A family favorite of tuna and noodles all topped with cheese for a fast and easy tuna casserole.
Aimee and Nate came to visit us in California for the long weekend over President’s Holiday. What a wonderful time we had together. We love being together, and I love having them here. It was short, but we filled it full of activities. We got to play games, visit the beach, they were so happy to enjoy the 80 degree weather we had but most of all we were just happy to spend time together.
One of the activities we enjoyed together was preparing a family dinner together. We chose tuna casserole because it was a regular dinner in our home while the children were growing up. This recipe was a favorite and a simple dinner. I hope you can enjoy it.
Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces short noodles (your favorite – we used gemelli)
- 10 oz can mushroom soup
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (divided)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 5 oz tuna fish (drained)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the extra water. 8 ounces short noodles
- Mix Cream of Mushroom soup, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, sour cream, tuna, whole milk, pepper, and garlic salt together. 10 oz can mushroom soup, 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 5 oz tuna fish, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- Add in the cooked noodles, and peas and fold them into the mixture. 1 cup frozen peas
- Transfer the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Top the mixture with remaining 1 cup of cheese, and
- Drain pasta and mix into casserole mixture
- Put everything into an oven proof casserole dish
- Bake in preheat 350 degree oven for 15 minutes
- Sprinkle with the cheese and Panko bread crumbs, then finish baking for 15 more minute 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- Serve, (half my family likes to eat it with ketchup)
We hope you like our family casserole; simple but good.
GET READY TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS PASTA DISH WITH THESE GREAT KITCHEN TOOLS:
Donna says
I want to try this!
Mariah says
Can you use a can of peas instead? I’m in college and we don’t have much freezer space. We always have canned peas however.
Aimee says
I’ve honestly never cooked with canned peas. They should work fine.
Ellen says
This recipe was first used by me in college. It is so easy and inexpensive. Yes, you can use canned peas. Canned peas are already soft peas and only need to be warmed and not cooked. If I was using canned peas, I would only add them in the last 10 minutes when you add the cheese. And make sure you have drained your canned peas.
This recipe can even be cooked in the microwave to make it easier and faster. Everything is already cooked so you only need to warm. I would add all my ingredients, minus the peas and cheese, and cook for 5 minutes (with a lid because tuna has a tendency to explode in a microwave), then I would stir in my drained canned peas and sprinkle on the cheese. Now it should only take a minute or two to melt the cheese.
Hope it all works for you and you enjoy the tuna casserole.
(PS, peas are also optional)
Tori says
This is one of my family’s favorite dinners. Thank you for sharing!
Ellen says
Thanks for letting us know. I am so glad your family likes it.
Jessica says
I know this recipe is from last year, so I don’t know if you’ll come across my comment. I’m preparing freezer meals before I have my 3rd baby. Do you know if this casserole would freeze well? It looks delicious!
Aimee Berrett says
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would freeze well. I would just maybe slightly undercook the noodles and don’t do the final cook with it all mixed together until yore reheating it! Good luck with your new baby!! When are you due?
Jessica says
Thank you. 🙂 I’m not due until Dec. 21, so right now I’m just getting ideas for what will freeze well and what won’t. I probably won’t assemble the meals until the beginning of December. I plan on trying this one out fresh for dinner this week though, too!
Claudia Siebenmark says
Aimee, I just wanted to tell you and your mom that I made the tuna casserole and followed your recipe to the T and used the ranch dressing too. After I got it all mixed up I saw that it would fit in my round casserole dish so that is what I cooked it in. And let me say that this casserole is super delicious!!! It was a total big hit here, and this recipe took the front of the line in my recipe keeper. We love it and will be making this a lot. Posting a link on my Facebook too with an A+++++++++ write up. Thank you and your mom so much for sharing!
Aimee Berrett says
Ohh, Claudia! I am so glad it has become a favorite for you. It was always one of my favorites growing up and every time I think of it I want it for dinner (like now!) Thanks so much for telling us about your success with it!
claudia@tqci.net says
Thank you Aimee. Yes, I saw that it was a round casserole dish. What I should have asked is the quart size. My round casserole is a 2 1/2 quart. But cooking it all in a 9×13 will work! Thank you!
Aimee Berrett says
Sorry, it’s my mom’s dish so I am not sure what size it is! I’ll let you know if I find out – but the 9×13 should work great!
Claudia Siebenmark says
Hi. This looks really good and I am going to make it. Just need to know what size casserole dish should I use?
Aimee Berrett says
Claudia, as you can see we baked it all in a deep round casserole dish, but I think a 9×13 pan would work great!
Mary Ellen says
Could you use rice instead of noodles for the tuna casserole?
Aimee Berrett says
You probably could, I don’t know if the amount would be the same. Let me know if you try it!
June Bennett says
Our tuna comes in tiny cans. what size of can do I need?
June Bennett
Aimee Berrett says
A 12 oz can
Ellen Garrett says
Michelle, thank you for asking that. It should be clarified – I meant from the mushroom soup used, reuse the can with 1/2 can of milk. It also is a good way to get some of the remaining soup from the bottom of the can.
Michelle says
I can’t wait to try this, it looks delicious! I have a silly question. When you say 1/2 can of milk, are you referring to evaporated milk?
mizzkikiii says
This was the first tuna casserole I ever made and it was so simple yet so delicious!! I skipped out on the ketchup 🙂 will be making this again very soon.
Thank you for sharing
aimeeberrett says
I am so glad you liked it! Even if you did leave the ketchup off 😉
Karina says
Aimee! I Love your blog and the idea of it, how fun to be able to cook with your mom and share it with everyone ! I’ve been browsing and looking at your yummy recipes :)! I’m so happy that you are part of the Utah Bloggers group and that I was able to find your awesome blog! PS: Thanks for the sweet comment you left on my blog! It made my day!
aimeeberrett says
Thanks Karina! It is really fun for me to see what recipes my mom makes. And then we both want to try out the recipes that each other made, so it kind of connects us even though we don’t live close.
Nicky George-Hudelson says
Love tuna casserole! Swinging through with the Thursday blog hop.
joyfromyesterfood says
I am enjoying your site and your recipes SO much! Love the classics- tuna casserole, yellow cake with chocolate frosting! I saw you on Grow Your Blog blog hop- so happy I did!
I am now following Like Mother Like Daughter on Google Reader, Twitter, and Facebook.
Joy @ Yesterfood
http://yesterfood.blogspot.com
aimeeberrett says
Thank you Joy, we are so happy to have you visit our part of the blog world 🙂
Craig says
Wahoo. A beautiful picture of the bloggers. . . You are exposed.
aimeeberrett says
Thanks Daddi-o 🙂
Nicole says
This looks delicious! Growing up, I think I put ketchup on EVERYTHING. To this day, I still eat scrambled eggs and plain potato chips with ketchup and black pepper. Cheers to family time and sharing meals together!!!!!!
aimeeberrett says
Nicole, I won’t eat scrambled eggs with out ketchup and my mom thinks its disgusting with. I think ketchup makes everything better though, right? — okay, maybe not everything 😉
Nicole says
I used to eat cottage cheese with ketchup, salt, and pepper. EWWW!!!!!! hahahahahahahahaha
aimeeberrett says
Haha, okay, I don’t think I could put ketchup on my cottage cheese. But I do like it on my mac and cheese 🙂