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Does anyone else remember the days of tuna noodle casserole being served for dinner? It was that famous blue box, a can of peas and a can of tuna. I don’t know about you, but these days, my tastes are a bit more complicated. Aside from that, when I found out that I am sensitive to the chemicals that we use everyday, I had to get rid of that beloved blue box and instead needed to stop buying as much as we could and making things homemade instead.That’s perfectly okay though because gone are the days of boxed mac and cheese and tuna and in it’s place? This amazing grown up tuna noodle casserole is recipe! I love that it’s so versatile in that I can use tuna, chicken or turkey! It has become one of our favorite casserole recipes hands down!
As I said, if you don’t like the taste of tuna, you can totally make this with chicken or turkey. I like to swap this yummy tuna casserole recipe with my chicken cordon bleu casserole recipe (that I use turkey for most of the time) on my menu plan quite a bit. They’re both amazing! I hate casserole recipes that I can’t change up and honestly; tuna is not one of my favorite foods so I love that this casserole recipe tastes just as great with chicken or turkey! It’s filled with yummy Colby cheese, tasty french fried onions and Bella mushrooms to really dress up the flavor and oh boy does it! If you’re using chicken, I highly recommend that you check out Zaycon Foods right HERE. They have amazing deals on farm fresh chicken that can help you find ways to save money on meat each year! We’ve saved thousands since we started using them in 2012!
Grown Up Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
This casserole recipe is freezer friendly too! If you’re planning on freezing it, use a 8 x 8 foil baking pan with lid like THESE and cook it as directed without adding the french fried onions to the top. They won’t hold up too well in the freezer. To cook, thaw your tuna noodle casserole before you bake it. Add the french fried onions when you bake. Whether you freeze it or not, this tuna casserole recipe really does come together for a cheap family meal very quickly!
Ingredients Needed for Tuna Noodle Casserole
- 1-2 cans drained tuna in water or 3 cups shredded chicken or turkey breast
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large diced white onions
- 3-4 mini Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- (1) 10.5 oz can mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup milk
- 8 oz pasta of your choice
- 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
- 1 cup french fried onions
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 375° F then slice the mushrooms and dice the onions. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. I really like to use an olive oil cooking spray over a canola or vegetable spray but it’s pure personal preference which you use.
Start the pasta water cooking then heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onions and mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent. After the onions are done, add your pasta to the water and cook until al dente (7 minutes or so). Drain the pasta in a colander once it is done and set aside for now.
Add the mushroom soup, cream cheese, sour cream, milk and garlic powder to the frying pan and heat until it’s hot. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes once it’s all warmed up. I’ve actually been known to skip the salt and pepper since I believe those are personal tastes, but if you’re using it, make sure to taste the sauce mixture after each addition to be sure you don’t go overboard.
Once your sauce is well mixed, add the drained pasta to the frying pan and mix it well with the sauce. Be sure that you get a good coating on the pasta.
Once you’ve mixed the pasta well, add the tuna – make sure it is well drained- or cooked chicken to your pan and mix it all up again. Pour the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish.
Add the shredded cheese on top. If you want more cheese, go for it. There’s no such thing as too much cheese! If you’re making this as a freezer meal, stop now and follow the baking instructions.
If you’re making this amazing tuna noodle casserole recipe for tonight’s dinner, sprinkle the french fried onions on top the bake at 375 degrees°F for 10 minutes or just until the onions are golden brown.
Delicious!
Grown Up Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 cans tuna drained or 3 cups shredded chicken or turkey breast
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large white onion diced
- 3-4 mini Bella mushrooms sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 10.5 oz can mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup milk
- 8 oz any pasta your preference
- 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
- 1 cup french fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees then slice the mushrooms and dice the onions. Lightly grease your baking dish with cooking spray.
- Start your pasta water cooking. While the water is heating, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onions and mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent. After the onions are done, add your pasta to the water and cook until al dente (7 minutes or so).
- Add the mushroom soup, cream cheese, sour cream, milk and garlic powder to the frying pan and heat until it’s hot. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes once it’s all warmed up.
- Drain the pasta well and add to the pan and stir to mix. Make sure your pasta gets covered well.
- Once you’ve mixed the pasta well, add the tuna (make sure it is well drained) or cooked chicken to your pan and mix it all up again. Pour the mixture into your baking dish.
- Add the shredded cheese on top. If you want more cheese, go for it.
- If you’re making this amazing casserole recipe for tonight’s dinner, sprinkle the french fried onions on top the bake at 375 degrees fareinheit for 10 minutes or just until the onions are golden brown.
