Tuna Casserole
This tuna casserole is creamy, flavorful, and packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, tuna, and cheese. It’s a budget-friendly meal that’s easy to make and perfect for a cozy family dinner.
Table of Contents
Many tuna casseroles can be overpoweringly tuna-tasting, but not this one. With the addition of pimento and pepper, this recipe strikes the perfect balance, resulting in a casserole with a delicious, subtle tuna flavor that’s not too strong.
Love hearty casseroles like this one? Then you’ll definitely want to try my ham and noodle casserole. It’s a family favorite, just like this tuna casserole. And for another unique tuna dish, give my hot tuna salad a try.
This recipe was found in an old Home Ec teacher cookbook. It has many tuna casserole recipes, and I tested a few and found this one to be my favorite. I liked the pimento and peppers, adding a bit of flavor and freshness to the recipe.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Hearty and Filling: This tuna casserole is a hit with the whole family. Its comforting flavors, creamy texture, and hearty and filling ingredients make it a go-to meal for cozy dinners.
- Great Way to Use Tuna: I love tuna, but it can sometimes be tricky to come up with a good dinner recipe for it. This tuna casserole has become my new go-to for weeknight meals!
- Budget-Friendly: This recipe is a great way to make a delicious, filling meal without breaking the bank. It’s budget-friendly and uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- Comfort Food: There’s nothing quite like a warm, hearty casserole to make you feel all cozy inside. This tuna casserole is the ultimate comfort food.
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Key Ingredients
- Elbow Macaroni: These will be the base of our casserole, providing a comforting, satisfying texture.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: This will add a rich, savory flavor and a creamy consistency to the dish.
- Milk: We’ll be using milk to get the texture consistency in our tuna casserole without diluting all the beautiful flavors.
- Onion: Chopped onion will bring a subtle, sweet sharpness to the casserole, balancing the richness of the other ingredients.
- Pimento: Chopped pimento will add a pop of color and a slightly sweet, tangy flavor to the dish.
- Green or Yellow Pepper: Adding a bit of crunch and a pop of color, these peppers will give the casserole a fresh, vibrant flavor.
- Shredded Cheese: This will be sprinkled on top of the casserole, melting into a golden, bubbly crust that adds a delicious cheesy flavor.
- Tuna: Drained tuna will add a meaty, savory element to the casserole, as well as a boost of protein.
Equipment
- 2-Quart Casserole Dish – You’ll need this to mix the drained tuna, cooked noodles, and cheese milk mixture, and bake the casserole in the oven.
How to Make Tuna Casserole
Preparation
To start, preheat your oven to 350˚ F. This will make sure that it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake your casserole.
Step 1 – Cook the Macaroni
Begin by bringing water to a boil and cooking your elbow macaroni. You want to cook it until it’s al dente, which means it still has a little bite to it. Once it’s done, drain it and set it aside.
Step 2 – Prepare the Cheese Sauce
In a small stockpot, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, onion, pimento, and peppers. Cook this mixture until it’s hot and bubbly. Then, turn off the heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese until it’s melted.
Step 3 – Combine the Ingredients
In your casserole dish, mix together the drained tuna and the cooked macaroni. Then, pour the cheese and milk mixture over the top and stir it all together. Finally, sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese on top.
Step 4 – Bake the Casserole
Pop your casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake it for 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s hot, bubbly, and the cheese on top is melted.
Expert Tip
To prevent your milk from overflowing when making the cheese sauce for your tuna casserole, keep an eye on it as it heats up. Milk can quickly boil over if the heat is too high, so simmer it gently to avoid any messy spills.
Recipe Variations
- Different Noodles: The recipe calls for elbow macaroni. Try using different shapes such as rotini or penne.
- Add Peas: Mix in some extra veggies that you have at home. I love adding ½ cup of peas for more flavor and nutrition.
- Different Peppers: The recipe uses green or yellow peppers, but feel free to use different colors of peppers like red or orange.
What to Serve With
- For a hearty and comforting meal, serve your tuna casserole with a side of sautéed fresh green beans. The crisp, fresh flavor of the green beans pairs perfectly with the creamy, rich casserole.
- If you’re a fan of all things potato, try serving your tuna casserole with a side of mashed potatoes. The creamy potatoes are a great match for the creamy casserole, and you can even use them to soak up any extra sauce on your plate.
- For a complete meal, add a fresh salad on the side. We have many family favorites, such as this kale salad recipe.
Make Ahead Instructions
To make this casserole ahead of time, assemble it but do not bake it. Instead, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to serve it, let it thaw if frozen, and then bake as directed. Add a little more baking time until the casserole is bubbly.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any type of canned tuna for this recipe. Whether it’s chunk light, solid white, or another variety, just make sure to drain the tuna before adding it to the casserole.
Yes, you can. While this recipe calls for elbow macaroni, feel free to use any pasta shape you like. Penne, rotini, or farfalle would all work well.
If you’re not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, you can use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup as a substitute. You can also make a homemade white sauce and add some mushrooms for a similar flavor.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Just make sure to place the casserole in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: This casserole can be frozen before or after baking. If you want to freeze it before baking, simply prepare the casserole in a freezer-safe dish, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you’d like to freeze it after baking, let it cool completely, then wrap it well and freeze.
- Thaw: If you’ve frozen the casserole before baking, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If you’ve frozen it after baking, you can reheat it directly from the freezer.
- Reheating: If you’ve stored the casserole in the refrigerator, you can reheat it in the oven at 350˚F for about 20 minutes. If you’ve frozen the casserole, let it thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat as directed above.
More Casserole Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This tuna casserole recipe yields a hearty dish that’s enough for six servings.
- How to Scale: If you’re expecting a larger crowd or want to have leftovers, you can easily double the recipe. Make sure to use a larger casserole dish to accommodate the increased quantity. Follow the rest of the instructions as directed, but you may need to increase the baking time by a few minutes to ensure it’s bubbly and ready to serve.
Tuna Casserole
Equipment
- 1 2 Quart Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 2 Cups elbow macaroni cooked
- 1 14.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 Cup milk
- 1 Tablespoon onion chopped
- 1 Tablespoon pimento chopped
- 2 Tablespoons green or yellow pepper
- 2.25 Cups shredded cheese divided
- 5 oz tuna drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Bring water to a boil and cook the 2 cups of elbow macaroni per package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a small stockpot, mix the cream of mushroom soup, milk, onion, pimento and peppers. Bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add 2 Cups of cheese. Stir until melted.
- In a greased 2-quart casserole dish, mix together the drained tuna and cooked noodles. Pour the cheese-milk mixture and mix into the noodles and tuna. Top with ¼ Cup cheese.
- Bake in preheated 350˚ F oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
My family loves this recipe! It is super creamy and makes great leftovers. Mix in veggies, like peas, to make a complete meal.