Tuna Casserole
Old school, no shame, and genuinely delicious if you do it right. Tuna casserole gets a bad reputation because people think of sad cafeteria food or the version made entirely from canned soup and dry
Ingredients
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 (5-ounce) cans solid white albacore tuna (drained and flaked)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
For the topping
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Method
Step 1: Cook the noodles
- Boil egg noodles to just under al dente — about 2 minutes less than the package says. They'll continue cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Build the cheese sauce
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon — about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar until melted and smooth. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Combine and bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Fold the noodles, tuna, and peas into the cheese sauce. Transfer to a buttered 9x13 or 2-quart baking dish. Mix panko with melted butter and Parmesan, scatter over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and the topping is golden brown.