Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole with Buttery Crisp Topping

Name: Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole with Buttery Crisp Topping
Prep time: 27 min
Cook time: 44 min
Total time: 1 h 11 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 cups (2840 ml) water, for boiling; 1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt; 8 ounces (225 g) wide egg noodles, dried; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, for sautéing the vegetables; ½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 small onion); ½ cup (50 g) celery, finely diced (about 1 large rib); 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 cans (10.5 oz each) (596 g) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature or cool; ½ cup (120 g) sour cream; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided in half; 2 cans (284 g) canned tuna in water (5 oz / 142 g cans), well drained and flaked into chunks; 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, do not thaw; ¾ cup (45 g) panko breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender egg noodles, flaky tuna, and sweet peas in a creamy mushroom sauce brightened with lemon and sharp cheddar, finished with a golden, buttery panko crust. Pantry-friendly comfort food that feeds a family.

Prep: 27 min
Cook: 44 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 21 min
Makes: 1 casserole (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the noodles
12 cups (2840 ml) water, for boiling
1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt
8 ounces (225 g) wide egg noodles, dried
For the casserole
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, for sautéing the vegetables
½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 small onion)
½ cup (50 g) celery, finely diced (about 1 large rib)
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
½ teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 cans (10.5 oz each) (596 g) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature or cool
½ cup (120 g) sour cream
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided in half
2 cans (284 g) canned tuna in water (5 oz / 142 g cans), well drained and flaked into chunks
1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, do not thaw
For the topping
¾ cup (45 g) panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, 3-quart capacity
Large pot (at least 4 quarts / 4 L) for the noodles
Large deep skillet or Dutch oven, 12-inch (30 cm)
Colander
Box grater
Small microwave-safe bowl
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) before you begin.
Drain the tuna well in a sieve, pressing gently with a spoon. Excess liquid makes the casserole watery.
Do not thaw the peas. Frozen peas go straight in and stay bright green and tender.
Undercook the noodles by about 2 minutes. They keep absorbing sauce in the oven and turn mushy if fully cooked first.

1
Heat oven and prepOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (3-quart) baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, shred the cheddar and divide it into two equal piles (½ cup / 50 g each), and drain and flake the tuna.
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Ready when: Oven is fully preheated and all ingredients are prepped and within reach.
Tip: Shred cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and melts less smoothly into the sauce.
2
Boil the noodles
- Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat and stir in the kosher salt.
- Add the egg noodles and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions, usually 5 to 6 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and shake well.
- Do not rinse.
- Leave the noodles in the colander.
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Ready when: Noodles are flexible but still clearly firm in the center when bitten (al dente minus a little).
Tip: If the noodles are done before the sauce is ready, toss them with a few drops of oil so they don't clump.
3
Sauté the vegetables
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large deep 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, and black pepper and cook 30 seconds more.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, celery is tender, and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat. Browned garlic tastes bitter.
4
Build the sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the mushroom soup, milk, and sour cream to the skillet and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the lemon juice and ½ cup (50 g) of the cheddar.
- Warm gently, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth and steaming with the cheese melted in. It should coat the back of a spoon and just barely bubble at the edges.
Tip: Don't let the sauce boil hard. Sour cream can curdle at high heat.
5
Fold everything together
- Add the drained noodles, flaked tuna, and frozen peas to the skillet.
- Fold gently with a silicone spatula for about 1 minute, keeping the tuna in chunks, until every noodle is coated in sauce and the peas are evenly spread.
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Ready when: No dry noodles remain, the mixture looks loose and creamy (it will thicken in the oven), and the tuna is in visible flakes.
Tip: Fold, don't stir vigorously. Over-mixing breaks the tuna into paste.
6
Fill the dish
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup (50 g) cheddar over the top.
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Ready when: Filling is level and cheese covers the surface.
7
Make the topping
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, about 30 seconds.
- Add the panko and toss with a fork until all crumbs look evenly moistened.
- Scatter the buttered panko evenly over the cheese.
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Ready when: Crumbs are damp and clump slightly when pinched, with no dry white patches.
Tip: Buttering the crumbs first is what makes them brown evenly. Don't skip it.
8
Bake until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 28 to 30 minutes.
- If the top isn't browned at 28 minutes, bake 2 to 3 minutes longer, watching closely.
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Ready when: Sauce bubbles around the edges and in the center, the topping is deep golden brown, and the center reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: Rotate the dish halfway through if your oven browns unevenly.
9
Rest before serving
- Set the dish on a wire rack or trivet and let it rest for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and sets.
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Ready when: Bubbling has stopped and the sauce no longer runs when you tilt the dish.
Tip: Serving straight from the oven gives a soupy plate. The rest is worth it.
10
Garnish and serve
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley if using.
- Cut into 6 squares and serve with a spatula, scooping from the bottom to keep the crunchy topping on each portion.
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Ready when: Squares hold their shape with creamy sauce visible at the cut edges.

Good to know

Tips

Pull the noodles 2 minutes early. They finish cooking in the sauce and stay tender rather than mushy.
Use tuna packed in water, drained well. Oil-packed tuna can make the sauce greasy.
The filling looks loose before baking. That's correct, as the noodles absorb sauce in the oven.
Add 8 oz (225 g) sliced mushrooms sautéed with the onion for a more savory casserole.

Make ahead

Assemble through step 6 (without the panko topping), cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Toss the panko with melted butter just before baking, sprinkle on top, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center reads 165°F (74°C).

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool, cover, and store up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap portions airtight and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes (30 minutes if frozen-thawed in a full dish), removing the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the top, until 165°F (74°C) in the center. Single portions can be microwaved 1½ to 2 minutes.

Substitutions

condensed cream of mushroom soup → Homemade sauce: 4 tbsp butter, 4 tbsp flour, 2½ cups milk, 8 oz sautéed sliced mushrooms. Cook the butter and flour 1 minute, whisk in the milk, and simmer until thick. Add salt to taste, as homemade sauce is less salty than canned soup. Skip the extra 1 cup milk in the recipe.
sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Same amount. Slightly tangier; keep the heat low so it doesn't separate.
panko breadcrumbs → crushed butter crackers or potato chips. Use about ¾ cup crushed. With potato chips, skip the melted butter.
canned tuna in water (5 oz / 142 g cans) → canned salmon, drained, skin and bones removed. Same weight. Gives a richer flavor.