Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna Noodle Casserole is a creamy and comforting classic American dinner full of noodles, a creamy mushroom sauce, tuna, and peas.
Servings: 6 servings (1.3 cups each)
Calories: 435kcal
Equipment
- Medium Skillet
- Colander
- 9x9'' Casserole Dish (3-quart)
Ingredients
Casserole Filling Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion finely diced, (250g, 2 cups) $0.78
- 8 oz. mushrooms cleaned and sliced, $1.94
- ½ cup frozen peas 70g, $0.20
- 8 oz. wide egg noodles uncooked, $0.81
- 12 oz. chunk light tuna drained, $2.54*
Sauce Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp butter divided, $0.46
- 1 tsp salt divided, $0.04
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.04
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 20g, $0.02
- 2 cups whole milk $0.43
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth $0.13**
- 4 oz. cream cheese $0.91
Topping Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp breadcrumbs 25g, $0.04***
- 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese grated, (20g) $0.31
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients.
- Finely dice the onion and add it to a skillet with 1 Tbsp butter. Sauté the onion over medium heat until softened, 3-5 minutes.
- While the onion is cooking, slice the mushrooms. Add them to the skillet with the onion and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper. Continue sautéing over medium heat until the mushrooms have softened, for about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the flour and an additional 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet. Cook and whisk over medium heat as the butter melts. Continue whisking as the butter and flour bubbles and foams for about one minute.
- Add the milk, broth, and cream cheese to the skillet. Whisk to combine with the butter and flour mixture. Continue cooking over medium. Whisk until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce begins to simmer, at which point it will thicken, about 5 minutes. Be patient during this step; it may take some time. ****
- Add the frozen peas and the cooked mushrooms and onions back to the sauce. Stir to combine and season with the remaining salt. Set the sauce aside.
- Begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Once boiling, add the egg noodles and boil for about 7 minutes, or just until tender. Drain the noodles in a colander.
- While the noodles are boiling, prepare the breadcrumb topping. Melt 1 Tbsp butter, then stir in the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
- Combine the creamy mushroom sauce, cooked and drained noodles, and drained tuna.
- Transfer the casserole mixture to a 9x9-inch (3-quart) casserole dish, then top with the breadcrumb topping.
- Bake the casserole for about 25 minutes or until heated through and golden brown on top. Serve hot and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Video
Notes
*I went with chunk light tuna packed in water for this recipe to keep it light and budget-friendly. If you have room in your budget, solid white albacore tuna will give you even better flaky chunks of tuna in the casserole.
**I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broth, which has a full, robust flavor.
***A simple buttery breadcrumb topping creates just the right amount of texture on top of the casserole as it bakes. Some people like to use crushed Ritz crackers or even potato chips in place of the breadcrumbs.
****Be patient while thickening the sauce, as it can take some time. Heat is what activates the roux (the flour and butter mix). If your sauce is thin, keep simmering until it thickens enough to just coat the back of a spoon.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.3cups | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Sodium: 883mg | Fiber: 3g