Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole is a 30-minute one-pot tuna casserole in a light cream sauce with crispy Panko topping. Everyday veggies are simmered with tuna, pasta noodles, broth, and milk, making a creamy “real” mushroom sauce that uses no canned soup!
Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole
Just like my Instant Pot Tuna Casserole, this tuna pasta been a go-to dinner in our house for many years. It’s quick, easy, and is a lighter version of a tuna casserole, made with a healthy dose of vegetables and a small amount of dairy. Once you make it a time or two, you’ll probably feel the same way. It’s so easy, but it tastes like something you worked hard for!
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Skillet tuna casserole ingredients
- olive oil
- carrots
- green onions
- mushrooms
- peas
- canned tuna
- spaghetti noodles
- milk
- salt and pepper
- Panko bread crumbs
Grab my Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
Tuna noodle recipe ingredients
Vegetables
I like to load up vegetables, when possible. For this recipe, I love the flavors and textures of carrots, green onions, button mushrooms, and sweet peas.
Pasta
I prefer to use a classic spaghetti noodle for this recipe. You can use whole wheat pasta because it has added fiber and nutrients. If you use whole wheat pasta, initially hold back 1 cup of the liquid (broth or water) to avoid potential ‘soupy’ results (b/c there is less gluten to thicken the sauce). You can always add liquid back in small amounts if you feel the dish needs more liquid during the cook cycle.
Sauce
We’re keeping it light with this sauce by using a 1% milk and chicken broth as opposed to the classic canned cream of mushroom soup sauce. Also, this one-pot method causes the noodles to add starch to the sauce as they cook, creating a natural thickener for the cream sauce.
Tuna
Then, of course, there’s the tuna, which I like to use a water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed. However, either will work great for this recipe.
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How to make tuna casserole on the stove
* see full recipe below
- Sauté the mushrooms, carrots, and green onions in olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add pasta, peas, tuna, milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer everything until pasta is cooked through.
- Top the tuna casserole with Panko breadcrumbs and broil until golden brown.
- Devour!
Grab my Instant Pot version of Tuna Casserole!
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Recommended tools
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
- silicone tongs or spatula (to stir things up)
- large skillet
- air-tight storage containers (for leftovers)
More 30-minute dinner recipes
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Lasagna Soup for Instant Pot or Stove
- Chicken Penne Alla Vodka [One Pot Pasta]
Skillet Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup Carrots shredded
- 2 Green Onions sliced (stalk and tops separated)
- 8 oz Spaghetti Noodles
- 1 7 oz can Tuna drained
- 1 cup Peas thawed
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cups 1% Milk or any milk
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Sauté veggies: Heat OLIVE OIL in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add MUSHROOMS, CARROTS, and GREEN ONION (white part); sauté until tender, stirring as needed (about 4 min).
- Add other ingredients: Add NOODLES, PEAS, TUNA, CHICKEN BROTH, MILK, SALT, and PEPPER. Push ingredients down to make sure pasta noodles are submerged. *see recipe footnote about adding liquid
- Simmer to cook the noodles: Adjust heat to HIGH and bring everything just to a boil. Then, cover and adjust heat to MED-LOW and simmer until pasta is cooked through, stirring as needed.Then, fold in PARMESAN CHEESE to the cooked casserole to thicken and flavor the cream sauce.
- (optional) Crispy panko topping: Turn on oven broiler and adjust the top oven rack. Toss PANKO BREAD CRUMBS in OLIVE OIL and sprinkle over the cooked casserole surface along with GREEN ONION (tops). Place casserole under broiler flame until the Panko is a light golden brown and crispy (oven time may vary).
- To serve: Allow tuna casserole to rest a few minutes. Serve warm.To store: Allowed to cool completely and refrigerate in airtight containers up to 5 days.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition
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Say goodbye to boring tuna casserole with this awesome recipe! It is quick, easy, nutritious and delicious. I love that the noodles cook right in the casserole and you don’t have to boil them separately. I will be making this over and over….thanks Traci for a great weeknight dinner!
Awww thank you, Girlfriend! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the easier tuna casserole method. Thanks for the great feedback 🤩 💚
Delicious Traci. I definitely will be making it again. So much better than the old Campbell Mushroom soup recipe.
Aww Rita, I’m sooo glad to hear you’re enjoying this recipe! Thank you kindly for letting me know 💚
Absolutely delicious Traci. Love that the recipe is so easy to follow. Perfect for Friday night dinner.
