Freezer-Friendly Tuna Noodle Casserole

This Freezer-Friendly Tuna Noodle Casserole is a comfort food favorite around here! My version is made from scratch with mushrooms, egg noodles and potato chips on top. Freezing and make-ahead instructions included!

Tuna noodle casserole is certainly a classic comfort food for me. I love mushrooms, cheesy crispy tops, and creamy casseroles. What’s not to love here??

If you follow any of my cooking, you probly know I don’t stock my kitchen with ‘cream of’ soups. I prefer to make that part from scratch. That way, I can control what goes in, and how much of it. *control freak*

In this recipe, that means I’ve swapped out the classic cream of mushroom soup and basically made my own with mushrooms, flour, butter, spices, almond milk, and chicken broth.

If this is something you like to do in your cooking too, I think we’ll get along great 😎 If you’re trying to reduce your dairy intake but you also could never give up cheese, we’ll get along even better!

Where does tuna noodle casserole originate?

Tuna noodle casserole is something I remember eating as a kid, but I was pleasantly shocked to find out it’s origins are actually from the pacific northwest!

According to “A Brief History of Tuna Casserole” by Heather Arndt Anderson, the first tuna noodle casserole appeared in a magazine here in Washington state in 1930. I had no idea!

The classic recipe does use cream of mushroom soup, which is the biggest difference from my version, where I make the white mushroom sauce from scratch. Plus, I’ve tested mine for freezability!

What are the ingredients in this freezer-friendly tuna noodle casserole?

With the main difference of making a cream sauce from scratch versus using canned cream of mushroom soup, this recipe is very similar to a classic tuna noodle casserole!

If you’ve never made the sauce from scratch, don’t be intimidated! It just takes a lot of stirring 🙂

Most of these ingredients are pantry or freezer staples! Here’s what I used in this recipe with a little explanation for each:

• egg noodles – Egg noodles are my favorite for tuna casserole. You can use any size egg noodles, but be aware the cook time can change with different size noodles.
• butter – This is the fat used to sauté the mushrooms, and makes up the base of the roux for the sauce.
• white mushrooms – I just grabbed a pack of basic white mushrooms already sliced from the grocery store.
• fine sea salt – We season at two different points in this recipe – first, halfway through cooking the mushrooms. Second, into the sauce with the rest of the seasonings.
• all-purpose flour – AP flour is the other base of our roux.
• chicken broth – I use low-sodium chicken broth. It adds some good flavor instead of just using water.
• milk – Feel free to use your choice of milk here. I use unsweetened plain almond milk which works great. Dairy milk will also work.
• garlic & onion powder – To save time and pan space, I used powders here instead of fresh.
• fresh ground black pepper – A must for me! I love the flavor it adds – a *tiny* bit of spice that goes well with everything in the dish.
• wild-caught solid albacore tuna in water – This is my preference when I buy tuna. I get this kind in bulk at Costco to save money.
• frozen peas – Just like the classic version, can’t forget the pop of green peas!
• mayonnaise – Hear me out. I know it sounds weird, but this is how I add a giant dollop of creaminess to my sauce without going full on heavy cream status. Just like you’d add mayo to a pasta salad or potato salad to make it saucy and creamy, I’m doing that here!
• shredded cheddar cheese – But I could never give up cheese.
• potato chips – Another ode to the classic version. I tested without the potato chips on top and it just wasn’t the same!

How do you make this Freezer-Friendly Tuna Noodle Casserole?

As mentioned above, my version of tuna noodle casserole involves making a mushroom cream sauce from scratch instead of using a canned cream of mushroom soup.

There are four main steps to making this recipe: cooking the noodles, sautéing the mushrooms, making the sauce, and finally, combining it all together to bake with the topping.

For this and all recipes, I highly recommend you measure out and prepare all ingredients ahead of time. Things can go fast when sautéing and making a sauce on the stovetop!

Start by preheating the oven to 375F and boiling the water for the noodles. Don’t forget to lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. I use just a small amount of avocado oil spray to do this.

When cooking your egg noodles, it’s important to cook them only to ‘al dente’, or the minimum cook time. That way, they’re still slightly firm and won’t get mushy during additional cooking steps. When the noodles are done, drain them and set aside.

Next, it’s time to cook the mushrooms. Start by melting butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add all the mushrooms to the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt once the mushroom have been cooking for about 4 minutes.

Adding salt to the sautéing mushrooms after sautéing about halfway gives them a chance to brown before the salt is added, but also gives the mushrooms a chance to let some moisture out after the salt is added, which we want for the sauce.

