This Cheesy Tuna Casserole is the perfect cozy weeknight dinner. You’ve got a hearty pasta, and flakey tuna, covered in a creamy, cheesy, velvety sauce. Perfect for an easy make-ahead meal, this casserole is so easy to make and ready in less than 1 hour.
I grew up eating this Tuna Casserole as a kid, and its still a nostalgic favorite for me. It’s such an easy dish to make, I can see why mom made it often. It’ll become a favorite for your family too.
Why make this Recipe
- Cozy Comfort Food: A delicious cheesy casserole that is perfect for chilly weeknights, or nostalgic cravings. I grew up with this tasty dish, and still love making it for a comforting meal.
- Quick and Easy: With only about 20 minutes of prep, and ready to eat in less than about 40 minutes, you’ll have it on the table in no time!
- Budget Friendly: This is a simple dish, that uses up some pantry and fridge favorites. If you have to buy everything new from the store, it should be less than $12 for the whole casserole, and about $1.50 per serving.
Ingredients Needed:
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Creamy Tuna Casserole Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Medium noodles – Pick your favorite noodles, you can use gemelli, rotini, egg noodles, penne, farfalle, etc.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – A simple base for the creamy sauce
- Cheddar Cheese – For the creamy sauce, and topping the casserole
- Sour Cream – Makes the sauce extra rich and creamy
- Tuna Fish – Use a high quality Solid White Canned Tuna.
- Frozen Peas – Adds a little sweetness, and color
- Milk – Helps thin the sauce to get the right consistency.
- Pepper – For flavor
- Garlic Salt – For a hint of flavor
- Panko Bread Crumbs – Adds a nice crunchy topping
How to make Tuna Casserole with Sour Cream?
Step 1: Cook the Pasta. Boil water and once boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta.
Step 2: Make the Sauce. Mix the Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 cup of the Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Tuna, Milk, Pepper, and Garlic Salt together in a large bowl. Add in the cooked noodles and peas and fold them together.
Step 3: Bake the Pasta. Scoop the pasta into a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Top with the extra cheese, and bread crumbs, and bake another 15 minutes.
Tips and Tricks:
- Customize the Dish – Swap the peas for par cooked broccoli, carrots, or corn for variety. Try different cheese options, like mozzarella, or Colby jack.
- Shred your Own Cheese – Instead of prepackaged shredded cheese, I recommend buying a block of fresh cheddar and shredding it yourself. This will keep you from having the extra starches and fillers in your cheese.
Storage Instructions
Cover the pan and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
This Cheesy Tuna Casserole is the perfect blend of comfort, and convenience. It’s such an easy casserole dish that is sure to be a hit for a busy weeknight!
More Casserole Recipes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
- Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole
- Eggnog French Toast Casserole
If you make this Tuna Casserole Recipe please leave a comment and 🌟 rating letting me know what you think! If you post the photo on Instagram, please tag me – I’d love to see what you’re making!
Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces short noodles (your favorite – we used gemelli)
- 10 oz can cream of 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 cream of 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 creamy mixture. 1 cup frozen peas
- Transfer the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the cheese and Panko bread crumbs, then finish baking for 15 more minutes. 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then serve hot.
Nutrition
This Tuna Casserole was first posted on February 19, 2013. The photos and blog text were updated for clarity on February 3, 2025.
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 🙂