Easy Cheesy Tuna Casserole

A bowl of cheesy tuna casserole on the table.

5 from 4 votes

Easy Cheesy Tuna Casserole

No doubt about it, this Cheesy Tuna or Salmon Pasta Casserole without soup is a classic. Flaky canned tuna or salmon, noodles, sour cream in a rich homemade sauce and topped with crackers, breadcrumbs or potato chips for a crunch, it's the ultimate in casseroles!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Resting Time10

Total Time1 20

Servings:

Calories: 509kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

1 ½ cups uncooked pasta of your choice
½ cup butter separated
¾ cup onion diced
½ cup bell peppers green, yellow, orange or red, cored, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
½ cup celery ribs chopped
2 cups crumbs (panko, bread, cornflakes, Ritz crackers) crushed or in pieces between ¼ and 1 inch.
1- 3 tablespoons garlic minced
3 cans tuna drained and flaked, or red sockeye salmon
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
2 cups heavy or whipping cream (35%) or use 1 ½ cups of milk and 1 cup of sour cream
cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook your pasta of choice according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Drain cans of tuna (or salmon) and remove any noticeable large bones and flake with a fork. Set aside.
In a large skillet melt ¼ cup of the butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery and onions. Sauté until tender, stirring regularly; about 5 minutes. Add peppers and garlic. Stir for another minute.
Sprinkle flour on top of vegetables and stir until flour is golden; between 3-4 minutes. Gradually add cream and stir. Add Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly until it thickens.
Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Add salmon or tuna and pasta. Stir until combined.
Using a spatula, dump mixture into your prepared pan.
Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add crumbs, cereal or crackers. Remove saucepan from heat and using a fork to coat crumbs or crackers with butter. Sprinkle crumb mixture over top of the casserole.
Bake until top is golden and casserole is bubby; about 30 minutes. Let stand approximately 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Cook the pasta al dente which means slightly firm to the bite. This keeps it from becoming too mushy when baked in the casserole.

Don't skip the Worcestershire sauce. It adds depth to the rich cheesy sauce!

Let your casserole cool slightly before serving to make sure all the flavors have blended together nicely

Be sure to drain your canned tuna and pasta well so the sauce stays nice and thick.

If you decide to use potato chips or crispy onions in place of the crumbs, skip the butter added over the top.

Nutrition