Cheesy tuna noodle casserole is an easy and classic dinner dish that the whole family can enjoy. With Ritz cracker crumbs on top, green peas, and lots of noodles and cheese, this dish is worthy of seconds.
Recipe: $9.58 | Per Serving: $1.60 | Servings: 6
Cheesy tuna noodle casserole is a classic comfort food that combines the goodness of tender pasta, creamy cheese sauce, and savory canned tuna. It's a satisfying and easy-to-make dish that many of us grew up enjoying.
The creamy cheese wraps around the tender noodles hearty chunks of tuna, and bursting vibrant peas creating a harmonious medley of flavors and textures.
You can easily put this simple tuna noodle casserole together on a busy weeknight or whenever you're in the mood for a cozy, homemade meal. The combination of ingredients is affordable too, making it a budget-friendly option for family dinners.
If you want more Easy Comfort Food Casseroles, be sure to check out our Easy Shepherd's Pie, Tilapia with Spinach and Tomatoes, and Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients. Using some basic ingredients, this recipe is pretty frugal and easy to throw together. Great for tight budgets and low maintenance dinner ideas.
- Easy to make. Boil the noodles and saute some stuff in a pot before mixing everything together. This recipe comes together pretty quickly and easily. It's about as easy as our Mac and Cheese Tuna Casserole.
- Stove top or baked. If desired, after mixing everything together in a pot, you can simply serve and enjoy. You don't have to bake it. We prefer it baked, because of the Ritz topping, but it tastes great when served immediately too (and there are fewer dishes to clean later).
🥘 Ingredients
Frozen peas- Adding in frozen peas works best because they'll be warmed through without becoming mushy.
Canned tuna- I recommend using canned tuna in water that has been drained and fluffed with a fork.
Cheddar cheese- I like to use sharp or medium cheddar cheese. I recommend the cheese that you shred yourself as it will melt more evenly.
Ritz crackers- For a delicious buttery topping, adding crushed Ritz crackers is a great idea!
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🔪 Instructions for Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in two teaspoons.
Step 2: Add the egg noodles to the boiling water (Image 1) and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain into a colander.
Step 3: Return the pot to the stove and add in the onions. (Image 2). Cook until the onions are soft (about 3 minutes). (Image 3).
Step 2: Turn off the heat and preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step 3: Add your noodles, cream of mushroom, cheese, peas, and tuna into the pot. (Image 4).
Step 4: Stir everything well to combine. (Image 5).
Step 5: Pour the mix into a greased baking dish. (Image 6).
Step 6: Crush Ritz crackers and place them into a small bowl with melted butter. Stir to mix and then sprinkle it over the top of the casserole. (Image 7).
Step 7: Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. (Image 8).
Serve warm and enjoy.
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Using Peas- While canned peas can be used in this tuna noodle casserole, frozen peas offer a more vibrant color and a burst of freshness after baking.
- Choosing a Topping- Initially, this casserole was made without any topping. Experimenting with Panko breadcrumbs yielded bland results. Drawing inspiration from my chicken divan casserole topping with crushed Ritz crackers, proved to be the perfect finishing touch.
- Creaminess Variation- For a creamier texture, try incorporating up to 1 cup of sour cream.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
Covered in the fridge, leftover baked tuna noodle casserole remains fresh for approximately 3-4 days.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, tuna noodle can be made and frozen. Simply assemble it as directed and let cool completely in a freezer safe pan. Then place the pan on a baking sheet and cover the top well with foil. Freeze for bout 2 hours until solid, and transfer to a freezer safe bag or wrap very well with plastic wrap. It can last 5-6 months this way. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Yes. This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and placed in the fridge for up to 2 days in advance.
Serve your tuna noodles with a side of steamed veggies like broccoli or another green vegetable. A simple green side salad or some homemade biscuits all work well.
❤️ More Delicious Casserole Recipes
If you tried this Tuna Noodle Casserole, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 bag egg noodles (16oz) ($1.48)
- 2 teaspoons salt ($0.01)
- 1 cup onion, diced ($0.91)
- 2 cans (10.5oz) cream of mushroom soup ($1.08)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded ($2.00)
- 2 cups frozen peas ($0.96)
- 2 cans tuna, drained ($1.92)
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers ($0.97)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted ($0.25)
Instructions
- In a large pot of water, boil your egg noodles with 2 teaspoon of salt. Drain and leave in colander. Return pot to stove and cook your onions until soft (about 3 minutes).
- Turn off the heat and preheat your oven to 350F degrees.
- Add your noodles, cream of mushroom, cheese, peas, and tuna to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish or casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, crush your crackers into crumbs and mix with melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over casserole.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown and warmed through.
Dean Klear says
You can use cream of celery along with the remains ingredients and it goes off the charts !
Nicole says
I've never used cream of celery before, but I'm really intrigued! I'll try it next time since this is a regular dish in our homes already 🙂