Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe (Kids LOVE This!)

There is a good reason tuna noodle casserole is as maligned as it is. Tuna noodle casseroles as recently as the 1970s were simply a can of tuna fish and some cream of mushroom soup that were dumped into a casserole dish full of undercooked egg noodles, and baked until everything is dry. So, yeah. No, thank you. However, this recipe is different. We will be using a box of mac and cheese. Yes, it is a shortcut, but it is the reason we can guarantee the kids will eat it and the adults will more than likely go back for seconds. This dish can be made in under an hour, is great for meal prep and will reheat great, and is made from ingredients you most likely have on hand.

I’ve been doing this for years. It’s one of those dinners that comes up when I need something simple. You mix everything up, top it, slide it in the oven, and walk away. By the end of it, the kitchen still looks ok, and everyone is fed. That’s the whole pitch.

What Makes This Dinner Work

• Mac and cheese base: Using prepared boxed mac and cheese instead of plain egg noodles means built-in creaminess and flavor — no separate sauce to make.
• Cream of celery soup: Adds body and a subtle savory note that plays well with tuna. Cream of mushroom works too, but celery keeps it lighter.
• Potato chip topping: Gives you a crunchy, salty crust without any effort. Breadcrumbs are fine, but chips are better — and using the crumbs from the bottom of a nearly-empty bag is genuinely the move.
• Gentle tuna folding: Adding the tuna last and barely stirring keeps it in chunks instead of turning it into paste. Texture matters here.
• One dish: Everything goes into one casserole dish. That’s it. No separate sauce pan, no straining, no fuss.

What to Know Before You Start

Although this is an easy recipe, here are a few tips that can turn this dish from good to great:

Mac and cheese comes out spoon ready! Don’t try to shortcut this step. Cook your cheese sauce as directed and fully cook your noodles! The cheese sauce and noodles will heat in the oven, but not cook. You’ll need to bake the casserole still for 30 minutes at 350°F to heat everything to steaming, but you won’t cook uncooked pasta. Noodles that went in underdone will come out underdone.

Choose a large enough dish so you’re able to mix everything without hassle or mess. A 2.5 to 3-quart casserole dish should be suitable for your needs here. If your dish is too small, you’ll be fighting it the whole time.

Avoid mixing too much once the tuna is added. Before adding tuna, ensure that the macaroni, soup, and milk are thoroughly combined. After you add tuna, do a gentle fold in two or three times, just to spread it out. If you do this too much, the tuna will break apart and the overall texture will be less appealing.

Add the chips just before cooking it in the oven. If you put chips on top and let it sit, they will steam and become soggy. Add the toppings and bake it right away.

Timing Recommendation: If the cheese on top is golden brown and set after 30 minutes and the casserole is bubbling around the edges, it is finished. If you are baking the casserole from cold (i.e., straight from the fridge), increase the time by an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Ingredients

What You’ll Need

• 1 box Macaroni & Cheese (prepared as directed on the box)
• 1 can Cream of Celery Soup (10.5 oz, undiluted)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 pouches or 2 cans tuna (drained well)
• 1 cup crushed potato chips
• Optional: frozen peas, diced celery, or other vegetables

A Few Notes on Ingredients

Regarding boxed mac and cheese, any brand will do. The recipe is built around the 7.25-oz standard size. Using the white cheddar version will change the flavor profile, but it will still be good. Even more extra creamy, Velveeta Shells and Cheese is also an option.

Cream of celery vs cream of mushroom: I tend to like cream of celery better here — it’s lighter and doesn’t overpower the tuna. Cream of mushroom is the more classic casserole choice and is a perfectly good replacement. Cream of chicken works as well if that is what you have in your pantry.

Pouches vs. cans: Either works. Pouch tuna texture is usually better because there’s no water/ brine to soak it. It also stays in bigger pieces. If you’re using tuna cans for your casserole, make sure to drain it well (like, really well), and even press out some of the liquid. It’s pretty miserable when waterlogged tuna makes your casserole soupy.

