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Tuna casserole in a skillet
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5 from 5 votes

Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

Flaky canned tuna, shell pasta, peas, a creamy, cheesy sauce made without canned soup, and a crispy panko topping to finish it off. My tuna noodle casserole is a lightened up version of a comfort food classic!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Casseroles, Dinners, Fish + Seafood, Pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: tuna casserole, tuna noodle casserole
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Danae Halliday

Ingredients

Topping

  • 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • Flat leaf parsley for garnish

Tuna Casserole

  • 8 ounces shell pasta
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced shallots
  • 1 clove garlic grated or minced
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk warmed
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna in water, drained
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

  • Combine the ingredients for the topping in a small bowl and set aside. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than al dente. It will continue to cook as the casserole bakes. Drain the pasta.
  • While the pasta is cooking, melt a tablespoon of butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. saute the shallots, celery, garlic, salt and pepper for 2-3 minutes. Once the veggies have softened add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Let it melt and then sprinkle the flour on top.
  • Stir until you can no long see white streaks of flour then stir in the dijon mustard. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and milk whisking the entire time to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue whisking until slightly thickened.
  • Turn the heat down to low and whisk in the cheese. Add the pasta, tuna, and peas into the skillet and stir everything together until it's well combined and coated in the sauce.
  • Sprinkle the panko topping onto the casserole then place the skillet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly and the panko topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

The casserole will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 788IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 345mg | Iron: 3mg