This classic tuna casserole uses a scratch made sauce (no canned soup mixes here), fresh mushrooms and plenty of cheese. Topped with panko bread crumbs and plenty of melty cheese, it’s an old-fashioned comfort food dinner you’re sure to love!

Close-up of a pan of tuna noodle casserole.

Hi friends!

Today I’m sharing an easy canned fish recipe. It’s classic tuna casserole!

This recipe is scratch made, meaning no canned soup mixes here.

It’s seriously easy to prepare and uses a bunch of pantry staples (or commonly found fridge items).

Whether you’re enjoying as a weeknight dinner or Sunday supper, this old-fashioned tuna casserole is sure to disappear fast!

How To Make Tuna Casserole

Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

In a pan, cook some finely minced onion and celery in a little olive oil until softened. Then add sliced mushrooms and give those a little cook. Season the veggies with some salt and pepper.
Add butter. Once that is melted, sprinkle over flour. Stir in to form a paste (this will help thicken things for your sauce mixture).
For the sauce component: Pour in veggie broth and your mixture will instantly become thick. Then add milk (a little at a time) and cook until thickened. Add more milk (until it’s gone) and as each batch thickens. Once it’s done, it will be thick and coat the back of a spoon. You can turn off the heat now on your stovetop.
Mix in cooked egg noodles, drained canned tuna and frozen peas (no need to thaw). Tip: If you want things saucier, feel free to add a little extra splash of milk here.
Top everything with some panko bread crumbs and cheese.
Bake until warm and the cheese has melted. You can garnish with parsley if you like.

Collage of steps to make a cheesy tuna noodle casserole recipe.

What Can I Use Instead of Peas?

Don’t have peas on hand or prefer not to use? No worries!

Peas add a veggie component (plus a lovely pop of colour). However, instead of peas, you can add some steamed broccoli, cauliflower or corn.

Pan of tuna noodle casserole next to a blue and white checkered tea towel.

Serving Suggestions

This classic tuna noddle casserole recipe is nice and hearty as is, but if you want to add some sides, garlicky green beans or a simple green salad would be lovely.

Serving spoon taking a portion of tuna noodle casserole from a pan.

Tips and Variations

Use canned tuna packed in water. If you don’t have that and only have tuna packed in oil, no worries! Simply rinse and drain the excess oil from the tuna.
Use a good melting cheese, like a young or medium cheddar, pizza mozzarella, fontina, Gruyere, fontina or provolone (or a combination of your favourites). A little Parmesan is nice, too, for an extra punch of flavour.
Don’t have fresh mushrooms on hand? Try drained canned mushrooms instead.
Dill or thyme would be a lovely addition to this casserole.
For the milk component of this casserole, I’ve made with dairy and even non dairy (almond milk). Use what you enjoy best or have on hand. Keep in mind, that the more milk fat your dairy has, the richer the sauce will be.

More Canned Tuna Recipes

If you make this old-fashioned tuna casserole, be sure to leave a comment below!