Tuna Casserole with Potato Chips
This Tuna Casserole with Potato Chips is grandma’s tuna noodle casserole and it’s a classic recipe, known for decades. It’s the ultimate comfort food and a go-to for busy weeknights, ready in only 45 minutes like my tuna casserole with breadcrumb topping.
Love easy casserole recipes? Try my beef enchilada casserole, Mexican chicken casserole and this sloppy joe casserole next!
Old-Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole
The creamy sauce is pure comfort food soaked up in the tender egg noodles. The cream of mushroom soup ingredient is classic and makes this recipe budget-friendly and a classic, just like Grandma made.
I really like that it freezes well and it is just so quick to throw together thanks to the tender egg noodles cooking up so quickly.
We love easy casserole on busy nights like our favorite pizza casserole, chicken and potato casserole and taco casserole. Budget-friendly and perfect for picky eaters!
What is Tuna Pea Casserole?
Tuna pea casserole is a classic American dish made with egg noodles, canned tuna, and a creamy sauce made made from cream of mushroom soup. You likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry already!
Tuna fish casserole is oven-baked and topped with potato chips or a crunchy breadcrumb topping. We love ours with peas & cheddar cheese, while other common ingredients include onions and celery. The origin? Campbell’s tuna noodle casserole from the 1940’s!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tuna – I like to use good quality tuna like solid white albacore tuna in water or you can use your favorite type and brand. You will need two cans of tuna.
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Milk – you can use 2% or whole milk in this recipe.
- Pasta (egg noodles) – we love medium egg noodles because they are classic from the retro casserole and they cook up so quickly. You can also substitute any type of smaller pasta, such as fusilli, rotini or macaroni.
- Peas – frozen peas can be added to the casserole with cooking first which saves time. You could also substitute green beans or an equal amount of mixed frozen vegetables.
- Cheddar cheese – I like to use sharp but you can use your favorite cheddar!
- Potato chips – one of our favorite toppings for my mom’s classic tuna noodle casserole.
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Optional – top with a little freshly grated Parmesan when serving.
Can I use different cheese in tuna noodle casserole?
Yes, you can use different types of cheese, such as Swiss or mozzarella, for different flavour instead of cheddar cheese.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole – Step by Step Instructions
You can find a full recipe card at the bottom of this page. I like to include photos with step-by-step instructions to show you how things will look visually as you’re making this recipe.
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish. This recipe makes 4 servings or you can double it for 8 servings. For the smaller 4-servings, I use an 8×12 casserole dish or a square 9×9. For the large 8-serving I use a 9×13-inch.
Step 2- Cook the eggs noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. You want to undercook them just a little as they will continue to cook in the oven.
Step 3 – In a large bowl, combine condensed mushrom soup and milk until smooth.
Step 4 – Gently add the cooked egg noodles, drained and flaked tuna. Taste and season with pepper. I never need to add salt to it, but you can adjust the seasoning to suit your taste and add salt!
Step 5 – Gently stir in the frozen peas. There is no need to cook them in advance as they will cook in the sauce in the oven.
Step 6 – Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish.
Step 7 – Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, followed by the crushed potato chips.
Step 8 – Bake in 350°F oven, on the middle rack in the oven for 25 minutes. Edges will be bubbly and the chips will be light golden brown.
How to make breadcrumbs topping on tuna casserole
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of breadcrumbs with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle on top of casserole before cooking. Or see my tuna casserole with cream of mushroom soup.
How to make Ritz cracker topping
In a small bowl, combine 2 to 3 Tablespoons of buter with 1 and 1/2 cups of coarsely crushed buttery Ritz crackers. Sprinkle all over casserole before baking.
Can tuna noodle casserole be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can! This is the ideal make-ahead meal and will make it so easy on a busy weeknight.
Assemble the casserole, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to two days before baking it. When you’re ready, bring the casserole to room temperature by allowing it to sit on the counter for ast least 30 minutes, then cook as directed.
How long is tuna noodle casserole good for in the fridge?
