Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole is a quick, easy, from-scratch dinner recipe loaded with tuna, egg noodles, peas, and a creamy, cheesy, homemade white sauce!
When I need to get dinner on the table in a flash but didn't exactly plan ahead, I often find myself throwing together a one-pot, stovetop recipe based around ground beef. But {gasp}...sometimes there's nary a pound of ground beef to be found in the fridge or freezer! And on those occasions, it's nice to have a recipe in my arsenal that relies on a common, nonperishable, pantry staple instead...canned tuna!
Who didn't eat Tuna Noodle Casserole as a kid? I remember my mom making it, and I remember enjoying it. But for some reason, I've only sporadically thought to cook it for my own family over the years. So a few weeks ago, when I had one of those it's-5-o'clock-and-I-don't-have-anything-planned-for-dinner moments of panic, I spied two cans of tuna in the pantry...and it was Tuna Noodle Casserole to the rescue!
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch
I decided I wanted to keep things as simple as possible and assemble everything on the stove rather than popping a dish in the oven. I also wanted said simple recipe to be homemade and from-scratch, with nary a can of condensed cream of X to be included...AKA, tuna casserole without soup!
So I put a big pot of water on to boil and got the egg noodles going while I started a basic bechamel sauce in another skillet. I know, I know...bechamel sounds all fancy and frou-frou and French. But y'all...it's so, so easy. In fact, it involves nothing more than melting butter, whisking in flour, and ultimately adding milk to make a creamy, dreamy white sauce.
Once the sauce was thick and silky, I seasoned it and stirred in a big handful of grated cheddar cheese plus two cans of drained tuna. In the meantime, my noodles were almost done, so I dumped some frozen peas into the boiling pasta water to cook for the last minute or two.
Then I drained the noodles and peas, stirred them into the cheesy, tuna-flecked, white sauce...
...and sprinkled the whole skillet with a mixture of crushed butter crackers and grated Parmesan. In less than 20 minutes, dinner was on the table!
The BEST Tuna Noodle Casserole
So did my kids love this from-scratch Stovetop Tuna Noodle Skillet as much as I recall enjoying the recipe from my childhood? Well, both of my boys scarfed it down. And my (pickypickypicky) daughter actually allowed it to occupy space on her plate. Believe me...that's a win around these parts.
But the greatest affirmation came later that evening, when I went to put away the paper where I'd scrawled down the recipe as I made it. I saw that my 9-year-old had written "YUMMY" at the bottom, along with a big smiley face and his signature. Hey, it's not often that something I cook garners legit graffiti on my recipe notes.
With Lent upon us, my family will be avoiding meat on Fridays and putting Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole into regular rotation instead. But I have no doubt that this recipe's popularity at our house will continue long after Easter! After all, such an easy, tasty, comforting meal deserves to be enjoyed year-round! I mean, I've got recipe graffiti to prove it. 😉
Tips, Tricks, & Equipment
- You may use your favorite type of canned tuna, but I prefer water-packed to keep the calories down. I also prefer chunk light (skipjack/tongol) over chunk white (albacore) because of lower mercury levels.
- The way the recipe is written is the fastest way to make it. However, if you don't mind it taking a little longer and you'd prefer to conserve on dirty dishes, you can make everything in the same pot. Start out by boiling the noodles and peas (as directed) in a large pot or Dutch oven. Drain them into a colander, rinse with hot water, and set aside. Then proceed with the recipe by melting the butter in the same pasta pot and making the white sauce (as directed). Finally, add the noodles and peas back to the pot at the very end.
- The first time I made this recipe, we really enjoyed the addition of fresh parsley. But I didn't have any on hand when I made the recipe again and took the pictures for this post. So parsley is included as an option in the recipe...even though it's not shown in these photos.
More Easy Seafood Dinner Ideas
Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, optional
- 1/2 cup crushed butter cracker crumbs, optional
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the egg noodles and cook per package directions. A minute or so before the noodles are done, add the frozen peas to the boiling water. Once the noodles are cooked to your liking, drain the noodles and peas and set aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, set another large pot, pan, or skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and swirl until melted. Stir in the flour and continuously whisk for 2 minutes. Continue to whisk vigorously as you slowly and gradually pour in the milk. Stir until smooth and bring to a simmer, whisking regularly to prevent the bottom from burning. Cook for a minute or two until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Gradually blend in the cheddar until melted, and then stir in the drained tuna and the parsley, if using.
- Stir the drained noodles and peas into the sauce and mix until everything is well coated. If desired, combine the cracker crumbs and the Parmesan in a small bowl and evenly sprinkle the mixture over the entire skillet. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The way the recipe is written is the fastest way to make it. However, if you don't mind it taking a little longer and you'd prefer to conserve on dirty dishes, you can make everything in the same pot. Start out by boiling the noodles and peas (as directed) in a large pot or Dutch oven. Drain them into a colander, rinse with hot water, and set aside. Then proceed with the recipe by melting the butter in the same pasta pot and making the white sauce (as directed). Finally, add the noodles and peas back to the pot at the very end.
Originally published on March 2, 2017.
Brittany
I just made it and am sitting down eating it. It’s delicious and love how it stays creamy. The ones made in the oven I could never get them to stay creamy. But I think next time I’ll keep the tuna juice in the can lol I like my casserole to be extra tuna-ey. 🙂 or maybe that’s just my pregnancy craving right now. But anyways it’s delicious
mari
This is easy to follow. I have been asked to put this on the menu. I did not have peas, but broccoli is a good substitute.
meme
awesome suggestion, thanks! i also ran out of peas lol
Tor Ski
Easy to make and enjoyed by all! I broiled the top for a couple of minutes on low. I also added mushrooms to the mix.
Shannon R.
I love tuna noodle casserole and this one is super quick and easy!
I see some people saying that it's "missing something." I find that if you add fresh lemon juice, it really adds a nice dimension! <3
Happy dining, everyone! 🙂