This easy classic tuna noodle casserole from scratch has ZERO processed ingredients! It’s made healthier by using no canned soups, whole wheat pasta, and less fat than other old fashioned tuna casseroles. Plus, you can make it ahead- it’s freezable!
Friends, let’s be honest. There is NOTHING like a casserole on cold evenings.
It’s comfort food at its finest. On a cold, dreary winter day, your mood can be instantly elevated by the magical healing properties of a casserole.
And this tuna casserole is the ultimate rich, creamy concoction that you need, without being heavy or unhealthy. It’s such a great way to enjoy guilt-free creamy comfort food!
Bonus: your kids will LOVE it.
What makes this tuna casserole healthy?
Most tuna casserole recipes call for processed ingredients and lots of fat. I made a few modifications so this recipe is healthier than others WITHOUT sacrificing taste or the delicious creamy texture.
- It’s lower in fat: I used less butter than other recipes, and replaced half the milk with chicken stock. You can also use veggie stock. I also only used 1 cup of shredded cheese on top.
- It’s made with whole grains: I used whole wheat pasta instead of traditional egg noodles. You can use any kind you want- I chose fusilli, but rotini, penne, or whole grain egg noodles would work.
- It has NO processed ingredients or canned soups. Many similar recipes require canned cream of mushroom soup, which is often high in fat and salt. Instead, I used healthy, fresh mushrooms (and a lot of them!), and a thick creamy base made from scratch to control how much sodium is in it.
How to make tuna casserole from scratch
- First, cook the vegetables. Sauté some onions, celery, and garlic in butter. Then, add mushrooms.
- Cook the pasta while you’re making the filling. When it’s done, drain it.
- Once the veggies are done, add some all-purpose flour to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook it for a minute or so until the raw flour taste cooks out. If you prefer, you can use whole wheat flour for this.
- Pour in some milk and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir, and continue heating to form a thick sauce.
- Add tuna and the cooked pasta and stir to coat.
- Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with buttered breadcrumbs and cheese.
- Bake!
Tips and tricks
- When sautéing the mushrooms, try not to stir them too much. This will allow the liquid to be drawn out and evaporate, resulting in concentrated mushroom flavor. Here’s more on how to perfectly sauté mushrooms.
- Use albacore tuna packed in water. It’s the most “meaty” of the canned tunas, so it will hold its own when mixed with all the other ingredients.
- Flake the tuna apart with a fork right in the can. This will help break it up and you won’t need to get another bowl dirty!
Can I freeze tuna casserole or make it ahead?
Yes!
If you want to make the casserole a few days in advance, you can store it unbaked in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just assemble it, and cover it tightly with foil. You’ll need to bake it for a little longer since it will be cold to start, so I recommend 20 minutes covered, and 15-20 minutes uncovered,.
You can also assemble and freeze this classic tuna casserole for up to 3 months. Again, cover it tightly. I do recommend defrosting it completely in your fridge before baking it, for 24-48 hours. Then, bake 20 minutes covered, 15-20 minutes uncovered.
This is a great opportunity to make two and freeze one for later!
Can I make it gluten-free?
I haven’t tried it personally, but yes you can. Just substitute the pasta and breadcrumbs with a gluten-free version. Chickpea pasta would be great in this, and gluten-free breadcrumbs are pretty easy to find in any grocery store.
You also need to use a gluten-free thickener, such as cornstarch or arrowroot powder, in place of the all-purpose flour.
Can I make it with fresh tuna?
While I prefer to sear fresh tuna steaks quickly to medium-rare doneness, you could theoretically use fresh tuna instead of canned for this recipe.
You could bake it seasoned with salt and pepper, and flake it apart with a fork. Or you could poach it in salted water (like this poached salmon recipe), then flake it apart.
Other easy recipes with canned tuna
Other comforting casserole recipes
- Chicken and Corn Enchilada Casserole
- Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole
- Paleo Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Be sure to check out all my other fish and seafood recipes!
Tuna Casserole from Scratch (no canned soups!)
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz. whole wheat pasta (rotini, egg noodles, fusili, etc.)
- 3 tablespoons butter plus more for greasing pan
- 1 onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz. mushrooms chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup chicken stock/broth or vegetable broth
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 oz. canned albacore tuna packed in water drained and flaked apart with a fork (2 small cans or 1 large)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
- Cook pasta in salted water according to directions.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add the diced onions and celery; sauté until tender (about 3 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic; sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add the mushrooms, stir with the other veggies, then allow to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring only occasionally (about 10 minutes).
- Add the flour (1/4 cup), stir to coat, and gradually add the milk (1 cup) and broth (1 cup). Heat over medium-high heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, melt remaining tablespoon of butter. Mix with breadcrumbs (1/2 cup).
- Add the cooked, drained pasta and tuna to the mixture. Spread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top. Top with the shredded cheese (1 cup).
