This creamy tuna noodle casserole is not your Grandma’s casserole. It’s better! Served hot or cold, it’s an easy dinner the whole family looks forward to that can also serves a crowd.
Every now and then I’m looking for a change from our typical chicken or beef-based meals- especially during Lent.
A lot of times I will just go meatless but while it’s still chilly I need hearty comfort food.
This hot tuna noodle casserole checked all the boxes, and sure hits the spot at dinner time.
In fact, everyone liked it so much that we made it again, over the weekend, as a cold pasta salad for lunch.
It is equally yummy, whichever way you decide to serve it.
What kind of tuna should I use for tuna casserole?
Tuna casseroles deserve a quality tuna.
I go with Costco’s Kirkland brand solid white albacore. Less fishy flavor, more actual tuna meat, no oil or grease, and I haven’t come across a bone yet.
Ingredients
To make this tuna casserole you’ll need:
- Egg noodles– Cooked according to the package instructions
- Veggies– Diced red onion, diced celery, and thawed frozen peas
- Tuna– Tuna canned in water works best. Drain it and flake it.
- Lemon– For fresh lemon juice.
- Greek yogurt– Plain Greek yogurt. Not into Greek yogurt? Use sour cream.
- Cheddar cheese– Go for sharp, shredded cheddar.
- Seasonings– Salt, pepper. spicy mustard, red wine vinegar, dried parsley, lemon pepper
- Panko breadcrumbs– For topping
How to Make
To make this, combine the cooked pasta, onion, celery, peas, and tuna in a large bowl.
Then, squeeze the lemon juice over the contents of the bowl.
Season it with the salt and pepper, to taste.
In a separate bowl, make the sauce by whisking together the Greek yogurt, Cheddar cheese, spicy mustard, red wine vinegar, parsley, and lemon pepper.
When the sauce is combined, pour the it over the pasta and tuna mixture and stir or toss to coat.
If you are serving this casserole cold, empty the contents into your serving dish, sprinkle the top with the Panko breadcrumbs, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
If you are serving this hot, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 x 13 casserole with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil.
Spread the noodle mixture evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the Panko breadcrumbs and a touch of extra cheese over the top.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, just until it’s heated through and the sauce begins to bubble a little.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover tuna casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve cold or reheat in the microwave to serve warm.
Tips and Tricks
- Be sure that you are using plain Greek yogurt and not vanilla flavored, etc. You can sub sour cream if that’s more to your liking.
- If serving this cold, make sure you give it a chance to refrigerate first so the flavors all have a chance to meld and develop.
- Don’t skip the lemon juice. It brightens up the casserole and makes the tuna taste fresher.
Other Classic Casserole Recipes
Creamy tuna noodle casserole is a family favorite! Make it for dinner this week and enjoy!
Looking for other easy casserole recipes? Try these:
- Ground Beef & Rice Casserole with Cheese
- Cheesy Mexican Chicken Spaghetti
- Bisquick Taco Bake
- Rotisserie Chicken & Rice Casserole
- Cheesy Beefy Noodle Casserole
If you’ve tried this CREAMY TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 oz egg noodles cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 12 ounces canned tuna drained and flaked (tuna packed in water works best)
- 1/2 of a lemon juiced
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 tsp spicy mustard
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, onion, celery, peas, and tuna. Squeeze the lemon juice over the contents of the bowl (being careful not to drop seeds in). Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a smaller bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, Cheddar cheese, spicy mustard, red wine vinegar, parsley, and lemon pepper. Pour the sauce over the pasta/tuna mixture in the larger bowl and stir or toss to coat.
- If you are serving this casserole cold, empty the contents into your serving dish, sprinkle the top with the Panko breadcrumbs, and refrigerate for at least an hour (to let the flavors meld).
- If you are serving this hot, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 x 13 casserole with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil. Spread the noodle mixture evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the Panko bread crumbs over the top. You can also sprinkle with a little extra cheese if you like.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, just until it’s heated through and the sauce begins to bubble a little.
Notes
- Be sure that you are using plain Greek yogurt and not vanilla flavored, etc. You can sub sour cream if that's more to your liking.
- If serving this cold, make sure you give it a chance to refrigerate first so the flavors all have a chance to meld and develop.
- Don't skip the lemon juice. It brightens up the casserole and makes the tuna taste fresher.
Nutrition
originally published March 6, 2014
Joanna says
This sounds really good. I’m going to have to give this one a go very soon!
Antonia (Zoale) says
Thank you for sharing another delicious meal at Fiesta Friday!