Easy Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna Noodle Casserole is a staple in many households. This recipe uses ingredients you most likely already have on hand. This recipe is cheesy and comforting. You can adapt it very easily to fit your needs.
Tuna Noodle Casserole is a staple in many households. This recipe uses ingredients you most likely already have on hand. This recipe is cheesy and comforting. You can adapt it very easily to fit your needs.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion
- 1 6 oz can tuna fish drained
- 1 box elbow macaroni noodles i had just a little under 3/4 box
- 1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom i used fat free
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (i like cheesy so i use
- garlic salt optional
- extra virgin olive oil optional
- Carbohydrate 46.7841125000036 g
- Cholesterol 30.503125013081 mg
- Fat 12.6894812549349 g
- Fiber 13.9300000524521 g
- Protein 15.3201937500517 g
- Saturated Fat 7.51091500312533 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (392g)
- Sodium 375.560000035045 mg
- Sugar 32.8541124475516 g
- Trans Fat 1.17404625034546 g
- Calories 352 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil (optional: add oil to the water to prevent sticking). Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- In skillet add 1 TBSP butter and sauté chopped onions. I sprinkle some garlic salt on mine. If using frozen peas I toss them in once onions are soft so they can thaw quickly
- Over medium heat, combine the cream of mushroom soup, peas, canned tuna, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
- Gently fold pasta into the soup mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Pour pasta and soup mixture into a baking dish. (I spray mine with Pam pray)
- Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top.
- Bake until cheese is warm and bubbly
Pulling pasta from boiling water exactly two minutes before it reaches al dente prevents the noodles from turning mushy as they absorb moisture during the final 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven bake. Utilizing standard pantry components like canned fish and shelf-stable soup minimizes food waste while keeping grocery expenses strictly controlled. When doubling quantities for larger households, maintain the same one-to-one ratio of dairy to starch to prevent dryness.
Maximizing Pantry Efficiency
Sauteing chopped aromatics in melted butter builds foundational savory depth before canned proteins and frozen vegetables join the skillet. Stirring half the shredded cheddar directly into the soup base creates a cohesive sauce, leaving the remaining dairy to form a blistered crust on top.
- Undercook pasta by two minutes to account for residual oven heat.
- Toss frozen peas into the warm onion skillet to thaw them rapidly without extra equipment.
- Cover baking dishes loosely with foil if the cheese browns too quickly before the center reaches a bubbling state.
