Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
This Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole is delicious and comforting! A simple and quick dinner that can be on your table in 45 minutes. Make this recipe from scratch, or you can use a simple recipe shortcut.
Tuna noodle casserole is a family favourite! My mom used to make this when I was a kid, and I’ve been making this dish for my own family over the years as well…we call it Toonie Noonie haha! Anyway, this dish is simple to assemble, takes less than 45 minutes to get on the table and even the pickiest eater in my house loves it!
For many years I made tuna noodle casserole with a can of mushroom soup, but now I prefer to make the sauce from scratch only because 4/5 people in my house hate mushrooms…like detest them. So I decided to find a way to make this casserole without using it. Now I make a simple cream based sauce from scratch that I actually like a lot better. I also like that I always have the simple ingredients for it on hand.
It’s OK to keep it simple
When it comes to making meals for our families, I think it’s so important to remember that they don’t have to be fancy or complicated. A simple noodle casserole like this one hits all the major food groups (especially if you decide to add frozen peas), uses relatively healthy ingredients and will fill tummies. That’s a win. I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe Tips:
- Canned Soup Option: A Recipe Shortcut. I often make this casserole with a can of mushroom soup. If you want to do this, just leave out the flour, mustard and milk. Instead, add a can of mushroom soup and a 1/2 cup of milk to the cooked onions and celery. Cook until the mixture is smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Then continue with the recipe.
- If you want this dish with lots of sauce, cut back on the noodles (sometimes I’ll add the noodles to the sauce until I get the amount of sauciness that I am looking for).
- Dry Mustard Option: I have added dry mustard to this recipe as I like the little bit of extra flavour it adds. It’s not too mustardy…dry mustard is often added to cream sauces to add flavour. But you can leave it out if you wish.
- If you want, you can add 1 cup of frozen peas to the sauce at the same time you add the canned tuna. This is a great way to increase the vegetables in this recipe.
Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
This Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole is delicious and comforting! A simple and quick dinner that can be on your table in 45 minutes. Make this recipe from scratch, or you can use a simple recipe shortcut.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 cups dried noodles (I used rotini noodles)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion (minced)
- 1 celery stalk (minced)
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp ground mustard (optional…I like to use it because it adds flavour)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 (5 ounce) can tuna (drained)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (marble or cheddar is great!)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pot of salted water boil the noodles until they are al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large skillet (one with high sides) on low/medium heat, melt the butter, then add the minced onions and celery. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Then stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the mustard powder if you’re using it.
- Whisk in the milk and simmer until the sauce is thickened.
- Then stir in the tuna, simmering for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the noodles.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle on the shredded cheese to cover the top evenly.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.
Keywords: tuna casserole, tuna noodle casserole
If you’re looking for more Easy Pantry Meals, make sure to check out my post below! Just click on the picture, or CLICK HERE to see the post.
Have a delicious day!
