Name: Tuna Noodle Casserole with Crunchy Topping
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Pasta, medium shells ((sub fusilli)); 4 Tbsp Butter; 3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour; 1 tsp Celery Seeds; 2 1/2 cups Milk, any type; 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese; 2 1/2 cups Peas ((use frozen and defrosted or canned, drained)); 2 5 oz cans Tuna in Water, drained and broken apart; 1/2 tsp finely grated Lemon Zest ((optional)); 2 Tbsp Butter, melted; 2 cups Cornflakes

There are no mushrooms (and no condensed soup) in this creamy homemade tuna noodle casserole with crunchy cornflake topping. Sweet peas and parmesan cheese add fresh flavor to this cozy classic.

What’s with the mushrooms in tuna noodle casserole? I’m thinking we can blame Campbell’s for this phenomenon? Don’t get me wrong, I love mushrooms in many forms, but not in this classic casserole. I would argue that the balance of creamy sauce, savory tuna, and fresh sweet peas in tuna noodle casserole does not need to be disrupted by earthy mushrooms.

I realize that I may be a tuna noodle outlier (I know you all will tell me if I am), but I ended up so far down a mushroom-filled rabbit hole when googling this dish that I ended up creating my own mushroom-less version. It is creamy, slightly rich, studded with sweet peas, and tastes a bit like spring to me.

There aren’t a lot of textures in tuna noodle casserole, so something crunchy really makes it. And because this recipe is completely retro, I vote for a retro topping in the form of cornflakes and melted butter. Buttery crunch in every single bite.

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

Pasta – Any type of pasta will work. I love farfalle (bowties), medium shells, and fusilli. I always feel like shells (shown throughout this post) make the casserole feel more like a side dish, but larger pasta shapes like farfalle and fusilli make it feel more like a main dish, but it works well either way.
Butter, All-Purpose Flour – These combine to make a simple thick base for the creamy sauce or “roux”.
Celery Seeds – Celery seeds give a subtle fresh flavor to the dish. It’s a subtle nod to the crisp freshness of celery without the need to use actual celery. While technically this is optional (the dish will turn out just fine without it), I really think it takes the flavor of the casserole up a notch.
Milk – Any type of milk will work fine here.
Parmesan Cheese – This adds richness to the sauce. For the creamiest result, it’s a good idea to grate the parmesan yourself.
Peas – Sweet peas add color and flavor. Frozen and defrosted, fresh, or canned peas work just fine.
Tuna – I like tuna packed in water for this casserole. Tuna packed in oil has more flavor, but can make this creamy dish taste overly rich. That said, any tuna you like will work just fine.
Lemon Zest – It’s worth the extra step to add some lemon zest to the dish. It’s amazing how much brightness a small amount of lemon zest adds!

Crunchy Cornflake Topping

To add lots of crunch on top of this casserole, look no further than the old-school (but undeniably delicious) topping of cornflakes mixed with melted butter. The cornflakes get deep golden brown and extra crunchy in the oven.

If I’m not careful, our entire family will stand around the kitchen counter and eat each and every cornflake off the top of this casserole before it makes it to the table.

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5 from 3 votes