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Tuna noodle casserole was the supper our mother made when the grocery money was nearly gone and there were still four days left in the week. A bag of egg noodles, a couple of cans of tuna, frozen peas and a creamy sauce, with crushed crackers on top. That was all, and it filled the whole table. The corners, where the topping baked darkest and crunchiest, were always the first to go.
Her sauce never came out of a can. She made a quick white sauce in a saucepan with butter, onion and mushrooms, flour and milk, and stirred a handful of cheddar in at the end. It takes ten minutes and tastes far better than anything canned. The usual problem with tuna casserole is that it comes out of the oven dry and stiff, because the noodles keep drinking the sauce while it bakes. This recipe shows how to make the creamy sauce without a can and keep it from drying out.
It is still one of the cheapest suppers you can put on a table, and one of the most comforting.
Why this tuna noodle casserole works
- A homemade sauce. Butter, flour and milk make a smooth, creamy sauce with a clean taste, no can needed.
- Mushrooms and onion. Softened in the butter first, they give the sauce the savory depth people miss from the canned kind.
- Noodles cooked short. They finish cooking in the oven, so they stay tender instead of soft.
- A loose sauce. The sauce goes in a little thinner than it should end up, because the noodles absorb some of it.
- Buttered cracker crumbs. Tossed in melted butter, they bake into a golden, crunchy lid that keeps the inside moist.
Ingredients
Serves 6 from a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the casserole
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles (340g)
- 2 cans (5 ounces each, 142g each) tuna, drained
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (200g), no need to thaw
For the creamy sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (55g)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 8 ounces white or brown mushrooms, sliced (225g)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 3 cups whole milk (720ml)
- 1 cup chicken broth (240ml)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (170g)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the topping
- 1 1/2 cups crushed buttery crackers (about 36 crackers, 110g)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (45g)
Tuna packed in water or oil both work; drain it well and keep it in big flakes. Any round buttery crackers make the classic topping, and crushed potato chips are the other old-fashioned choice.
How to make tuna noodle casserole
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees (190°C) and butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
- Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain them and set them aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and the mushroom liquid has cooked away.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly, then add the broth. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar, the salt, pepper and garlic powder until smooth.
- In a large bowl, gently fold together the noodles, sauce, peas and tuna, keeping the tuna in big flakes. Spread it in the baking dish.
- Scatter the remaining cheddar over the top. Toss the crushed crackers with the melted butter and sprinkle them evenly over the casserole.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the topping is deep golden. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips that make the difference
- Make the sauce a little looser than you think. If it looks just right in the pan, it will be dry after the oven.
- Do not rinse the noodles. A little starch on them helps the sauce cling.
- Fold gently. Stirring hard breaks the tuna into a paste and the noodles into pieces.
- Season the sauce well before it meets the noodles; taste it and add salt if it seems flat.
Variations
- Potato chip top. Use crushed plain potato chips instead of crackers for the classic diner crunch.
- Chicken. Use 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken instead of the tuna.
- Vegetables. Add a cup of chopped steamed broccoli or a diced red pepper with the peas.
- Make ahead. Assemble without the topping, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Add the crumbs and bake 10 minutes longer.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add a splash of milk before reheating, covered with foil, in a 350 degree oven until hot.
The casserole can be frozen before baking, without the topping, for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight, then top and bake.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep tuna casserole from drying out?
Undercook the noodles, make the sauce a little loose and do not overbake. The noodles absorb sauce in the oven, so start with more than you think.
Can I make it without canned soup?
Yes, that is what this recipe does. A simple white sauce with mushrooms and cheddar replaces the can and tastes better.
What noodles are best?
Wide egg noodles are the classic. Elbow macaroni or small shells also work if that is what you have.
Can I use fresh tuna?
Yes. Poach or bake about 10 ounces of tuna, cool it and flake it in. Canned tuna is traditional and keeps the dish cheap.
Make it at the end of a long week, and save the corners for whoever does the dishes.
Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch (Creamy Homemade Sauce, No Can of Soup)
Old-fashioned tuna noodle casserole with egg noodles, peas and flaked tuna in a creamy homemade mushroom and cheddar sauce, topped with buttered cracker crumbs and baked until golden.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 cans (5 ounces each, 142g each) tuna, drained
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (200g), no need to thaw
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 8 ounces white or brown mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups crushed buttery crackers
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees (190°C) and butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
- Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says. Drain them and set them aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and the mushroom liquid has cooked away.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly, then add the broth. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar, the salt, pepper and garlic powder until smooth.
- In a large bowl, gently fold together the noodles, sauce, peas and tuna, keeping the tuna in big flakes. Spread it in the baking dish.
- Scatter the remaining cheddar over the top. Toss the crushed crackers with the melted butter and sprinkle them evenly over the casserole.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the topping is deep golden. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
