Tuna casserole baked pasta (Printable)

Baked pasta layered with tuna, peas, creamy sauce, and crispy golden panko topping.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz egg noodles or fusilli

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup frozen peas
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Tuna

05 - 2 cans (6 oz each) tuna in water, drained

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 1 1/2 cups milk
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
13 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Topping

14 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
02 - Cook egg noodles in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
05 - Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer, stirring until sauce thickens, about 3–4 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, salt, black pepper, dried thyme if using, and cheddar until smooth.
07 - Gently fold in drained tuna, frozen peas, and cooked pasta until evenly combined.
08 - Transfer mixture into the prepared baking dish.
09 - In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
10 - Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top.
11 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, leaving you time to breathe instead of stress about dinner.
  • The creamy sauce wraps around every noodle like a blanket, and nobody skips the crunchy topping.
  • It's naturally flexible, so you can swap ingredients based on what's in your pantry without guilt.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step after baking; a warm casserole will shatter on your plate, while a five-minute rest lets the structure hold.
  • If your sauce seems too thick before adding the pasta, you can thin it with a splash of milk—better to adjust now than regret it later.
  • Drainage matters more than you'd think; soggy tuna means you weren't thorough enough squeezing it dry.
03 -
  • Toast your breadcrumb topping in a skillet with butter before sprinkling it on the casserole if you want extra crunch and color without risking a burned bottom.
  • Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream only if you're eating it immediately; it can separate slightly when reheated.
  • The secret that changed everything for me was using melted butter on the breadcrumbs instead of just butter—it distributes more evenly and browns more beautifully.
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