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Tuna Noodle Casserole

A dependable, from-scratch tuna noodle casserole balances creamy cheddar sauce with vegetables and a deeply crisp breadcrumb topping.
Deeply golden tuna noodle casserole with a crisp breadcrumb topping in a white baking dish.

This version earns its comfort from a quick milk sauce rather than canned condensed soup. Browned mushrooms add savoriness, while peas and celery keep the filling lively beneath a crisp cheddar-panko lid.

Leave room for the noodles to finish

Egg noodles keep absorbing moisture as the casserole bakes, so cooking them shy of done is essential. Drain them well without rinsing; their lightly starchy surface gives the sauce something to hold on to.

Drain the tuna with intention

Canned tuna often carries enough liquid to thin a carefully made sauce. Pressing it in a strainer and flaking it gently gives the casserole clean pieces of fish and a creamy, sliceable filling.

Creamy noodles with tuna, peas, and mushrooms fill a baking dish before topping.
The creamy noodle and tuna filling is spread evenly before its buttery breadcrumb topping is added.

A sauce that coats instead of pools

The sauce should coat a spoon before noodles and cheese go in, not reduce into a heavy paste. The oven finishes the thickening, creating a casserole that stays comforting without becoming soupy.

Wait for the visual cues

Look for active bubbling at the edges and a deeply golden, crisp top rather than relying only on the clock. If the topping browns before the filling bubbles, loosely tent the dish and continue baking until the center is hot.

A spoonful shows creamy egg noodles, tuna flakes, peas, and crisp golden breadcrumbs.
A scoop reveals tender egg noodles, flaky tuna, peas, and creamy cheddar sauce below the crisp top.

Make ahead, then bake

The assembled casserole can rest in the refrigerator before baking, which makes it especially useful for a busy evening. Give it a short rest after the oven so each scoop holds together with its creamy sauce.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

6 servings
65 minutes total

Ingredients

  • •  12 oz wide egg noodles
  • •  3 (5 oz) cans solid white tuna
  • •  3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • •  3/4 cup panko
  • •  8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • •  2 celery ribs
  • •  1 small yellow onion
  • •  3 tbsp flour
  • •  2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • •  1 cup peas
  • •  6 oz sharp cheddar

Method

  1. Heat the oven and prepare the dish

    Heat the oven to 375 F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tbsp butter, coating the bottom and corners.

    Look for: The baking dish has a thin, even buttery sheen.

  2. Cook the noodles shy of done

    Boil the egg noodles in generously salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directs, then drain thoroughly without rinsing.

    Look for: The noodles bend but have a firm, chalky center that will finish in the sauce.

  3. Drain and flake the tuna

    Press the tuna firmly in a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess water, then flake it into bite-size pieces with a fork.

    Look for: The tuna looks separated and moist but no longer drips water.

  4. Sauté the vegetables

    Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the mushrooms, celery, and onion until the mushrooms are browned and the celery is tender.

    Look for: The mushrooms have browned edges and the skillet has little to no pooled liquid.

  5. Build the creamy sauce

    Lower the heat to medium, melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter with the vegetables, stir in flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in milk and cook until the sauce coats a spoon.

    Look for: The sauce is smooth, thick enough to coat a spoon, and not pasty or gluey.

  6. Combine the filling

    Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the drained noodles, flaked tuna, peas, and 4 oz cheddar until the noodles are evenly coated.

    Look for: Every noodle is coated with sauce and the tuna stays in distinct flakes.

  7. Top the casserole

    Transfer the filling to the prepared dish, then toss panko breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tbsp melted butter and remaining 2 oz cheddar before scattering the topping evenly over the surface.

    Look for: The topping covers the filling in a loose, even layer without packing it down.

  8. Bake until bubbling and golden

    Bake at 375 F until the edges are actively bubbling and the breadcrumb topping is deeply golden brown.

    Look for: Sauce bubbles around the edges and the topping is crisp and deeply golden.

  9. Rest and serve

    Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before scooping so the sauce settles around the noodles instead of running onto the plate.

    Look for: Spoonfuls hold together with a creamy coating rather than a pool of sauce.