Traditional potato chips are a given. For example, Ruffles® chips are ridged, and therefore, heat them a little better. Kettle-cooked chips provide more crunch and sustain their crunch longer after cooking. When cooking chips, crush them into small pieces, not powder. Slip from the bottom of the bag? You’re good!

Vegetables: You are welcome to add some, but they are not required. For example, some frozen peas mixed in with the tuna would add some nice color and a touch of sweetness. Mixed with the tuna, diced celery would add some nice crunch. None of these require cooking beforehand, as they will cook through during the baking process.

How to Make Tuna Noodle Casserole

Step 1: Prepare the mac and cheese

Prepare the macaroni and cheese as instructed on the box. Be sure to prepare the entire cheese sauce, and do not skip this step. In your 2.5 to 3-quart baking dish, set aside.

Step 2: Preheat the oven

Please ensure the oven is preheated to 350°F. Don’t rush this step; the oven should be fully preheated prior to placing the casserole inside.

Step 3: Add soup and milk

Add the can of cream of celery soup (don’t add water; use it undiluted) and 1 cup of milk straight to the mac and cheese in the baking dish. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined. At this point, the mixture will look a bit loose and that is perfectly okay. It will thicken while baking.

Step 4: Fold in the tuna

Place the drained tuna on top of the macaroni mix. Gently fold it in with a spoon or spatula. Two or three passes will do it. You want tuna pieces to be spread throughout but still be intact. If you’re adding veggies (peas, celery), add them now too.

Step 5: Top with chips

Crush a cup of potato chips and spread them out on the casserole. Do not press the chips into the casserole so they remain on top to toast and get crunchy not steam and get soft.

Step 6: Bake

Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You should see bubbling around the edges and the topping should have a golden color. Before serving, let it sit for a couple minutes. As it cools, it will set up more and be easier to scoop.

Helpful Tips

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using undrained tuna: This is the biggest one. Excess liquid from the tuna makes the casserole watery and the texture gets unpleasant. Drain it well, then press it with a paper towel if you’re using canned.
• Overstirring the tuna: It breaks down into tiny flakes and you lose all texture. Fold gently.
• Topping with chips too early: If you assemble this ahead of time and refrigerate it, add the chips right before baking — not before. Soggy chip topping is the worst possible outcome of this recipe.
• Skipping the rest time: It comes out of the oven very hot and a little loose. Five minutes on the counter lets it firm up and makes it much easier to serve without it sliding around the bowl.

Easy upgrades

• Add a cup of frozen peas — no thawing needed, they cook right in.
• Stir in a handful of shredded cheddar on top of the chips for an extra layer of richness.
• A tablespoon of Dijon mustard stirred in with the soup adds a subtle sharpness that works really well with tuna.
• Crushed Ritz crackers instead of potato chips give a buttery crunch that’s a little more refined.
• A squeeze of lemon juice before serving brightens the whole dish.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Leftovers

Storing leftovers

Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Understand that the chip topping will soften overnight — that’s how it goes. If you want a crispy topping, add some fresh chips when you reheat it.

Reheating

For individual servings, microwave for 60 seconds, stirring between each minute. If you’re reheating a bigger serving, cover it and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees. Mac and cheese base stays creamy, and reheating it is a great option. It makes for a really good lunch the next day.

Make-ahead

You can prepare the casserole (without the chips) a full day in advance. Store it in the fridge after wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Once you’re ready to cook it, put on the chips and bake for 10 extra minutes, since it will be starting off cold. Bake at 350°F.

Freezing

It’s okay to freeze this casserole, but not awesome! The cheese sauce may become grainy and change texture. It’s probably not the best option if you’re meal prepping and planning to freeze. You’re better off making a fresh batch since it only takes 15 minutes of hands-on time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use egg noodles instead of mac and cheese?

Yes! But it changes the dish a lot. If you are using ordinary egg noodles, you will have to increase the soup and put in extra cheese (shredded cheddar is a good choice) to make it a little saucy and flavorful. Make sure you cook the noodles completely before you mix everything up. The fact that the mac and cheese base is what makes this recipe quick and kid-friendly so if you replace it, you are kind of making a completely different casserole.