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
Notes
- You can make your own whole wheat breadcrumbs by pulsing some toasted bread in a food processor until bread crumbs are formed. Store bought is fine too :-)
- Make it without milk by using 1 more cup of chicken broth instead.
- Frozen peas can be added to the skillet with the tuna and pasta, if you want (about 1 cup).
- If you prefer, you can use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose as a thickener.
- Storage: Store covered in foil in your fridge for up to 5 days. Bake covered for about 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.
- Freeze it: Wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months before cooking. I recommend letting it defrost completely in the fridge for 24-48 hours before cooking it.
- You can change how many servings this recipe yields (double it or cut it in half, for example), by hovering over the number above and using the slider to change the portions the recipe makes. Please note, only the ingredients list will automatically reflect the updated portions, not any ingredient amounts in the instructions themselves. In addition, some ingredients are easier to divide up than others, and the size of pots/pans may also need to be adjusted, so use caution with this feature!
- The provided nutrition information is a best estimate only and is calculated using an automatic API. It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Read more in my disclaimers page.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This post first appeared on Bowl of Delicious in December 2014. It has been updated with an improved recipe, more information in the body of the post, and new photos.
Judy
This was really good. So nice not to have to add soup! I like the idea of adding my own celery. I never thought to put in broth (I used my homemade vegetable broth) or garlic. Also mixed the cheese in with the noodles. I like a crunchy top, so let the breadcrumbs stand alone. Definitely will make this again. Thank You!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Justine Tompkins
I did GF. Went with the chick pea pasta, Used fresh green beans that I cooked with some other veggies and used 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. No stock. Did this with arrowroot and tapioca starch. I also put in some thin sliced ginger and a poblano pepper with a variety of condiments/spices to jazz it up. I did butter free and used olive oil. Came out delish. Thank you for a good recipe to have fun with and get creative.
JJT
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it and thanks for sharing your tips and substitutions!
Aly Osgood
I love this recipe and have made it
Many times.
I have a friend who wants to make it but is lactose intolerant. Do you have any suggestions for an alternative to the dairy milk in the base?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’m a fan of oat milk as an alternative for dairy milk! Maybe a lactose free milk would work, too. You can also just leave out the milk and use more chicken broth as a substitute. Hope that helps!
Christine Gavin
loved this recipe and will make again
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Dan
I’ve been looking for a quality no-can version of Tuna Noodle Casserole and this is it! Thank you, it was so tasty. I did add sour cream, frozen peas (a tradition in my household), and crumbled sunchips on top.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it, and wow what a fun way to use sun chips! Thanks for the tip!
Ashley Schaaf
Could I make this the night before and then bake it the next day or will the noodles get soggy? wanted to make it tonight and then pop it in the oven when i got home from work the next day.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yes this should be fine! It might need a little longer to bake since it’s starting cold from the fridge.
Connie
SO GOOD. I cut it in half (it was just me tonight) and it worked perfectly. I chose this recipe because it mentioned subbing chicken stock for milk, and I’m glad I did! Added frozen peas and used only a small bit of cheese on top, no breadcrumbs. Came out DELICIOUS. It’s a keeper. Thank you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Loretta
This was a really nice recipe although I found it to be a little on the dry side. I did include the peas other than that I followed the recipe exactly as written.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think if you make it again, try adding some more liquid to the base and you should be good! It may have been dry because of oven temp/ventilation, the kind of pasta used, how much fat was in the milk/chicken broth… or just because of personal preference. Hope that helps!
Greg S.
Great recipe! Frozen peas are a must in my opinion, and unlike most of these recipes I see you like Garlic!!….If mushrooms aren’t your thing, try chopped, canned artichoke hearts…adds texture, and a great twist on the usual.
Elizabeth Lindemann
What a great idea to use artichoke hearts! Thanks for the suggestion. So glad you liked it!
Nancy
I’m always glad to see a recipe that doesn’t use processed food. Perhaps due to my use of bone broth and an inferior brand of tuna, this lacked flavor. I prefer to flavor with a little Worcestershire sauce and to bake with the cheese cooked into a sauce.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I love the idea of adding Worcestershire sauce and cheese! These two ingredients would make the casserole saltier. It’s possibly that yours lacked flavor from lack of salt- this dish is definitely simple, basic, and the ingredients are bland, so it needs a lot of salt and pepper as written. Adding more flavors is a great idea!
Kathy
We loved this recipe. I used the Amish noodles I had on hand. I’ll be making it again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yum, sounds delicious! So glad you liked it :-)
Cathy Lalley
My Mother is allergic to mushrooms. I find I can often swap them out with diced zucchini. Zucchini is not flavorful, has as much water content, just lacks the nice earthiness of a mushroom. Try it out!