Tuna casserole can be stored properly in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you need to store it longer than that, a great option is to freeze it.
Sandra’s Top Tips
Cook the noodles al dente. Overcooked noodles can become mushy and dry out the casserole.
Drain the tuna well and flake it with a fork so that the chunks are not too large.
Make it your own by changing up the veggies and flavors. You can add mixed frozen vegetables, sauteed onions and celery, and different herbs for flavoring shuch as garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, oregano and paprika.
Storage and Freezing tuna noodle casserole
Storage Instructions: Allow casserole to cool to room tpermature before placing in an airtight container. Store in refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Can you freeze tuna noodle casserole?
Yes, you can freeze cooked tuna noodle casserole! Cool caserole to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat in microwave in individual servings.
Best way to thaw tuna noodle casserole
Best way to thaw is in fridge overnight for at least 8-10 hours. Thawing tuna noodle casserole helps it cook more evenly and for the proper amount of time.
Can you cook frozen tuna noodle casserole
Yes, you can cook frozen tuna casserole, but it will take longer to cook than if it is thawed.
It’s best to thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight before cooking it. This ensures that it cooks evenly and thoroughly.
To help prevent temperature shock of the dish (you dont’ want it to crack!) , you can transfer the casserole to a different casserole dish at room temperature.
To cook straight from frozen: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted the sauce is bubbly. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking time to allow the chip topping to become crispy.
BEST Old-Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole (Classic Recipe)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
This Tuna Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup is grandma’s tuna noodle casserole and it’s a classic recipe, known for decades. It’s the ultimate comfort food and a go-to for busy weeknights, ready in only 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Note: This recipe will make 4 generous servings. You can easily double this recipe to make 8 servings.
8 ounces (226g) ounces dried eggs noodles, cooked al dente (about 3 to 4 cups)
2 (5 ounce/each) cans solid white albacore tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup frozen peas
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 & 1/2 cups coarsely crushed potato chips
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish. This recipe makes 4 servings or you can double it for 8 servings. For the smaller 4-servings, I use an 8×12 casserole dish or a square 9×9. For the large 8-serving I use a 9×13-inch.
- Cook the eggs noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. You want to undercook them just a little as they will continue to cook in the oven.
- In a large bowl, combine condensed mushrom soup and milk until smooth.
- Gently add the cooked egg noodles, drained and flaked tuna. Taste and season with pepper. I never need to add salt to it, but you can adjust the seasoning to suit your taste and add salt!
- Gently stir in the frozen peas. There is no need to cook them in advance as they will cook in the sauce in the oven.
- Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, followed by the crushed potato chips.
- Bake in 350°F oven for 25 minutes. Edges will be bubbly and the chips will brown just a little. Serve & enjoy!
Notes
Storage and Freezing tuna noodle casserole
Storage Instructions: Allow casserole to cool to room tpermature before placing in an airtight container. Store in refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Can you freeze tuna noodle casserole?
Yes, you can freeze cooked tuna noodle casserole! Cool caserole to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat in microwave in individual servings.
Best way to thaw tuna noodle casserole
Best way to thaw is in fridge overnight for at least 8-10 hours. Thawing tuna noodle casserole helps it cook more evenly and for the proper amount of time.
Can you cook frozen tuna noodle casserole
Yes, you can cook frozen tuna casserole, but it will take longer to cook than if it is thawed.
It’s best to thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight before cooking it. This ensures that it cooks evenly and thoroughly.
To help prevent temperature shock of the dish (you dont’ want it to crack!) , you can transfer the casserole to a different casserole dish at room temperature.
To cook straight from frozen: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted the sauce is bubbly. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking time to allow the chip topping to become crispy.
Original post from April 9, 2023 was update in September 2024 to add additional images for step by step instructions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 helping
- Calories: 344
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 1255.4 mg
- Fat: 14.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 13.1 g
- Cholesterol: 29.2 mg
We make tuna hamburger helper quite often and this tuna noodle casserole is quite the step from that that is so easy and delicious. The kids love the chips on top adding a fun salty crunchy topping is so good.