Originally Posted April 1, 2016. Updated 6/2019.
-Stacy, WOW!! This recipe is fantasist I made it 8-18-2016 and is the BEST I will never use another recipe!!! I think you are ONE Strong Women!! Wow I’m so proud of you. You had a very hard battle of Demons to Battle and you BEAT the Battle!!! So glad to see your on a wonderful journey for you and your daughter. I enjoy You THANKS!!!
This is the best tuna noodle casserole dish I have ever had. It’s going into the recipe files for sure! Thanks for sharing.
just finished eating this. so good!
This was DELICIOUS!! Comfort food at it’s best! I didn’t have any mushrooms, cream of anything soup, or french fried onions. Made my own cream soup, added minced garlic to the onions, and skipped the french fried onions. It was still incredible, thank you so much 🙂
My store didn’t have 8×8 pans…so am doing one in a 13×9. What djustments should I be making for baking from frozen?
I would thaw normally then cut the baking time in half. The layer of food will be much thinner so it will heat much quicker. Just be sure to watch that it doesn’t burn.
Oh and how long do you bake for if frozen? Or does it need to be thawed? I only see the instructions for baking now but mine will go in the freezer.
If you’re baking from frozen in a 9×13, I would say 30 minute or so at 350. I usually thaw mine though so I’m not too certain on that.
Great recipe! Stacy – I am doing a blog right now about my favorite freezer recipes and want to put this on my list. Do I need special permissions to do so or just make sure I link your website?
Just give proper credit where credit is due and you’re fine for me. 🙂 (Other bloggers might feel different though so it’s always best to ask. Thank you for doing so.)
Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it 🙂 but I had to change a couple of things. One, 8 oz of pasta wasn’t enough. Too much sauce and tuna. So I used a 16 oz box. I also added more mushrooms because three-point just wasn’t enough. It still had way too much sauce, don’t get me wrong it was great, but it needed more to even out. So in my opinion, I would add 16oz. of pasta and more mushrooms. I ended up using about 12 and I think next time I’ll throw some peas in there. But it was GOOD! Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely be making it at least twice a month.
Made this casserole today for my card group it was fantastic. I was afraid that there wasn’t going to be enough pasta but my husband said for once follow the directions . I did and it was just right . I didnt understand what you were talking about with the mushroons so I just bought a small can of pieces and stems I cooked them with the onions worked fine . Thank you for this wonderful receipe.
Great Recipe. My husband says that this his all time favorite! I choose not to use the French onions. Instead we crushed potato chips on each individual serving. So yummy!
I’m thrilled he loved it! Great idea for the chips! I’ll have to try that next time we make it!
I like the idea of using chips as well and will definitely try that next time too.
DELICIOUS. I added peas, and didnt use french onions
oooh YAAAAAS! I can FINALLY say
“Winner winner tuna casserole for dinner”! Never did like it with all them peas and or green beans. BUT this right here, this right here shed smiles for miles!! Thank you for sharing #ashwednesday #favorite
Absolutely my favorite recipe and I’ve tried quite a few. Thanks for sharing!!!
I’m so glad you liked it Ria!
Holy smokes BEST tuna casserole recipe ever!! We didn’t have French onions so I used crushed up Club crackers and it was divine. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out amazing. This may be on my weekly menu until the fam tells me to stop…LOL. The only thing I would do next time is add more noodles. I used egg noodles and I think because they’re flat they didn’t seem to fill the recipe as much as I think your spiral noodles did….all in all amazing. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!
this is a delicious recipe and I make it regularly for myself and husband
I’m thrilled you love it Kathy! Thanks for stopping by!
This was really delicious! I used two cans of tuna, no onion or mushrooms, added peas, and panko breadcrumbs in place of french fried onions. Yummy easy dinner, we loved it!
This recipe was a great success! We made a few substitutes with what we had on hand (cheddar cheese instead of colby jack and breadcrumbs instead of fries onions) and it turned out great. I loved the baby bella mushrooms addition to the sauce. We also made roasted broccoli on the side which paired nicely. Super simple, quick, and flavorful! We’ll definitely make this again and again!
From what you have been through….and what you have done to overcome your past, you should be soooo proud of yourself and I hope that you are. I have not made this recipe as yet but definitely giving you 5 stars for just being YOU!!!
AMAZING!!!! I’m always trying to find recipes I can modify to be Gluten Free. This was over the top amazing. I love love loved this. No one (other than me) in my family likes tuna, so I’m going to try it again with chicken. Super YUM!!!!!