Holly Hope
I haven’t had tuna noodle casserole since I found out I had a ton of food allergies, over 7 years ago. This was better than I remember it. I had to substitute 2 4-oz. cans of sliced mushrooms for fresh, and milk for the chicken broth. Didn’t hurt it a bit! I got 5 servings out of it – 4 in the freezer already. Definitely worth making it a regular.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh yay! So happy you liked it!
Summer
What is the serving size :) !??
I don’t have celery or onions . I have dry mince onions , how much do I use and when do I use it in the recipe ? I have mixed vegetables can I use this instead as a substitute if so how much should I use ?Would 2 12 oz bags be two much ?? When do I add in the frozen veggies ?
I don’t have 16 oz of mushrooms , I only have a small 6oz can . When do I add this in the recipe would this work ?
In the recipe you said you can make it without milk by using 1 more cup of chicken broth instead.
In step 6 it says to add the flour (1/4 cup), stir to coat, and gradually add the milk (1 cup) and broth (1 cup). Heat over medium-high heat until thickened, stirring frequently.
Sense I don’t have milk would I skip the milk step and add 2cups of milk instead of one .
Sent from my iPhone
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi!
The recipe serves 8, and while I don’t know the exact volume of serving size, you could just cut it into 8 equal pieces after it’s done and go from there. I imagine it’s about 1.5 cups.
I would start by making a roux. Melt the butter, add the flour, and whisk together until combined and cook for about a minute. Then, gradually add the chicken broth (2 cups, since you aren’t using milk), and continue whisking so there are no lumps of flour. The mixture should thicken. Since you’re using frozen veggies and canned mushrooms, you can add them in at this point, as well as some minced dried onion, and continue heating until they’re headed through. Then, proceed with mixing the pasta and tuna in.
Hope that helps!
Audrey
Do you have any recommendations on what to substitute for the mushrooms? I don’t want any mushrooms at all; do you think it would still work if I used just a bit more pasta? I know the flavour won’t be the same.
Elizabeth Lindemann
You can definitely just leave them out if you want! You can add a little more pasta if you want, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Don’t add too much, otherwise there won’t be enough sauce for it. If you want to use another vegetable instead of mushrooms, zucchini might work- sauté it in a similar way so you get as much liquid out of it as possible. Hope that helps and hope you like it!
Cathy Lalley
My Mother is allergic to mushrooms. I find I can often swap them out with diced zucchini. Zucchini is not flavorful, has as much water content, just lacks the nice earthiness of a mushroom. Try it out!
Elizabeth Lindemann
That’s a great tip, thanks for sharing!
Kate
Thank you. I was looking for a tuna casserole recipe that didn’t contain canned soup, and there it was. Much appreciated.
Elizabeth Lindemann
You’re welcome! Hope you liked it!
Tor Webb
How can you claim this is “no can” When you’re using canned tuna! I’m looking for a recipe with fresh tuna. Google can’t help with incorrect info on your site.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh wow… you know what? I never even considered tuna as a “canned” ingredient. Weird I know because it comes in a can, but my intention here was to create a recipe made with unprocessed ingredients (such as canned cream of mushroom soup). Since canned tuna is simply cooked fish and salt, I included it in the ingredients. Thanks very much for this feedback! I’m going to make sure I clarify everything when I redo this post and recipe soon. As for the cooked tuna, here’s what I recommend: you can poach the tuna in salted water, which would be really easy to do, or you can salt and pepper the outside of the tuna and sear it in a nonstick skillet for about 3 minutes on each side, until it’s cooked all the way through. Then, flake it apart with a fork and proceed with the recipe. Hope that helps!
Del Martinis
I love how refrained you were and classy!
Elizabeth Lindemann
😊
Denise
So, this Tuna recipe serves four?..
Elizabeth
Yes, it serves about four. But I always take serving sizes with a grain of salt (hah)- if you are nervous about it not being enough, it’s very easy to double the recipe and use a large baking dish! It makes great leftovers, too.
Susanna
Can you tell me what size cans of tuna you used? How many ounces?
Elizabeth
I used regular 5 oz. cans!
Sapna
Made this for the first time, minus mushrooms added peas. The family enjoyed it thoroughly.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you and your family liked it!
Doris
my pasta is in a container . How can I measure ? By weight ? Please help
Elizabeth
This is one of those things where measurement doesn’t have to be super precise. 8oz pasta is about half of a standard box of pasta, so I’d do about 2 cups of dry pasta. And if you go over or under the recommended amount it will still definitely work. Hope you like it!
Doris
Thanks I used 3 cups . we’ll see if its ok atsuppertime
Jodi
I wonder how this would taste with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead of the rotini. That should cut down on the carbs, and maybe make it a bit less “bad”. <
Elizabeth
I bet it would be yummy! You’d probably want to saute the zucchini noodles first to release some of the water. If you try it, let me know how it comes out!