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Tuna noodle casserole is a 30-minute entree the whole family loves. Simple veggies are simmered with tuna, pasta noodles, broth, and milk to make a delicious and creamy sauce. No canned soup needed.

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Tuna Noodle Casserole
This tuna noodle entree 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!
Ingredient notes
Ingredient amounts are included in the printable recipe below.
- olive oil - or preferred oil
- carrots - You can use shredded or diced, fresh or frozen.
- green onions - any onions will work for this recipe
- mushrooms - Using fresh mushrooms in this recipe means no canned soup is needed.
- peas - An essential ingredient in tuna casserole.
- canned tuna - You can substitute canned salmon for tuna in this recipe.
- dry spaghetti noodles- Or preferred pasta noodles. Tuna spaghetti casserole is a great way to use spaghetti noodles.
- milk - Any dairy liquid, or even non-dairy milk, will work for this recipe.
- Panko bread crumbs - These are optional but recommended for lovers of crispy toppings on tuna casserole.
Recipe notes
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.
How to make this recipe
Full instructions are in the printable 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!
More dinner recipes
📖 Recipe
Skillet Tuna Casserole
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When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup Carrots, shredded
- 2 Green Onions, sliced (stalk and tops separated)
- 8 ounces Uncooked Spaghetti Noodles
- 1 (7 ounce can) Tuna, drained
- 1 cup Peas, thawed
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cups 1% Milk, or any milk
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons 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.
Equipment
- large skillet
Lauren says
Great, easy recipe! Loved adding the panko at the end. Thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 The panko does it for me when it comes to tuna casserole. Thanks for the feedback
Dan Edmonds says
This sounds wonderful a must try since I love tuna. I'm wondering if since I'm a lover of Salmon, if canned Salmon would work as well with this whole recipe.
The Kitchen Girl says
Absolutely! I love canned salmon too and I often use them interchangeably in this dish. Hope you love it like we do 🙂