserole recipes may use rice or potatoes. Both are comfort food classics, but this tuna noodle casserole recipe is the coziest choice for noodle lovers.
Best Cheeses for Tuna Noodle Casserole
Sharp cheddar is the go-to for this tuna noodle casserole recipe, but mozzarella, Swiss, or Monterey Jack can also work. A Parmesan-Panko topping adds crunch and keeps this the best tuna noodle casserole recipe for flavor and texture.
How to Store and Freeze Tuna Noodle Casserole
Prep
To make ahead, cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap, holding off on the Panko mixture; refrigerate up to 24 hours. To bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, sprinkle with Panko mixture and bake as directed, adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, adding a splash of milk or half and half as needed.
Freeze before baking
Cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, holding off on the Panko mixture. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed, sprinkling with Panko mixture and adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Freeze after baking
Let the casserole cool completely; cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Best Sides to Serve with Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tools You’ll Need for Tuna Noodle Casserole
Dutch oven – essential for creamy casseroles. Cast iron skillet – great for stovetop prep. Freezer-safe baking dish – perfect for meal prep and freezer storage.
Dutch oven
Tuna Noodle Casserole: Tuna Noodle Casserole FAQs
An oven-proof skillet, such as a large cast iron skillet, is a great option.
Egg noodles are a favorited choice for tuna noodle casserole but elbow macaroni or medium shells will also work well here.
Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.
Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store. While both Panko and breadcrumbs can be used as a coating for fried foods, Panko is much more flakier and yields a crunchier, crispier texture.
Yes! For the best results, we recommend assembling, freezing, then baking to help prevent any sogginess. But if you’ve already baked your casserole, no worries at all – it can still be frozen!
Albacore tuna in water works best for large flakes and mild flavor.
Yes, assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1–2 days.
This recipe is made from scratch without soup, but condensed cream of mushroom can be used for shortcuts.
Yes, shredded rotisserie chicken makes a great swap.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 ounces wide egg noodles, about 4 1/2 cups
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups half and half
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, about 2 cups
- 3 (5-ounce) cans tuna in water, drained
- 1 cup frozen green peas, rinsed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
For the panko mixture
- ⅓ cup Panko
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in half and half and Dijon until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in pasta, tuna and green peas until well combined; season with salt and pepper, to taste; sprinkle with Panko mixture.
- Place into oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly. about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.
for the panko mixture
- In a small bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan, lemon zest and olive oil.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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It looks very delicious, thank you.
First time making this “chicken noodle cassarole” (that’s what my kids think who won’t touch tuna with a 10 foot pole.) Guess what? They LOVED it and never new it was tuna. ha! I broke down the White Albacore to small peices which worked best in my situation. I loved that it didn’t use canned soup and I added a shake of Tobasco at the end. This recipe is a keeper – Thank you!
I made this last night sndbitbwas delicious. I modified for what I (no shallots). No need for all that high fat half and half. Just yummy.
This is the first tuna casserole I’ve made without a cream of ****** soup and it was incredible! I really liked the Panko topping but my wife thought it was too lemony. I’ll probably split the difference next time.
Hi, can you use canned chicken instead of tuna?
I think you can. My husband loves canned chicken, but I think it tastes just like tuna. Win-win!
What are my options if I don’t have a Dutch oven?
Just make it in a pot or a big fry pan on the stove. You can even make it in the pot you boiled your noodles in. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake. I used an oven safe fry pan but now I need to transfer the leftovers to a dish.
Delicious! My husband doesn’t like tuna casserole…so more for me! He said he would try it because he had only had his mother’s years ago. Well, this isn’t your Mama’s tuna casserole from the 1950s! He liked it and said he would have it again. Good, because I’m going to substitute canned salmon and add some dill… 🙂
I think there is an error in the statement regarding how long it takes to prepare this. 1 day 5 min seems like it takes an awfully long time.
Hi. Just noticed that your total prep and cook time should be 1 hour and 5 minutes. Not 1 day and 5 minutes. Lol. Just a small mistake.
The estimated time is a little off on this one.