Tuna Noodle Casserole — My Kids Ask for This Every Week
Is It Fancy? No. Do My Kids Ask for It Every Week? Absolutely.
Tuna noodle casserole doesn’t get the respect it deserves, and I am here to change that. This is the ultimate from-the-pantry, feed-your-family-on-a-budget dinner that my kids genuinely love and ask for by name. Growing up, my dad didn’t like tuna, so this was our special treat meal whenever he was out of town — me and my brother curled up in the wood-paneled living room watching Star Wars on HBO. Pure nostalgia. Now I make it for my seven people and it disappears every single time.
🥘 This one’s in my collection of casseroles for a crowd — the ones I actually make when I’m feeding a houseful, gathered in one place.
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Watch me make this tuna noodle casserole from start to finish — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.
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• My casserole workhorse. I mix everything right in this pan — drained noodles, the soup, mayo, tuna, all of it — then bake and serve from the same dish. One pan to wash.
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• Foil on for the first 20 minutes keeps everything moist while it heats through. Foil off for the last 10 lets the cracker topping go golden brown.
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• What I boil my elbow noodles in. Big enough for a full pound of pasta without crowding, and the wide opening makes draining easy.
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Tuna Noodle Casserole
Start CookingIngredients
- 1 box (16 oz) elbow noodles cooked and drained
- 3 cans (5 oz) canned chunk light tuna drained
- 2 cans (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup condensed
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed
Don’t Want to Plan? I Got You.Every Saturday I share a full week of dinners, sides, and a dessert — with the grocery list already done. Come grab this week’s Weekly Meal Plans!Method Start Cooking
- Cook elbow noodles according to package directions. Drain and pour into a 9×13 pan.
- Add drained tuna, cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
- Mix everything together well and spread evenly in the pan.
- Top with crushed Ritz crackers.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 15–20 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Four Weeks of Family-Friendly FoodWhen people gather, I cook. Four weeks of the dinners my crowd asks for — planned, tested, and shopped for. Come see what’s in the cookbook →Why This Tuna Noodle Casserole Works
I have been making this tuna noodle casserole since my kids were little and it has never once come home with leftovers. The combination of elbow noodles , tuna, cream of chicken soup, and Hellmann's mayo sounds humble — and it is — but that is exactly the point. This is a weeknight dinner that comes together entirely from your pantry, costs very little to make, and gets the whole family to the table without complaint.
The cracker topping is non-negotiable in my house. Crushed Ritz crackers on top go golden and buttery in the oven and give you that beautiful contrast of crunchy topping over warm, creamy noodles underneath. It looks simple on a plate but every single person who tries it goes back for seconds. If you want a little food history rabbit hole on how this dish became an American classic, Tasting Table has a great piece on why tuna noodle casserole became the quintessential 50s comfort food — it is a fun read.
A Few Things That Make Tuna Noodle Casserole Even Easier
- Drain the tuna REALLY well. Press it against the lid of the can and squeeze out every drop of water. Watery tuna makes watery casserole, and nobody wants that. I dump it into a fine-mesh strainer and press down with a fork before adding it to the bowl.
- Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes. The noodles keep cooking in the oven. If you boil them to package time, they’ll come out mushy. Pull them when they still have a little bite — package time minus 2 minutes — and they’ll finish to perfect tenderness in the casserole.
- Crush the crackers in the bag. No food processor needed. Leave the RITZ in the sleeve, give it a few squeezes with your hands, then snip the corner and shake them onto the casserole. Less cleanup, same crunchy topping. The kids love being the cracker-crushers.
- Mix everything in the pan you’ll bake in. Drained noodles go straight into my Pyrex 9x13 , then the soup, mayo, tuna, and seasoning all go on top. Stir it all together right there. One pan to wash instead of a mixing bowl plus the casserole dish.
- Bake covered first, uncovered last. Foil on for 20 minutes, foil off for the final 10. The cover keeps everything moist while it heats through, then removing it lets the cracker topping go beautifully golden. Same trick I use for stuffed shells and lasagna.
Tuna Noodle Casserole FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
What temperature and how long do I bake tuna noodle casserole?
Bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes total — 20 minutes loosely covered with foil, then uncover and bake another 10 minutes until the cracker topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. The casserole is already cooked through (everything in it is cooked before assembly), so you’re really just heating it through and crisping up the top. If you’ve got a chilled casserole going in straight from the fridge, add 10 minutes to the covered baking time.
Can I substitute the cream of chicken soup in this tuna noodle casserole?
You can. Some families use cream of mushroom or make a homemade white sauce instead. I have tried both and always come back to Campbell's cream of chicken — it is what my mom used and what my kids grew up on. But there is no wrong answer here. A from-scratch béchamel will give you a more refined casserole if that’s what you’re after; just use about 1.5 cups of finished sauce to replace each can of soup.
Can I add vegetables to tuna noodle casserole?
Absolutely — some people love adding frozen peas, diced carrots, or celery right into the mix before baking. My kids prefer them on the side, so I serve peas and carrots separately and let everyone do their own thing. You do what works for your family. If you do add veggies, frozen peas can go in straight from the bag; carrots and celery should be sautéed first so they’re tender by the end of baking.
Can I make tuna noodle casserole ahead of time?
Yes — assemble the whole casserole (minus the cracker topping), cover it tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add the crackers right before baking so they stay crisp, and add 10 minutes to the covered baking time since you’re starting cold. You can also freeze it unbaked — wrap in foil plus plastic and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
What do you serve with tuna noodle casserole?
We almost always do a simple vegetable on the side — peas and carrots, green beans, or whatever you have. A piece of buttered bread or a roll is never wrong either. It is a complete, filling dinner that stretches easily if you need to feed a few extra people. A simple green salad with a vinegar dressing also works beautifully if you want something bright against the creamy casserole.
How long do leftover tuna noodle casserole keep?
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of milk stirred in to bring back the creaminess, or pop the whole casserole back in a 350°F oven covered with foil for about 15 minutes. The cracker topping won’t be quite as crispy on day two, but the flavor is even better.
Can I make tuna noodle casserole for a crowd?
Easily. The recipe as written feeds 6 to 8 people in a 9×13. To feed 12 to 15, double the recipe and bake in two 9×13 pans (or one large roaster) — same time and temp. This is a great potluck or take-to-a-friend dinner because it travels well, holds heat in a covered pan, and reheats beautifully.
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More Easy Casserole Recipes You’ll Love
- Poppy Seed Chicken — creamy, buttery, and absolutely addictive, with a cracker topping too — it’s always the first dish to disappear at a potluck.
- One Pan Taco Casserole — everything you love about taco night in one easy baked dish, my family goes crazy for this one.
- Quick and Easy Tater Tot Casserole — cheesy, crispy, and a crowd favorite, ready in under an hour and the kids ask for it constantly.
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Tuna Noodle Casserole — About Stephanie’s Recipes
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. This tuna noodle casserole is the from-the-pantry weeknight dinner that has been getting her kids to the table for years. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.