Get ready to rediscover a true American classic! This incredible, completely from-scratch Tuna Noodle Casserole is here to erase any memories of the gloppy, canned-soup versions of the past and show you just how delicious this dish can be. With a rich, savory, and velvety homemade cream sauce, tender egg noodles, flaky albacore tuna, and a shatteringly crispy, golden-brown panko topping, this is the ultimate comfort food casserole, all grown up.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to mastering a nostalgic favorite and turning it into a meal worthy of a special occasion. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a flawless, lump-free cream sauce that comes together in minutes. It’s a hearty, satisfying, and deeply comforting one-dish meal that will have your whole family coming back for seconds.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Comfort Food, Elevated
What makes this Tuna Noodle Casserole so spectacular is its luxurious, from-scratch cream sauce that is made without a single can of condensed soup. The foundation is a classic, foolproof roux, which is transformed into a luscious, velvety béchamel sauce with the addition of whole milk and a sophisticated splash of dry sherry. This rich sauce is the perfect vehicle for tender egg noodles, high-quality tuna, and fresh vegetables. Crowned with a super-crispy, buttery panko breadcrumb topping, this is a casserole that is truly company-worthy.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 1 hour |
| Active Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Classic Casserole
This recipe uses a handful of simple, high-quality ingredients to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The From-Scratch Cream Sauce: This is the secret to a truly superior casserole.
- The Roux: A simple mixture of salted butter and all-purpose flour is the classic, non-negotiable foundation for a stable, thick, and creamy sauce.
- The Liquids: Using warmed whole milk is a great trick for ensuring your béchamel sauce is perfectly smooth and incorporates easily. The addition of dry sherry is a brilliant, sophisticated touch that adds a wonderful, nutty, and complex depth of flavor that elevates the entire dish.
- The Hearty Fillings:
- Tuna: For the absolute best, most delicious result, it is highly recommended to use a high-quality white albacore tuna packed in water. It has a much firmer texture and a cleaner, milder flavor than light tuna, and it will hold up beautifully in the creamy sauce without becoming mushy.
- Egg Noodles: Classic, wide egg noodles are the traditional and perfect choice. Their tender, slightly chewy texture and their ability to hold onto the creamy sauce are an ideal match.
- The Crispy Panko Topping: The perfect, crunchy finish.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are a Japanese-style breadcrumb that has a much lighter, airier, and more shard-like texture than regular breadcrumbs. This is the secret that makes the topping incredibly light and super-crispy, not dense or heavy.
Step-by-Step to the Best Tuna Noodle Casserole
This delicious, one-pan sauce meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Part 1: Cook the Noodles and Prepare the Topping
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your 12 ounces of wide egg noodles until they are just al dente (about 1 minute less than the package cook time). Drain the cooked noodles and set them aside.
Pro Tip: Cooking the pasta only to al dente is crucial! It will continue to cook in the hot sauce in the oven, and this step ensures that your final noodles are perfectly cooked, not soft and mushy.
Step 3: To make the topping, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Add the 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley and stir it all together. Set this aside.
Part 2: The Rich and Creamy From-Scratch Sauce
Step 1: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the 1 medium diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the 6 ounces of finely chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring, for a couple more minutes.
Step 2 (Make the Roux): Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 full minute. This important step cooks out the raw flour taste.
Step 3 (Make the Gravy): Slowly and gradually, while whisking constantly, pour in the 3 cups of warmed whole milk and the 1/2 cup of dry sherry. Continue to cook and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is beautifully smooth, thick, and creamy.
Step 4: Season the sauce with salt and pepper to your taste.
Part 3: Assemble and Bake Your Casserole
Step 1: Add the 3 cans of drained tuna to the cream sauce and stir it in. Then, stir in the 1/4 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of the fresh parsley.
Step 2: Gently stir in the cooked egg noodles until they are completely coated in the luscious sauce.
Step 3: Transfer the entire noodle mixture to your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 4: Sprinkle the prepared, buttery panko breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the casserole.
Step 5: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the topping is a beautiful, deep golden brown.
Serve the casserole piping hot, with a simple green salad and some warm, crusty bread for sopping up the extra sauce.
The Best Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole (From Scratch!)
