Old Fashioned Tuna Casserole is a classic comfort food that is on the dinner table in just 30 minutes sure to become a new family favorite.
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It's a simple and delicious dish made with canned tuna, noodles, and a creamy sauce, topped with buttery Ritz crackers like my Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole. It's perfect for busy weeknights or potluck gatherings like my Creamy Chicken Pasta.
With a few simple ingredients and some simple techniques, you can make this tasty and satisfying cheesy tuna noodle casserole. Served with a side of my Ciabatta Garlic Bread your whole family coming back for seconds. So, let's dive in and learn how to make this old-fashioned favorite!
Why this recipe works
Classic cheesy tuna casserole recipe is perfect for a quick and easy dinner made with simple pantry ingredients like my Honey Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli. It's a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking whether you prefer to add vegetables, spices, or different types of cheese. It's also a nostalgic dish that many of us grew up with, and making it can bring back fond memories like my Salisbury Steak.
Ingredients for cheesy tuna casserole
Ingredients notes
- Pasta: Wide egg noodles are traditional but you can use any pasta you like.
- Cream of mushroom soup: Low sodium, you can also use cream of celery soup or cream of chicken soup.
- Cheese: I use mild white cheddar cheese, but mozzarella works great.
- Tuna: I like to use tuna packed in water.
How to make Old Fashioned tuna casserole
- Step 1: Cook noodles to 1 minute below al dente. Add the Ritz crackers to a ziplock bag and crush them using a rolling pin or cup. Or you can put them in a food processor and pulse them until crushed.
- Step 2: Add the crushed crackers to a small bowl with the butter and parmesan cheese and mix until combined.
- Step 3: In a medium bowl whisk together the soup, mayo, and milk until combined.
- Step 4: Heat a large skillet (oven-safe) on medium-high heat melt butter, add celery, onions, and garlic, and saute.
- Step 5: Add the pasta, tuna, cheese, and peas to the skillet.
- Step 6: Pour the sauce in.
- Step 7: Toss the cheesy tuna casserole until well combined.
- Step 8: Sprinkle the crushed crackers on top of casserole and bake until golden brown!
Recipe tips
- Be sure to cook the noodles al dente because they're going to cook a bit more in the oven.
- I used cream of mushroom soup, but you could also use cream of celery or cream of chicken.
- We like peas in this dish. But you can add whatever veggies you have and it will be delicious.
- Mayonnaise or sour cream adds an extra creaminess to this tuna casserole recipe.
- I make the casserole all in one cast-iron skillet. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet you can transfer it to a 9x13 casserole dish.
Recipe Faq's
Canned light tuna in water is better for you. It contains a lower mercury content. Solid white albacore tuna is higher in mercury but still ok to eat it has a less u0022fishyu0022 tuna flavor, and chunk light tuna has a stronger taste.
I prefer to use peas, but chopped broccoli, green beans even mushrooms.
Of course, you can replace the tuna with canned chicken, or even shredded chicken like my Ultimate Chicken Casserole.
We like crushed Ritz crackers for the topping, you could also use potato chips, panko bread crumbs, crispy fried onions, or even a different flavor of cracker.
More Casserole Recipes
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Old Fashioned Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry egg noodles about 4 cups cooked
For The Topping
- 1 sleeve Ritze crackers
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablspoons butter melted
For The Casserole
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 cup diced onions
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can low sodium cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup milk
- 1 can tuna drained
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Instructions
- Cook egg noodles 1 minute shy of al dente, drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- In a small bowl combine crushed Ritz crackers, parmesan cheese, and melted butter mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl add the soup, mayo and milk and whisk until combined and set aside.
- In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet on medium heat, melt butter, add celery and onions, and cook until soft about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook another minute.
- Remove from the heat. Add in sauce mixture, drained tuna, cheese, pasta and peas and mix until combined.
- Sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly, serve!
Line 6 of the instructions 🙂
when does the soup, mayo and milk come in??
Aww you're welcome Nancy so happy you enjoy them 🙂
I haven’t made a tuna casserole for many years. I know exactly who I’m going to invite for dinner. Wendy, thank you for all your delicious recipes.
Line 6 of the instructions 🙂
where does the cheddar cheese come in?
Thank you fixed! Either soup works 🙂
Ingredients mention "Cream of Mushroom Soup"
Instructions state "Cream of Chicken Soup"