Best Tuna Casserole Recipe
This Best Tuna Casserole is a comforting and creamy baked dish featuring tender egg noodles, flaky tuna, sweet peas, and a cheesy mushroom soup sauce, topped with buttery breadcrumbs and melted cheddar cheese. It’s an easy-to-make, classic family favorite perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 ounces egg noodles, cooked
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 10 ounces tuna, drained (two 5-ounce cans)
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1½ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided (1¼ cups and ¼ cup)
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish, if desired)
Topping
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray to prepare it for the casserole.
- Mix the casserole ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooked egg noodles, frozen peas, drained tuna, cream of mushroom soup, whole milk, 1¼ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, celery salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Stir gently until everything is evenly mixed.
- Assemble the casserole: Transfer the tuna mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it out evenly for uniform baking.
- Bake covered: Cover the casserole dish with foil or a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the mixture is hot and bubbly.
- Prepare the topping: While the casserole is baking, mix the bread crumbs with the melted butter until the crumbs are well coated.
- Add the topping and cheese: After 20 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs evenly over the top, then add the remaining ¼ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese.
- Bake uncovered: Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are lightly browned and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm and enjoy your comforting tuna casserole.
Notes
- You can substitute cream of mushroom soup with cream of celery or cream of chicken soup for flavor variation.
- Use fresh parsley for best flavor, but dried parsley can be substituted in a pinch at one-third the quantity.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free egg noodles and gluten-free bread crumbs.
- Make sure to drain tuna well to avoid excess moisture in the casserole.
- The casserole can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated before baking; increase baking time by a few minutes if baking cold.
Keywords: Tuna Casserole, cheesy tuna bake, creamy tuna noodle casserole, baked tuna recipe, comfort food dinner
Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/best-tuna-casserole-recipe/
