This Sour Cream and Onion Tuna Noodle Casserole includes some fun, delicious flavor twists on an old school dish, but it’s still got the same tender egg noodles, chunks of tuna, sweet peas, and creamy sauce you love. It’s an easy, nostalgic dinner that’s so much better than you remember!
Tuna Noodle Casserole, aka tuna noodle hotdish here in the Midwest, is a classic recipe found in most every church and community cookbook. And you’ll likely see at least a few versions, as every cook has their own twist. Well I’m here to share the BEST version yet. My recipe sways from tradition just enough to still deliver all the things you love about this retro dish, but with much more flavor — and without canned cream soup. I created my Tater Tot Hotdish in the same fashion, and people come back here again and again for the recipe. I just know this tuna casserole is going to be on that same repeat list!
Why This Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe Stands OUt From The Rest
I must confess. I’ve always found the traditional tuna noodle casserole to be a bit bland. Ok, a LOT bland! So I set out to make improvements. Here’s why my recipe is a standout!
What You Can Expect:
- Comfort food made from scratch. I love that I have a trustworthy method for replacing the canned soup. While making the sauce from scratch adds a little bit more work, nothing about it is difficult. And the end result is absolutely worth it, offering much better texture and flavor.
- Big flavor. I jazzed-up my creamy homemade sauce with sour cream, Dijon, Parmesan, and plenty of fresh garlic, which makes every bite scrumptious.
- A fun, crispy topping. Growing up, sour cream & onion flavored potato chips were my absolute favorite. I took a playful approach; I grabbed a handful of chips and lightly crushed them, then sprinkled them over the top of the casserole. They add crunch and flavor and so much personality!
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what goes into this tuna noodle casserole. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
- Flour – All-purpose flour thickens the sauce.
- Salt & pepper – I use Morton kosher salt in my cooking.
- Egg noodles – Short, wide wavy egg noodles hold onto the sauce beautifully. (I stuck with tradition with this one!)
- Butter – Let this come to room temperature so it melts more quickly.
- Mushrooms – Traditionally, most recipes call for cream of mushroom soup. And since I love mushrooms, I just had to add some fresh ones in my recipe. I use button mushrooms, but you could use cremini for a more assertive mushroom flavor.
- Onion and garlic – Each time I tested this recipe, I added a couple more cloves of garlic. It really does prop up the overall flavor of the sauce.
- Milk – Whole milk keeps the sauce rich and creamy, without weighing it down.
- Sour cream – I use full-fat sour cream, for the richest flavor and texture.
- Parmesan – Use freshly grated Parmesan for a super-smooth melt.
- Dijon mustard – This adds earthy depth of flavor.
- Peas – Frozen peas add sweet little bursts of color and flavor. (I do not recommend using canned peas, as they have a mushy texture and very dull color.)
- Green onion – This adds freshness to the creamy, savory flavors. They are included in the casserole and also added for garnish.
- Tuna – Use good-quality canned albacore tuna, packed in water. Drain it very well to keep the sauce thick and creamy. I tested several brands of tuna, and they differ a LOT; some are downright mush, so sad. I settled on this one from Good & Gather, with very firm, steak-like tuna.
- Sour cream & onion chips – I use Ruffles® brand for a crunchier texture. Kettle chips would also work great. (Just stay away from thin potato chips.)
How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
Here’s a step-by-step look at how this sour cream and onion tuna noodle casserole comes together.
- Prepare. Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Measure and prepare the remaining ingredients so everything is ready to go. Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the noodles. Boil the egg noodles in salted water until just al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the noodle cooking liquid.
- Start the creamy mushroom sauce. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pan over medium-low to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion, and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the flour and milk. Sprinkle the flour mixture into the pan and stir for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the flavor boosters. Add the sour cream, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, peas, and green onion. Cook for 1 minute, just until combined.
- Combine with noodles and tuna. Fold in the cooked noodles. If needed, stir in the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until the mixture is creamy and lightly saucy, but not soupy. Gently fold in the tuna.
- Top and bake. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle crushed potato chips over the top. Tent with foil and bake for 35 minutes, until hot throughout. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the chips are lightly golden.
- Serve. Sprinkle with additional chopped green onion and serve.
Brenda’s Tips + Variations for the Best Tuna Noodle Casserole
These pointers will help you make the perfect casserole!
- Keep the noodles slightly underdone. They’ll continue to cook in the oven — so if they’re overcooked to start with, they’ll likely be quite mushy by the time you take the casserole out of the oven.
- Be sure to reserve the pasta water. It helps loosen the sauce without thinning the flavor, and the starches from the noodles help the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Meal prep it. Tuna noodle casserole is awesome for meal prep and it’ll keep in the fridge for a day or two before baking. Put everything together in the casserole dish, but…
- Add the chips just before baking. If you’re getting a head start and assembling the casserole ahead of time, don’t add the chips until you’re about to pop the dish in the oven.
