Tuna Noodle Casserole
This homemade Tuna Noodle Casserole combines tender egg noodles, tuna andpeas with a rich white cheddar cream sauce, then finishes everything with acrispy Parmesan-Panko topping. It's classic comfort food made completely fromscratch without canned cream soup.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 10 oz wide egg noodles
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3½ cups half and half
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese
- 3 5-oz cans tuna in water
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon fresh chives
Topping
- ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and olive oil. Mix until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook them until just shy of al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and set aside. Don't overcook them here because they'll continue cooking in the oven.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the butter and onion mixture. Stir continuously for about 1 to 2 minutes. This cooks away the raw flour taste and creates the base for your cream sauce.
- Slowly pour in the half and half while whisking or stirring continuously. Add the Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Reduce the heat to low. Gradually stir in the shredded white cheddar until completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
- Gently fold the drained tuna and peas into the cheese sauce. Try not to break the tuna apart too much. Leaving some larger pieces gives the finished casserole better texture.
- Add the cooked egg noodles and gently toss everything together until the noodles are completely coated in the creamy sauce.
- Transfer the tuna noodle mixture to your prepared baking dish. Spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the Parmesan-Panko mixture evenly over the entire casserole.
- Bake uncovered at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the breadcrumb topping is golden brown. For additional browning, you can broil it for the final 1 to 2 minutes, but watch it closely.
- Allow the casserole to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Finish with freshly chopped chives and serve warm.
Video
Recipe Tips
Undercook those noodles.
This is probably the most important part of the recipe. If your egg noodles are completely cooked before they go into the oven, they can become too soft after another 25 to 30 minutes of baking.
I recommend pulling them 1 to 2 minutes before al dente. They'll finish cooking in that creamy sauce in the oven.
Also, shred your own cheddar if possible. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking ingredients that can keep your sauce from becoming as smooth and creamy.