Can I substitute cream of mushroom for cream of celery?

Definitely. Cream of mushroom works well here, and it’s the traditional tuna casserole soup. The taste might be a bit more savory and earthy. If that’s what you have, cream of chicken works too. All three options work — just use one can, undiluted.

Do I have to use canned/pouched tuna, or can I use fresh?

When considering fresh-cooked tuna, leftover cooked fish, and canned/pouched tuna, we believe that tuna in a pouch or can is best here due to a couple factors. It is fully cooked, it lasts a long time (shelf-stable), and the flavor of the fish works in tandem with the casserole to provide a great taste. In addition, fresh cooked tuna can be a little drier, and could make less desirable as a casserole. With that being said, fresh cooked tuna is a better choice for other dishes than a casserole.

What can I use instead of potato chips for the topping?

Ritz cracker crumbs are the most common option available and, to no one’s surprise, do provide a buttery, rich crunch. Panko breadcrumbs are great, especially if you mix them with melted butter first. You can use plain breadcrumbs, but they tend to get powdery and don’t provide the same crunch. Finally, if you want some extra flavor, you can use French fried onions. Regardless of the topping you choose, the goal is to achieve that satisfying crunch that contrasts the creaminess of the filling.

My casserole came out soupy — what went wrong?

The most likely reason for this is that the tuna was not drained properly. Canned tuna can have a lot of excess liquid. If the tuna goes into the casserole without being drained, it can create a lot of liquid while it bakes. To avoid this, drain the tuna in a colander, and then press the tuna with a paper towel. Another reason tuna could create excess liquid is if you used too much milk. I suggest you use one cup of milk. It will thin the soup just enough. Too much milk and you will have a loose mixture.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely! Just double all the ingredients for the recipe — two boxes of mac and cheese, two cans of soup, two cups of milk, and four pouches of tuna (or however you want to calculate it) and you can bake it in a 9×13 baking dish. The bake time should be almost the same (30–35 minutes). This would be a great option for planned leftovers or if you’re feeding a larger group.

Serving Ideas

This casserole has everything you need for a meal! It has a protein, a starch, and a creamy sauce all in one. However, if you want to add more to it:

• A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette cuts through the richness nicely.
• Steamed broccoli or green beans on the side adds color and balances the meal.
• Serve in wide shallow bowls — it scoops better than from a plate and keeps everything contained.
• Dinner rolls or crusty bread if you want something to soak up the extra sauce.

Variations and Substitutions

Make it with added vegetables

The tuna can be mixed with frozen peas and frozen corn. For a spicy addition, you can use diced canned green chiles. While black olives slice and add to the tuna, they can be divisive. Whether you add fresh vegetables like diced bell pepper or celery, they will remain crunchy after baking. If you want a softer texture, this can be a little less ideal.

Dairy-free version

Buy a dairy-free boxed mac and cheese (Annie’s makes one), an oat milk or unsweetened almond milk substitute for the regular milk, and a dairy-free cream soup. The texture is a bit different but the overall dish holds up well.

Use a different protein

Chicken in a can can be substituted for tuna in the same amount in the same process for the recipe. Another option is canned salmon. However, it is a bit richer in flavor. Both of these options match with the base of cream of celery soup.

Tools That Help

A few things will help make this easier:

• A 2.5 to 3-quart casserole dish is the right size for this recipe. Too small and you can’t stir; too large and it spreads thin.
• A flexible silicone spatula makes folding in the tuna without breaking it up much easier than a spoon.
• A multi-pack of tuna pouches is worth keeping in the pantry — they’re easier to drain than cans and tend to have better texture.

Related Recipes

If you created this and desire something similar on a different evening:

• Easy Chicken Casserole — same one-dish format, different protein
• Homemade Mac and Cheese — when you want the full scratch version
• Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas — more dinners that don’t require much hands-on time
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup — another pantry-friendly, kid-approved dinner