Tuna Noodle Casserole

By Lidey Heuck

Updated April 2, 2020

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
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Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(1,702)
Comments
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This updated tuna noodle casserole recipe stays true to the classic 1950s dish, but substitutes a rich, homemade sauce for the can of cream of mushroom soup. The addition of cremini mushrooms — along with celery, onions, peas and parsley — makes this casserole surprisingly vegetable-packed, while briny capers complement the tuna and balance out the creamy sauce. Like any good tuna noodle casserole, this recipe’s pièce de résistance is the potato chip topping.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 (12-ounce) bag dried egg noodles or other shaped pasta

  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped celery (about 4 ribs)

  • 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped

  • 1 pound mushrooms (preferably cremini), trimmed and sliced ¼-inch thick

  • 2 tablespoons drained capers, roughly chopped (optional)

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

  • 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream

  • ¼ cup dry sherry or dry white wine

  • 2 (5- to 6-ounce) jars or cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained and flaked with a fork

  • 1 cup frozen or fresh peas

  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving (optional)

  • 2 cups plain, salted potato chips, crushed

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

52 grams carbs; 70 milligrams cholesterol; 486 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 746 milligrams sodium; 25 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9-by-13 or other 3-quart casserole dish with butter.

  2. Step 2

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until just al dente. (Do not overcook.) Drain and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onion, season with salt and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the capers and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

  4. Step 4

    Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until no streaks of flour remain, about 1 minute, reducing the heat as necessary to keep from scorching. Add the stock, half-and-half, sherry, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.

  5. Step 5

    Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the tuna, peas and parsley, if using; season to taste.

  6. Step 6

    Add the cooked noodles and toss well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle the crushed potato chips on top and bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Garnish with additional parsley, if using, and serve hot.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,702 user ratings
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Comments

Melissa P

Comforting, but I found it bland. If I were to make this again I would try to amp up the flavor. You could double the amount of capers (don't bother chopping), mix in a cup or more of shredded parm, add dijon mustard to the béchamel sauce, put a layer of sharp cheddar on top (under the potato chips), or mix in white anchovies (the kind in vinegar).

Angie

I used many of the recommended additions and it turned out great. Added a tsp of Dijon, doubled the capers without chopping, 2 anchovies in oil, extra can of tuna and 1 cup of freshly grated parm. Then a couple of my own edits: only 8oz of noodles, a can of white beans, dried herbs like thyme & tarragon. Will definitely be making this again.

Lulu in Minnesota

This was good comfort food! I would add an extra can of tuna. I had no potato chips so I used panko bread crumbs and a little extra salt. A little Parmesan on top also.

Joanne E.L.

I made this as written, taking the good advice of other commenters by adding an extra tin of tuna. The dish needs it; the cans sold nowadays are smaller than they used to be. There is a lot of prep work required here for very meh results. As others have stated, this dish is very, very bland. It definitely needs some flavour kick, but I'm not sure exactly what. I also found it to be too runny for my taste. The potato chip topping gave the dish an odd texture and taste. I think that buttered Panko crumbs would work much better. At any rate, I won't be making this again.

Sueflblue

This was absolutely yummy! My only change was that I added red pepper flakes cuz I like some heat. Thanks for a great recipe!

David W

I made it as written. I thought it needed a third can of tuna and more peas. But it was still really good. Actually I lied. I did sprinkle a decent amount of red pepper flakes in the casserole before baking. It disappeared but I’m sure it added some subtle flavor and I would recommend doing that too. It’s just two of us so lots of leftovers. I added that third can of tuna and more peas before putting the rest in the fridge. I’m sure the leftovers will be superb

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