When the mushrooms are a bit browned and have also released a bit of moisture, it’s time to make the sauce right in the same pan.

Add in all of the flour to the mushroom pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir it up until the mushrooms are coated with flour. Let the flour cook for about 1 minute, then add the chicken broth, followed by the milk, in about 1/2 cup portions at a time. Between each liquid addition, stir and let the sauce come to quick simmer, then add more liquid.

After adding all the liquid, let it simmer and cook for about 3 minutes, then turn the heat off. The sauce should appear creamy and slightly thickened. Next, add in all the seasonings, tuna, and peas. Stir well to combine everything. At this point, the temperature of the sauce has lowered slightly, and we can add the mayonnaise without any fears of clumping.

Add the mayo and half of the cheese, and stir continuously until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy, like the pictures below!

Time to combine everything in the casserole dish and cover with toppings! Take the cooked noodles, loosen them up and add them to the casserole dish. Pour all of the sauce over the top, then gently mix together right in the casserole dish.

Use the spoon the flatten, and then add your toppings. Start with the rest of the cheese, sprinkling across the top. Then, add crushed chips in an even layer (or use your hands to crush as you add them!).

And she’s ready for the oven! Leave it uncovered and put it in the preheated oven for around 23-25 minutes, until the chips and cheese are golden brown. Let it cool for a couple minutes, then serve!

Testing notes for this recipe:

Here are some things I noticed while testing this recipe:

• When sautéing the mushrooms for this recipe, it’s important to add salt about halfway through. We want to give the mushrooms a chance to brown, but we also want them to release some moisture for the mushroom cream sauce. So we’re basically 75% sautéing them and 25% steaming them. Since they are going into a casserole, this works great!
• You can use different sizes of egg noodles (I’ve seen medium, wide, and extra wide), but be aware they may have different cook times. You want to cook the pasta to the minimum cook time, or ‘al dente’.
• You can also top with Ritz crackers or other chips, but potato chips are the classic way to do it 🙂
• Mixing the peas and tuna into the sauce first helps lower the temperature slightly so there’s no risk of clumping when adding in the mayo.

How do you meal prep this Freezer-Friendly Tuna Noodle Casserole?

There are a couple ways to save time by preparing all or part of this recipe ahead of time. Here are some options:

1. Complete prep: This recipe tastes great as leftovers directly from the fridge. Prepare recipe from start to finish. Then, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 4 days.
2. Partially prep & cook later: Prep your sauce and cook your noodles up to 24 hours ahead of time. When it’s time to eat, preheat the oven. Mix the sauce and noodles together in a 9×13 casserole dish and add toppings. Bake as directed in the recipe.
3. Partially prep & freeze: Make recipe as written through step 3, then mix sauce and pasta together in the pasta cooking pan. Spoon into 2-cup Souper Cups Trays or other freezer friendly airtight container. Do not put the cheese or chips on top. Freeze for up to 3-6 months for best quality. Cook from frozen instructions below.

What should you serve with this Freezer Friendly Tuna Noodle Casserole?

When making this for dinner, I usually will eat it on it’s own. But it would also be good with a side salad or some hearty bread for dipping!

Alternative customization ideas for this recipe:

Here are some suggestions if you’d like to modify this recipe for your own tastes:

• Add some red chili pepper flakes for a little heat
• Swap the tuna with canned chicken
• Swap the frozen peas for another frozen veggie – corn, chopped peppers, green beans.
• Swap the basic cheddar cheese with something fancier

How to store cooked tuna noodle casserole:

Store cooked tuna noodle casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to freeze tuna noodle casserole:

To freeze portions, make recipe as written through step 3, then mix sauce and pasta together in the pasta cooking pan. Spoon the saucy noodle mixture into 2-cup Souper Cups Trays or other freezer friendly airtight container (you can also freeze half and cook half!). Do not put the cheese or chips on top any portions going into the freezer. Freeze for up to 3-6 months for best quality.

How to reheat tuna noodle casserole:

To reheat from the fridge, microwave for 2 minutes, checking and stirring after 90 seconds.

Alternatively, place in an oven safe container and into a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 350F and set a timer for 25 minutes. Check temperature and add more time if needed.

This recipe also reheats well in a HotLogic Portable Oven – link to my review.

To cook from frozen, preheat oven to 375F. Place frozen cube of tuna noodle casserole into a baking dish and cover with foil. Cook for about 35 minutes, or until mostly thawed. Remove from the oven, uncover and stir. Sprinkle cheese and crushed chips on top. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10-20 minutes until sides are bubbly and the top is golden brown.