Stovetop tuna noodle casserole
Creamy, cheesy egg noodles with tuna and sweet peas, all the cozy of the classic casserole with no can of soup and no oven.
- 30 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.10 a serving
- 660 calories
- Good the next day
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 8 oz egg noodles
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2½ cups milk
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cans canned tuna, 5 oz each, drained well
From your pantry
- 3½ tsp salt, divided
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 660 calories, 38 g protein, 59 g carbs and 31 g fat, and costs about $2.10 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No egg noodles? Fettuccine or penne works.
- No frozen peas? Frozen mixed vegetables work.
- No milk? Half-and-half works.
- No cheddar cheese? Shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese or mexican blend cheese works.
- No canned tuna? Canned salmon works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook the noodles as the package says, adding the peas for the last minute, then .
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
High heatTimer: 7 min
In the same pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, , 1 minute.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Medium heatTimer: 1 min
Slowly pour in the milk, the whole time, then stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and ½ teaspoon salt.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Medium heat
Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes, until it bubbles and enough to coat a spoon.
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Medium heatTimer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: Draw a finger across the back of the spoon. If the line stays clear, it’s thick enough.Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time until it .
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Low heat
Add the noodles, peas and tuna and gently until everything is coated and hot, about 2 minutes.
Fold. Folding means mixing gently by scooping from the bottom and turning it over the top, instead of stirring hard. It keeps light mixtures airy and soft things like berries or herbs in one piece.
How you’ll know: You use slow, wide strokes and stop as soon as there are no streaks left.
Low heatTimer: 2 min
Dolly’s tip: Fold instead of stirring hard, so the tuna stays in nice flakes.Food safety: Rotisserie chicken, deli meat, canned tuna and cooked shrimp are already cooked. Keep them cold until you use them, and heat them until steaming hot if the recipe warms them.
Taste, add salt and pepper if it needs it, and serve.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
