Tuna Noodle Casserole

Name: Tuna Noodle Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 10 1/2 oz can cream of chicken; 10 1/2 oz can cream of celery; 1 cup milk; 3/4 cup sour cream; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; (2) 5 oz cans light tuna in water, drained; 1 cup frozen peas; 5 cups cooked egg noodles; 1 cup crushed ritz crackers; 1/4 cup butter, melted

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Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole recipe with a crunchy, buttery, Ritz cracker topping! It’s classic comfort food that’s perfect for a weeknight family dinner.

Growing up in Minnesota, a casserole was called a hotdish. Instead of calling this tuna noodle casserole, us kids liked calling it tuna fish hotdish.

The great thing about this kind of casserole is that it can be customized to fit your family and what you have on hand in the panty. I’ll share some suggestions but feel free to make it your own!

Start by mixing together the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, sour cream, milk, black pepper, and garlic powder.

Can I use cream of mushroom soup?

For this recipe, I used the combination of cream of chicken and cream of celery soup. You can use any of the cream soups you want. It can be two of the same kind or two different kinds. Cream of mushroom is a popular choice when making tuna noodle casserole.

Then add the light tuna and frozen peas. Stir to combine.

Would chicken work instead of the tuna in this recipe?

Of course, I used tuna when making this recipe but it can be switched up if your family doesn’t like tuna. You can replace the canned tuna with canned chicken, shredded chicken, or cubed chicken.

Or if you don’t want meat in your casserole, you can skip the meat and replace it with vegetables.

Which vegetables go with tuna noodle casserole?

For this tuna noodle casserole, I added a cup of frozen peas but other vegetables work too. Try adding corn, carrots, green beans, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, or bell peppers. They can be frozen, canned, or fresh.

Add the cooked egg noodles and stir until coated.

What kinds of pasta works for tuna noodle casserole?

When making tuna noodle casserole, egg noodles are the classic choice. The wide, wavy noodles are tender yet they allow the sauce to cling to the waves.

Other kinds of pasta would work too though! Try using medium shells, bowties, elbow macaroni, penne, or rotini.

If you are looking for a low carb option, try zucchini noodles aka zoodles or spaghetti squash.

Spread the mixture in a greased 9×13 pan.

Can I make this in a casserole dish instead of a 9×13?

Yes, you can use a casserole dish instead of a 9×13 pan but keep in mind you may have to cook it longer to fully heat the middle of the pan.

I like using the 9×13 baking dish because the casserole is spread out making it so that more of it gets covered with the crunchy topping!

Speaking of the crunchy topping, it is time to add it to the casserole. Mix together the crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter until combined.

How can I spice it up?

I try to keep the ingredients list short for those readers that are looking for basic recipes but if you want to add more go for it! You can add seasonings to the cream sauce or to the topping.

Try adding grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, poppy seeds, onion powder, crushed red pepper, dill weed, lemon pepper, or thyme.

Sprinkle the ritz cracker topping over the casserole and bake at 350˚F.

What toppings can be put on tuna noodle casserole?

For this recipe, I used original ritz crackers because they are crunchy, salty, and buttery. There are many different flavors of ritz crackers available including vegetable, bacon, and garlic butter.

Of course, you can always use bread crumbs or panko instead of crushed crackers. Mix them with melted butter and spread over the casserole.

Or go with the classic we enjoyed as kids, crushed potato chips or shoestring potato chips! They can be added before or after baking.

Another delicious option is french fried onions. They give the casserole additional onion flavor. Add them during the last 5 minutes of baking so they don’t get overcooked.

Want more casserole recipes? Try these next:

Chicken Noodle Casserole is comfort food at its best! A warm, creamy combination of noodles, soup, chicken, and vegetables perfect for family dinners.

Taco Casserole is an easy way to serve tacos to your family. All of the ingredients are in one casserole dish and is served up by the scoopful.

This Triple Meat Pizza Casserole is on the table in under 30 minutes! It’s is like eating a meat lovers pizza in casserole form. An easy dinner recipe the whole family will love.

Tater Tot Casserole has a creamy layer of ground beef, Italian sausage, green beans and corn topped with crunchy tater tots and melted cheddar cheese.