Today I am sharing an old school classic and family favorite – Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole! Comfort food at its best!
OLD FASHIONED TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE (RAVE REVIEWS)
Egg noddles in a delicious creamy mushroom soup sauce tossed with tuna, sauteed onions, peas and cheddar cheese, topped with crushed potato chips then baked to perfection…just like grandma used make. Old school comfort food at its best.
Read rave reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest! This is the BEST tuna casserole recipe!
If you were a kid growing up in the 70s and 80s, there’s a good chance this casserole was served often at the dinner table – it was a staple in our home. This recipe was passed down from my grandma and has changed a smidgen over the years but still remains a classic.
Old school comfort food at its best! Simple to make, so good.
What You Need To Make Tuna Casserole
Egg noodles, cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, solid white albacore tuna, yellow onion, butter, peas, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and potato chips.
HOW TO MAKE TUNA CASSEROLE
Place casserole on middle rack of oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes uncovered, until casserole is completely heated through. Enjoy!
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Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles (not extra wide), slightly under cooked with a little firmness *under cook about 2 minutes less than according to package
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 12 ounce can solid white albacore tuna in water, drained well
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup – OR make homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (like Hellmann’s – not Miracle Whip)
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup crushed potato chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Prepare egg noodles, making sure to slightly under cook them by 2 minutes so they are slightly firm. Drain well.
Place casserole on middle rack of oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes uncovered, until casserole is completely heated through. Enjoy!
Tips
There are many variations for tuna casserole – you can easily adapt this recipe to your liking:
- I love tuna casserole served with a wedge of lemon to squeeze on top
- omit onion and peas if you do not care for them
- add some sauteed celery if you like
- instead of potato chips, top with bread crumbs, French fried onions or top with extra cheddar cheese if you want it super cheesy
- use cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom or mix in a can of cream of celery with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken
- jazz it up with spices
- not a fan of tuna…substitute with chicken
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Cheers!
Why not miracle whip
also great with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving instead of tuna
Can you use frozen peas?
Does this freeze well? It is only my husband and I. I thought maybe I could divide this and freeze half.
Denise – I found these tips for Freezing tuna casserole, head here–> https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-freeze-a-tuna-casserole/
I grew up in the 40s and 50s and my mother made Tuna Noodle Casserole quite often. I still love it today but have made a couple of changes to her recipe. I use 1 can of Cream of Chicken and 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup. I top my casserole with French’s Fried Onions, rather than potato chips. Gives it great flavor!
Hi Mary! Your Tuna Noodle Casserole looks and sounds amazing, so I’d really like to try it tomorrow. I buy my noodles in a large quantity container, so I’m not quite sure how to measure out the correct amount. Do you measure by weight, or by volume? I don’t have a kitchen scale, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’m sure my family will love this, especially my hubby, since he loves tuna, and also loves casseroles. I recently discovered your website, and enjoy it tremendously. Thank you very much, Mary. 🙂
Hi Angelina – Head here, this should help with measuring. I use a 12 ounce bag of medium size egg noodles.
https://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Dry-Pasta
This is delicious. I’ve made it a few times since finding the recipe here and my husband and I both love it. The only thing I do differently is increase the cheese. I use the 1 cup of shredded cheese in the casserole mixture and then add probably about the same amount scattered on top with the crushed chips. Last time, I used a can of peas & carrots instead of just peas and my husband commented that it looked “more festive” with the little carrot bits in it. Flavor-wise, though, it didn’t really make any difference. In conclusion: Love the recipe. Thanks for sharing it.
Made this last night a lot creamier than mine….I liked it
I made this for dinner last night as written except replced peas for sauteed celery, I detest peas! When I told my husband I was making it he didn’t sound to excited about it. Well, we both loved it! We finished it off for lunch today and my husband told me I could make it once a week? LoL! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
OMG! Delicious I’m so glad I sweated the onions! Followed this recipe completely and even my pickiest eater, told me he loved it, “ESPECIALLY THE CHIPS ON TOP, PERFECT CRUNCH!”
!
Surely to die for. Used to enjoy this but not in a while. Should I even ask about nutrition values?
Hello Mary,
I love tuna casserole. I make mine with a Family size Cream of Chicken and a regular size Cream of Mushroom, 1 8oz. soften cream cheese, 16oz. sour cream, 1 stick of melted butter, lots of sharp cheddar (like 3 or 4 cups), about a cup of milk, 1 Tbs.dried minced onion, 1 tsp.garlic powder, 1 Tbs.crushed dried parsley (in my palm to release the oils), S&P to taste, 2 of the larger foil pkgs. of Tuna in oil, 1 can Lesueur (the silver can) of early spring peas ( cause they’re itty bitty) and 12-16oz. medium wide egg noodles cooked 1-2 mins. shy of el dente and save a cup or 2 of pasta water to combine. Top with a bag crushed wavy potato chips. So good and my husband hates tuna. lol
Want to know what I can use instead of egg noodles as my husband is gluten intolerant
This may be a good recipe to try, Teri: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/246025/gluten-free-tuna-casserole/
Fantastic recipe! Made this yesterday for 2 of us and we finished it tonight for dinner 😋
Made this last night and was very surprised how delicious it was ! I have only made the old recipe from the soup can from years ago and thought it was kind of bland. This was very good .I think I may add a little more milk to the mix to loosen it up a little . Excellent !
Can i add corn and diced carrots to this…will it taste right?
I did, and it worked well!
For the noodles and cheese I use Velveeta Mac and cheese of Shells and cheese it turns out nice and creamy.
My family loves this tuna noodle recipe! It’s better than any we’ve had or tried!
This is now our go-to recipe for tuna casserole. Thank you for publishing it.
Just noticed your recipe and was checking out the ingredients. I do make a rich tasting tuna casserole as well. I’ve used cream of chicken or cream of mushroom and softened cream cheese instead of mayo. I blend cream cheese, soup, sour cream, tuna in oil pouch (Lg.) lots of sharp cheddar, s&p, garlic powder, dried minced onion, dried parsley poured out into palm of hand and rub to awaken the herb, a bit of half&half or whole milk, taste for seasonings and lastly I use canned Leisure Early Spring Peas 50% less sodium, love the delicate bitty peas that pop when you bite into them. Cook egg noodles in well seasoned water, a minute or two shy of directions, saving a cup of the starchy cooking water to add to the tuna mixture and drain, BUT DO NOT RINSE then blend everything in a large greased casserole dish. Add lots of crushed potato chips on top and bake till bubbly and just when the chips start turning golden but not browned otherwise the chips taste burnt. I also use a hand mixture up till I add the peas. basically like your recipe except the C.C., dried onion, parsley and peas.
Also the above mixture will be very creamy and will seem like a lot but will not be dry…..perfect.
I really think that you could entirely skip the part about sauteing the onions in butter and dirtying an extra pan just for this. I think you could just add the raw onion and butter to the casserole since it cooks for 30 minutes. The onion should cook during this time. I have a broccoli cheese dip that is made entirely in the microwave and for that you saute the onions in the microwave which would be another way to do it quickly. Use the same casserole that you are making the tuna noodle in but make the first step to saute the onions in butter in the microwave on high for a couple of minutes. Just a thought to save washing a pan.
I use crushed croutons instead of chips and it’s so good
can i add spinach to this
I’m making this for dinner tonight. No peas and adding mushrooms. Can’t wait.