A classic, from-scratch recipe for a creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole. This comfort food dish features a homemade béchamel-style sauce, enriched with milk and a splash of dry sherry, and filled with sautéed onions and mushrooms. The creamy sauce is tossed with cooked wide egg noodles, flaked white albacore tuna, and diced red bell pepper. The casserole is then topped with a crunchy layer of buttered panko breadcrumbs and baked in a 9×13-inch dish until golden brown and bubbly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 6 ounces white button mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups warmed whole milk
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Three 6.4-ounce cans white albacore tuna in water, drained
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: While the noodles cook, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute to create a roux.
- Whisk in the warm milk and the sherry. Cook, whisking, for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the Casserole: Add the drained tuna to the sauce and stir. Then, stir in the diced bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of the parsley.
- Fold in the cooked noodles until they are evenly coated. Transfer the entire mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare the Topping and Bake: In a small bowl, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley.
- Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cooking the pasta ‘al dente’ is important as it will continue to absorb sauce and cook in the oven without becoming mushy.
- Making a roux (cooking the flour in butter) is the classic method for thickening the creamy sauce.
- Panko breadcrumbs are recommended for a lighter, crispier topping than traditional breadcrumbs.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This Tuna Noodle Casserole is a fantastic make-ahead meal for a busy week or a potluck.
- Make-Ahead: You can fully assemble the entire, unbaked casserole in your baking dish (without the breadcrumb topping) up to 24 hours in advance. Let it cool completely, then cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, just add the fresh breadcrumb topping and pop it in the oven (you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time).
- Storage: Store any leftovers, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this casserole is to cover it with foil and bake it in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Classic Cheesy Kick: For a delicious, “tuna melt” style casserole, you can stir 1 to 1 1/2 cups of a shredded sharp cheddar or a nutty Gruyère cheese into the cream sauce at the very end, after you have turned off the heat.
- Use a Different Protein: If you’re not a fan of tuna, this creamy casserole is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of canned or cooked flaked salmon, or about 3 cups of shredded, cooked rotisserie chicken.
- Add Some Sweet Peas: A cup of frozen sweet peas is a classic and beloved addition to a tuna noodle casserole. Simply stir them into the sauce along with the tuna and the noodles for a wonderful pop of color and sweetness.
Enjoy The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is the very definition of homemade comfort. This classic, from-scratch Tuna Noodle Casserole, with its rich and creamy sauce and its crispy, golden-brown topping, is a rewarding and deeply satisfying meal that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite. It’s the kind of timeless dish that makes any day feel cozy and special.
We hope you enjoy every last, delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, old-fashioned comfort food meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: How do you make a delicious, creamy tuna noodle casserole from scratch, without any canned soup?
The secret is to make a simple, classic béchamel sauce, which is a French white sauce. As this recipe directs, you simply create a roux by cooking flour and butter together, and then you slowly whisk in milk until you have a beautiful, thick, and creamy sauce. It’s incredibly easy and is the foundation for so many delicious, creamy dishes.
Q2: What is the absolute best kind of tuna to use for a casserole?
For the absolute best, most high-quality result, it is highly recommended to use solid white albacore tuna that is packed in water. It has a much firmer texture, a cleaner, milder flavor, and larger, more beautiful flakes than a standard “chunk light” tuna, which can sometimes be a bit mushy in a casserole.
Q3: Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead meal! You can fully assemble the entire unbaked casserole (without the topping), cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, just make the fresh panko topping, sprinkle it over the top, and pop it in the oven.
Q4: How do I keep my noodles from getting mushy?
The most important secret is to under-cook your noodles slightly during the initial boiling step. As the recipe directs, you want to cook them until they are just al dente, which is about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directs. The noodles will continue to cook and absorb some of the sauce in the oven, and this step ensures that they will be perfectly tender, not mushy, in the finished casserole.
Q5: Can I freeze this casserole?
Because this casserole contains a dairy-based sauce and cooked pasta, freezing can sometimes affect the final texture. The sauce can sometimes separate, and the noodles can become very soft upon thawing and reheating. If you do want to freeze it, it is best to slightly under-cook your pasta even more, and to reheat it gently in the oven.