Thanks, Rahul! So glad you’re enjoying this recipe 🙂
Liked the lighter version and no processed food!!!! Will make this again next time I will add more mushrooms, little kale. I may have over counted pasta so I would use a bit less to have more sauce. It was great!!! Thank you
Peggy
So glad to hear it, Peggy! More mushrooms and kale are always welcome in tuna casserole 🤩 Yes, the pasta ratio you see in these photos is the amount in the recipe (8oz), but you can always use less. Thanks for the taking the time to leave your review.
I love tuna casserole but have always wanted a lighter version. I can’t wait to try this one!
Awesome, thanks Sue! You’ll love the fact that this tuna casserole doesn’t use cream of mushroom soup 🤩
I always look for recipes where we can ‘shop the fridge’. This one fit the bill, we had everything in the fridge and pantry. I wouldn’t have thought that mushrooms and tuna work so well together, but it’s delicious. This recipe will definitely go on our menu rotation.
Thanks, Maike…so glad to hear it! Yes, mushrooms in tuna casserole are a must for me LOL. They add so much flavor and texture 😋 So glad you can enjoy this one!
Love an easy dinner like this! It’s sure to be on repeat!
Thanks Taylor! Glad you’re a fan of the tuna casserole too! 🙂
I love how this can be made in the skillet and it’s ready in only 30 minutes! That panko on top looks amazing!
Hehe thanks, Jamie! It’s my favorite part of this tuna casserole for surrre 🤩
I LOVE how simple and homey this recipe is! It’s perfect for those days when I just want something delicious and filled with amazing texture. The panko crumbs make this even more fun to eat!
Thanks, Jeannette! Love hearing that…I’m all over those Panko too! They make tuna casserole more interesting to eat 🤩
I love the way you’ve lightened up this recipe! I also love the addition of mushroom slices!
Thanks, Josi! The mushrooms slices are everything in Tuna Pasta 🙂
This lighter version of a great classic is perfect when you are trying to watch your caloric intake!
Indeed, Tisha! We love that about this dish 🙂
I really love the idea of making this a lighter version! I would not feel bad about eating this at all!
Awesome, Suzy…I love hearing that! 🙂
I love how this is a light cream sauce! So often I find cream sauces too heavy but this is just right!
Yay, Jamie! So glad you can enjoy that about it 🙂
Tuna added to any dish makes it always special and this pasta looks amazing.
Thanks, Veena! Love hearing that 🙂
I’ve never been a fan of heavy tuna casseroles, but this beautiful light tunas pasta I can definitely get behind! So much lighter and yummier!
Yes, this tuna pasta is perfect for you! Hope you love it 🙂
I love tuna casserole but ours needs to be lightened up a tad. I can’t wait to try yours out with the family this weekend.
Awesome, Heidy! Hope you love it like we do 🙂
I love this lighter version of tuna casserole! This is perfect for a busy weeknight!
Thanks, Cindy! Yep, tuna pasta was MADE for busy weeknights 🙂
Tuna casserole is always a favorite of mine, but your tips for lightening it up make it so much healthier and less of a guilty pleasure. Thank you!
Thanks, Lisa! Yes, this way we can eat MORE! 😛 xoxo
i’m in for any recipe with mushrooms!!! especially with pasta – yum! sounds so tasty!
Haha thanks, Heather! The mushrooms make this tuna pasta even better 🙂
I really love tuna casserole as well but needed a lightened up version! I’m so glad I found yours!
Yay! So glad to hear it, Amy. Hope you get a chance to make it…and hope you love! 🙂
This is such a great tasty light version of a classic. I love the pasta water trick, have been using it for a while now, and it is brilliant!
Thanks Sarah! Yeah, the pasta water makes the best sauces! So simple too 🙂
This looks way better than the tuna casserole of my childhood, haha!
Awww thanks Elizabeth! Yeah, I was compelled to rebel against that exact thing for this recipe LOL. It worked! 🙂
Nothing beats a good casserole, and I love your version as it doesn’t sound like it’s high in calories or too fatty like the usual casseroles that we have.
Thanks Diana…it still has my greatest weakness…pasta LOL. But def not as many calories as the creamy, cheesy kind, which makes it more diet friendly for me. 🙂
This goes into my meal planning for next week!
Yay so glad to hear it, Tina! Hope you love it like I do! I have literally made this countless times…always disappears 🙂
I think I will prefer this version better I think of tuna as a very light healthy dish and sometimes traditional tuna casseroles turns me off because it is so much Dairy I can’t wait to try this!
Yes! So glad to hear it, Gina. It’s really delicious…even without all the cheese 🙂 Thanks so much!