Description
Tuna noodle casserole is the dish that fed postwar America and never really went away, because it works. Egg noodles, canned tuna, peas, and a from-scratch cream sauce baked under a buttery cracker topping. It is unpretentious, deeply satisfying, and costs almost nothing to make — the kind of meal that reminds you home cooking does not need to be fancy to be good.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 cans (5 ounces each) solid white albacore tuna, drained
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup crushed butter crackers (such as Ritz)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the egg noodles in salted boiling water until just al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook 5 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar until melted. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Fold in the cooked noodles, drained tuna, and frozen peas. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Toss the crushed crackers with melted butter and scatter over the top.
- Bake 25 minutes until bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Solid white albacore has better texture and flavor than chunk light for this dish — it holds together in satisfying flakes.
- You can assemble this up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to the bake time if going straight from the fridge.
- A squeeze of lemon juice stirred into the sauce before baking brightens the whole dish and cuts the richness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 72