Tuna Noodle Comfort Classic (Printable View)

Creamy noodles combined with tuna, vegetables, and a crispy parmesan-panko topping.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Pasta and Fish

01 - 12 oz egg noodles
02 - 2 cans (5 oz each) solid white tuna in water, drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
04 - 1 cup cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 cup celery, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

08 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
10 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 1/2 cup sour cream
13 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
14 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

→ Topping

16 - 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
17 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
18 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
19 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil egg noodles in salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and celery for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
04 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stirring to coat. Gradually add broth while stirring. Add milk and simmer, stirring until thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
06 - Fold in tuna, peas, and cooked noodles until evenly mixed.
07 - Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish.
08 - Combine panko, parmesan, and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over casserole.
09 - Bake for 20–25 minutes until topping is golden and mixture is bubbly.
10 - Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce tastes homemade and luxurious, nothing like the condensed soup version.
  • Real vegetables and fresh garlic bring life to what could be a boring Tuesday dinner.
  • The crispy panko topping gives you something to anticipate, that golden crunch against soft noodles.
02 -
  • Sour cream curdles if you add it to boiling sauce, so always let the sauce cool slightly and stir it in off the heat.
  • The casserole will keep cooking as it sits, which is why you pull it out when the top is golden but the filling is still slightly loose.
  • Thawing the peas matters more than you'd think—frozen ones turn into little hard marbles in the oven.
03 -
  • Cook your noodles slightly undercooked; they'll continue cooking in the oven and finish perfectly tender instead of mushy.
  • Toast your panko topping separately in a pan with butter over medium heat for 2 minutes before sprinkling it on—this guarantees extra crispness.
  • Let the baked casserole rest for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven so it sets slightly and slices more neatly.
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