This classic tuna noodle casserole is creamy, comforting, and made completely from scratch, with no canned soup needed. Ready in about 30 minutes, it's topped with buttery breadcrumbs for the perfect finish.
Oh, and if you're into cozy, creamy pasta dinners, you've got to check out my Sour Cream Noodle Bake... it's a crowd-pleaser!
Quick Look: Tuna Noodle Casserole (No Soup)
- ⏲️Ready in: 35 minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🥘Key Ingredients: Tuna, rotini pasta, mushrooms, peas, milk, flour, parmesan, butter, breadcrumbs
- 🍳Method: Stovetop + Oven
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy
- 👩🍳Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory classic comfort food.
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Another comfort food favorite is this Mac and Cheese with Ground Beef. Ready in only 20 minutes!
Why You'll Love It
No canned soup: All the classic flavor you love, made fresh with a creamy homemade sauce.
Made from scratch: Milk, flour, and parmesan come together for a rich, velvety sauce that beats canned every time.
Buttery breadcrumb topping: Crispy on top, creamy underneath-this is the texture combo that makes it irresistible.
Ingredients with Notes and Tips
- Rotini pasta: This spiral-shaped pasta holds onto the tuna and creamy sauce better than egg noodles, making it perfect for this casserole.
- Canned tuna: I prefer solid white albacore for its firm texture and mild flavor, but regular tuna works just fine.
- Mushrooms: Fresh baby bella mushrooms add a rich, earthy flavor.
- Green peas: Frozen peas work best, but canned will do in a pinch.
- Butter: Used for sautéing the mushrooms, making the sauce, and creating that buttery breadcrumb topping.
- All-purpose flour: Don't use self-rising flour here, it won't work properly for the roux.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the creamiest result, but 2% works well too.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly shredded is best for flavor. You can substitute cheddar if you prefer.
- Breadcrumbs: Use regular or gluten-free. Tossed with butter, they create a crispy, golden topping.
- Seasonings: Dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, simple pantry staples that bring it all together.
This Southern Chicken Tetrazzini is a classic chicken-pasta casserole ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredient Substitutions and Additions
Need to make a swap? Here are some easy ways to customize this casserole:
- Pasta: Elbow macaroni or penne work well in place of rotini.
- Flour: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour if needed. Results can vary by brand, so choose one you trust.
- Mushrooms: If fresh mushrooms aren't available, use jarred mushrooms (drained).
- Vegetables: Swap the peas for mixed vegetables for a little variety.
- Topping: Instead of buttered breadcrumbs, try crushed Ritz crackers or even potato chips for a crunchy finish.
- Protein swap: You can use canned salmon in place of tuna for a richer flavor. Just drain well, remove any skin or bones, and flake before adding.
- Add-ins: Stir in cooked, crumbled bacon or shrimp to boost flavor and make it more hearty.
Can get enough noodle recipes? Check out this 20-minute Shrimp Spaghetti! Tender shrimp in a thick and zesty marinara sauce served over angel hair pasta. Yum!
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole (No Soup)
This casserole is easy, old-school comfort food at its finest! Plus, it's so easy to put together.
Photo 1: Saute mushrooms and seasonings in butter. Transfer to a bowl.
Photo 2: Make a roux with the flour and milk. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, then add parmesan cheese. Add cooked noodles, tuna, mushrooms, and peas to the sauce.
Photo 3: Add the mixture to a casserole dish.
Photo 4: Top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake.
If spicy pasta is calling your name, I know you'll love my Cajun Sausage Spaghetti!
Make Ahead Friendly
This Tuna Noodle Casserole can be made 1-2 days in advance!
- Prepare the casserole (except for the breadcrumb topping).
- Stored covered in the refrigerator for one to two days.
- When ready to eat, top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake as directed. You may have to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes since it'll be cold.
Make it a Freezer Meal
Assemble the tuna casserole but hold off on baking it. Wrap tightly and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual.
Side Dish Suggestions
This casserole is filling and comforting as is thanks to the noodles, peas, and mushrooms! But if you need a little extra to go with it, here are my top side dish choices:
- A warm bowl of tomato soup (this one is made in your instant pot).
- This no-cook Creamy Corn Salad is a year-round hit. Just 15-minutes prep time.
- Roasted vegetables are a great option for more veggies, like these Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.
Cooking and Serving Tips
- To avoid mushy noodles, cook the pasta al dente since it'll finish cooking in the oven.
- Bake in small ramekins or muffin tins for fun, portable portions. Perfect for meal prepping or parties! (Reduce the bake time since the portions are smaller).
- Use the "warm" setting on your oven (or slow cooker) to keep the casserole ready for serving. Cover with foil to lock in moisture.
- Add a splash of milk or broth before reheating to restore the casserole's creamy texture and prevent drying out.
Tuna Noodle Casserole Without Soup FAQs
This casserole freezes well! After baking it, let it completely cool off. Then place it in a freezer-friendly container, wrap the container with clear wrap (for extra protection against freezer burn), label it, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Back in the day, some people added 1 or 2 hard-boiled, chopped eggs to this casserole. Probably to stretch out the meal or to just make it better! No rules here 🙂
Indeed it can! Prepare the casserole (except for the breadcrumb topping). Stored covered in the refrigerator for one to two days. When ready to eat, top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake as directed. You may have to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes since it'll be cold.
Comforting Side Dish Recipes
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If you tried this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
Recipe
Tuna Noodle Casserole (No Soup)
Equipment
- 2-quart casserole dish
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Pasta strainer
- large pan
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz dry rotini pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (use gluten free if necessary)
- 1-¾ cups milk (whole or 2%)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 10 oz solid white albacore tuna, drained
- 1 cup frozen green peas
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (use gluten free if necessary)
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart oven-safe casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- Boil the pasta noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well and gently simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl or plate.
- Using the same large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until blended. Slowly pour in the milk, and continue to whisk to remove any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Turn off the heat. Stir in parmesan cheese. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Add cooked noodles, sauteed mushrooms, tuna, and peas to the sauce. Stir to blend. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs with the melted butter until well combined. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole and bake for 25 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Emma Decareaux says
Amazing comfort food! I’ve made this recipe a dozen times at least and it comes out perfect every time and the whole family devours it. Love how this recipe doesn’t used cream of mushroom soup like many others.
Anne Clark says
Aww thank you, Emma. This makes me so happy! Hope y'all are doing well and hope to see y'all soon.