- Make it your own. Fold some shredded cheddar into the casserole and/or sprinkle some over the top before adding the crushed potato chips. This will give you a cheesy tuna noodle casserole. Or swap the potato chips for crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz) or breadcrumbs – or omit a crunchy topping entirely. Fold in some fresh broccoli; first cut florets into small bites. Swap out the peas and add green beans instead.
What to Serve With Tuna Noodle Casserole
The beauty of this sour cream and onion tuna noodle casserole is that it’s a filling meal on its own. But if you’d like to offer a bit more on the table, I’d recommend a crisp green salad with my Lemon Vinaigrette or Apple Cider Vinaigrette. A fresh Cucumber Salad or some Pickled Carrots would also be a tasty contrast. And buttery Rhodes Rolls are great for swiping up the creamy sauce!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze tightly wrapped tuna noodle casserole for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To Reheat: Warm covered in a 350ºF oven until heated through, or in a microwave in 30-second increments. If needed, add a splash of milk to loosen it up and make it saucy.
More Cozy Casserole Recipes
Sour Cream and Onion Tuna Noodle Casserole
Yield: 10 servings
This casserole is creamy and comforting, with some fun, delicious flavor twists. It’s an easy, nostalgic dinner that's so much better than you remember!
Print
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt (plus 2 teaspoons for cooking the noodles)
- 1½ teaspoons black pepper
- 12 ounces short wide egg noodles
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 16 ounces chopped button mushrooms
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- 6 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 generous tablespoons – do not skimp on the garlic!)
- 2½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup chopped green onion, plus a bit more for garnish
- 15 ounces canned albacore tuna in water, drained very well and broken into ½" chunks
- 1 cup coarsely crushed (about ½" pieces) Ruffles® Sour Cream & Onion flavored potato chips
Instructions
- Prep: Have all ingredients ready to go before you start. This prep helps the process go very smoothly, for the best tuna noodle casserole and overall cooking experience. First, combine flour, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and black pepper in a small bowl; set seasoned flour aside. Then prep and measure out all remaining ingredients, and set them aside, so you can easily incorporate each one as you progress through the recipe.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Cook noodles: In a large pot of boiling water, with the additional 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, cook noodles until just al dente. Take care to not overcook. Drain noodles, reserving 1/2 cup of noodle cooking liquid.
- Make creamy mushroom sauce: While noodles are cooking, heat a large heavy saucepan with tall sides over medium/medium-low heat. Add butter. Once butter has melted, stir in mushrooms and onion, and stir occasionally until they have softened. They will "sweat out" liquid and the mushrooms will shrink substantially. This should take 5-7 minutes. Then stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle prepared seasoned flour over the top of the mushroom mixture and stir lightly for 1 minute.
- Slowly stir in milk and then bring mixture to a light simmer, adjusting heat as needed. Stir occasionally until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, peas, and green onion. Cook for 1 minute.
- Finish: Add cooked noodles and fold gently to evenly incorporate. If needed, add reserved noodle cooking liquid a bit at a time until mixture is creamy and moistened to your liking. The mixture should be "lightly saucy", and not "soupy". It should not be dry at all, as the noodles will soak up some of the liquid in the oven.
- Fold in tuna, taking care to leave chunks intact as much as possible. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed potato chips.
- Bake: Tent baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until hot throughout. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until absolutely hot and potato chips have browned a bit. If needed, tent dish with foil again to prevent potato chips from browning too much.
- Serve: Sprinkle with a bit more fresh chopped green onion, and serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 432kcal Carbohydrates: 41g Protein: 22g Fat: 21g Saturated Fat: 10g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0.4g Cholesterol: 89mg Sodium: 803mg Potassium: 639mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 662IU Vitamin C: 12mg Calcium: 171mg Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
This post was first published in 2016, then updated in 2026.
The flavors sound amazing in this delicious noodle casserole recipe!
We were a Hot Dish house growing up and I loved every time we had it. Such total comfort food. That’s what casseroles are all about… comfort (and serving large groups of people). Beautifully done, Brenda!
the update on this classic is one I can get behind!
So many memories of Tuna Casserole! This looks great!
My mom made tuna noodle casserole every monday when I was growing! This brings back a lot of memories! Can’t wait to make!
It’s like my favorite sour cream and onion chips…but in dinner form! I LOVE this!! Pinned!
The classics are the best, this looks fantastic Brenda!!
Total comfort food!
Going to check the recipe on Ree’s blog now! I’m a wee bit obsessed with all things Sour Cream and Onion, so this is my kind of comfort food!
Yum – thank you and have a Wonderful Monday.