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tuna casserole in a white baking dish
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4.55 from 11 votes

Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

There are no mushrooms (and no condensed soup) to be found in this lightened-up but still creamy tuna noodle casserole with crunchy cornflake topping. Sweet peas and parmesan cheese add fresh flavor to this updated version of the cozy classic.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: canned tuna recipe, casserole, comfort foods, creamy casserole, easy dinner, family friendly, kid-friendly recipe, seafood
Servings: 12
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $8.00

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 Baking Dish
  • Stockpot
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

For the Casserole:

  • 1 pound pasta, medium shells (substitute fusilli)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds (optional, but they add great flavor!)
  • 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 ounce cans tuna, drained and shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

For the Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups cornflakes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Spray a 9x13 baking dish (or any casserole dish of similar size) with nonstick cooking spray or brush with some oil.
  • Boil noodles according to package directions.
  • While pasta boils, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and cook until butter is melted. To melted butter, add flour and celery seeds and stir until no dry spots remain. Continue cooking until butter-flour mixture starts turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Bring the mixture to a simmer (adjust heat as needed), whisking constantly. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese.
  • Gently fold the cooked pasta, peas, tuna, and lemon zest into sauce. Taste and season with some salt and black pepper (don’t skip this step - the dish will be slightly salty from the cheese, but will likely need more salt).
  • Spread mixture out in prepared baking dish.
  • Gently stir together melted butter and cornflakes. Spread the cornflakes over top of the casserole.
  • Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is heated all the way through, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 644IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 2mg