This cheesy tuna casserole is made with tender egg noodles covered in a rich, homemade sauce that’s loaded with cheese. The crunchy cracker topping is the perfect finishing touch!
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Pin RecipeAh, casseroles. We love them because they have everything we need for a well-rounded dinner in a single baking dish—and because they’re always a crowd-pleaser. No one can resist Dorito Chicken Casserole, Pierogi Casserole, or King Ranch Chicken Casserole. But when you’re looking for something even easier, canned tuna comes to the rescue!
This cheesy tuna casserole is a complete meal in a baking dish. Canned tuna adds delicious flavor and tons of protein, while the peas, carrots, and mushrooms in the dish ensure you get your daily dose of vegetables. Most moms will agree, there is nothing quite as amazing as a one-dish, easy dinner!
Easy Cheesy Tuna Casserole Recipe
Tuna casserole is such a classic, iconic dish. I’ve taken that traditional meal and made it just a little bit better by adding cheese! The homemade cheese sauce is really what takes this casserole to the next level and makes it completely irresistible.
Serve this cheesy tuna casserole as an easy weekday meal—your whole family is sure to enjoy it. (Mom’s everywhere rejoice!) This classic American dish can be made from scratch and on the table in under 45 minutes. It doesn’t get any better than that!
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Ingredients For Cheesy Tuna Casserole
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Egg noodles – Egg noodles are the best for casseroles. They are tender, quick-cooking, and hold a sauce well. You can use elbow macaroni or bowties for something different, though.
- Vegetable oil – Olive oil also works well.
- Onions
- Carrots
- Frozen peas
- Cream of mushroom soup – I like Campbell’s brand best, but any can of condensed cream of mushroom soup will work.
- Half and half
- Kosher salt – I also like to use sea salt. Any large, flaked salt is perfect!
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Flaked tuna – Use light tuna packed in water, which is much less greasy than tuna in oil. Solid white albacore tuna is my favorite.
- Cheddar cheese – Buy pre-shredded, bagged cheese so you don’t need to get out your grater.
- Ritz crackers – Buttery crackers add flavor and texture.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is perfect since the crackers already have a good amount of salt.
Variations
Here are a few ingredient substitutions to try:
- Use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables in place of carrots and sweet peas. Three cups of mixed veggies will work perfectly.
- Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper when you add the ground black pepper. This gives the tuna casserole a nice kick.
- Use 1/2 cup half and half and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. This makes the sauce even more flavorful and a little less decadent.
How to Make Cheesy Tuna Casserole
- Make the noodles: Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions until they are al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375ºF, then spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Sauté the veggies: Add the oil to a large saucepan set over medium heat, then cook the onions and carrots until browned. Add the peas and stir.
- Make the sauce: Whisk the cream of mushroom soup, half and half, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Pour the creamy sauce into the skillet with the vegetables and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the canned tuna fish, cooked noodles, and cheese.
- Make the topping: Mix the crumbled Ritz cracker and melted butter in a small bowl to make the topping.
- Assemble the casserole: Pour the casserole mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the cracker topping over the casserole.
- Bake: Bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes. The top will be golden brown and the sauce will be bubbling around the edges of the dish.
- Cool: Let the casserole cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Quick Tip
I love the buttery taste and texture of the cracker topping, but potato chip topping is also popular. Crush about 2 cups of potato chips and sprinkle them over the casserole for a different texture.
How to Store Cheesy Tuna Casserole
If you have leftover classic tuna casserole with cheese, cover the dish in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can reheat the casserole in the microwave until it’s warm or you can enjoy it cold!
I do not recommend freezing this cheesy tuna noodle casserole recipe. When the frozen casserole thaws, the texture is not as smooth as when it is made fresh. Cream soup sauces never freeze very well.
FAQs
If your tuna casserole is dry, it may have been over-cooked. When the sauce bakes too long, it will dry out and not be as creamy or moist as it should be. Make sure you take the casserole out of the oven after about 20-25 minutes.
Tuna casserole is good for about four to five days in the fridge. Keep it tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
No, you should not eat a tuna casserole that was left out overnight at room temperature. Tuna casserole needs to be refrigerated within 3 hours or it will spoil.
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Ingredients
Casserole
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 (6 ounce) cans flaked tuna, drained
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Topping
- 1 ½ cup Ritz crackers, crushed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles in salted water according to package directions until done, but still a little firm. Drain and set aside.12 ounces wide egg noodles
- Preheat an oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray, set aside.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and carrots. Cook until tender and starting to brown, about 7 to 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, then stir in the peas.2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 medium onion, diced, 2 carrots, diced, 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, half-and-half, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour into the pan with the vegetables. Cook until the mixture is heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then mix in the tuna, cooked noodles and cheddar cheese. Spread in the bottom of the baking dish.2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup half and half, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 (6 ounce) cans flaked tuna, drained, 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- In a small bowl, mix together the crushed crackers and melted butter with a fork. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.1 ½ cup Ritz crackers, crushed, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and it starts to bubble around the sides of the dish.
