Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole is loaded with veggies, chunks of wild albacore tuna, and coated with a deliciously light and creamy sauce! It’s a quick and budget-friendly meal you can prepare months ahead of time or whip up for an easy family dinner.
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The comforting flavors, affordability, and convenience of this Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole are so hard to resist! Made extra nutritious with albacore tuna, a variety of vegetables, and a creamy sauce, this simple dinner idea is loaded with savory flavors.
Tuna noodle casserole is a classic American dish. Not only is it a breeze to put together, but the ingredients are simple, budget-friendly, and delicious. I’ve taken a few of the classic ingredients and swapped them for healthier alternatives without skipping the flavor. It’s a win-win!
If you love this easy tuna casserole, then you’ll have to try my Smoked Salmon Breakfast Casserole and Green Tuna Salad. Both of these seafood dishes are easy to make, great for a crowd, and have big flavors!
What kind of tuna is best for tuna casserole?
Tuna casseroles are famous for being quick and simple, which is why canned tuna is always the way to go. I prefer to use canned albacore tuna because it tastes less fishy and has a nice, thick texture rather than being flaky and small (like chunk light tuna). Albacore tuna also contains more omega-3’s, making it the healthiest choice for this nutritious tuna casserole!
What makes this tuna casserole healthy?
Most tuna casseroles are made with cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, peas, and tuna before adding breadcrumbs or potato chips on top. While these traditional ingredients are completely savory and delicious, there are a few easy adjustments we can make to load this casserole with nutrients and lower the sodium.
My healthy tuna casserole recipe is made with canned albacore tuna, which is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and low in calories. Instead of mixing the filling with a can of cream of mushroom soup, I used a mix of milk, heavy cream, and chicken stock so the finished result isn’t as salty. Lastly, I’ve added carrots and corn as well as frozen peas to give it an extra healthy twist!
One thing to be wary of is the risk of mercury in canned tuna. However, this can easily be avoided by making this casserole no more than once a week.
How to make healthy tuna noodle casserole
Cook the egg noodles, then drain and set them aside. Meanwhile, saute the onion and carrots in a skillet over medium-high heat.
After a few minutes, add the garlic, peas, and corn. Stir in the flour so everything is well coated. Next, whisk in the chicken stock, then the milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and tuna. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
Now that the sauce is ready, you can add the noodles! Finish by stirring in the cheddar cheese.
Transfer the filling to your prepared baking pan and sprinkle the breadcrumbs or parmesan cheese on top. Bake until the pasta starts to turn golden and crispy, then serve and enjoy!
Tips and variations
- Toppings – Breadcrumbs or parmesan cheese baked onto the casserole will give it a crunchy finish.
- Feel free to add even more vegetables! Celery, broccoli, spinach, or mushrooms would all be delicious.
- While baking, make sure the casserole is uncovered so the breadcrumb topping can crisp up.
- Dairy free – Swap the cream and milk for dairy free milk or cashew cream.
- Gluten free – Use your favorite gluten free pasta noodles, use any gluten free flour you like, and top the casserole with parmesan cheese or gluten free breadcrumbs.
What to serve with tuna noodle casserole
A hearty, healthy casserole always goes so well with a few light dishes on the side. Try serving a scoop of the warm casserole next to caesar salad, dinner rolls, carrot fries, potato salad, or a roasted vegetable salad.
Can I make tuna casserole ahead of time?
You can! Go ahead and assemble the unbaked casserole or keep the baked leftovers stored away for later. Cover the baking dish and store the unbaked and baked casserole in the fridge or freezer.
Make sure to fully thaw the frozen casserole before baking. Then add the breadcrumbs or parmesan on top and bake according to the recipe instructions.
More healthy dinner recipes
Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 oz egg noodles
- 3 cans 5oz each, wild tuna in water
- 1 cup carrots, cubed
- 1 whole white/ yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup mild cheddar cheedse, shredded
- 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs OR parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Cook egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside
- Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots, sauté for about 5 minutes. Then dd garlic, peas and corn, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, tossing the veggies to coat evenly.
- Whisk in chicken stock until combined, then stir in milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper and tuna. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally , for an additional 5 minutes
- Add cooked egg noodles to the tuna and veggies mix, toss to combine. Stir in cheddar cheese until and stir well.
- Transfer tuna and veggies to the prepared baking dish. Top with panko breadcrumbs or parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the top of the pasta starts to turn golden and crispy.
Notes
- Toppings – Breadcrumbs or parmesan cheese baked onto the casserole will give it a crunchy finish.
- Feel free to add even more vegetables! Celery, broccoli, spinach, or mushrooms would all be delicious.
- While baking, make sure the casserole is uncovered so the breadcrumb topping can crisp up.
- Dairy free – Swap the cream and milk for dairy free milk or cashew cream.
- Gluten free – Use your favorite gluten free pasta noodles, use any gluten free flour you like, and top the casserole with parmesan cheese or gluten free breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
That is a good looking tuna casserole, one of my favorite dishes, Wild Selections does have some amazing products…consumer power, now I know, never really thought about it, great post 🙂
It was definitely something I heard and stayed with me. It makes me feel good to support companies that are taking the extra step towards sustainability. Thanks for stopping by Albert, I am glad you liked the tuna casserole! 🙂
My husband and I love this recipe. I’m a pescatarian and my husband is an omnivore. I used Better than Bouillon veggie broth, 2 cups. I added extra vegetables and used organic dairy. This is my favorite comfort food.
Can’t go wrong with a casserole! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Karly, yes casserole is always the way to go! xoxo
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe?
Hi Stephanie! Unfortunately my recipe plug in does not include nutrition values, but I am looking into switching so I can provide that for my readers. Sorry about that!
Great alternative to the traditional processed recipe. The added veggies give it a less heavy feeling. Delicious!
Thank you! Truly appreciate your message 🙂
What kind of MENTAL PATIENT would call this tuna noodle casserole HEALTHY? Are you freaking out of your MIND? Yeah, right — 1/2 cup of heavy cream plus a cup of milk plus a cup of cheese! Yeah, healthy for the bottomline of a cardiologist! It never ceases to amaze me the kind of idiots who post on the internet!
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
Get a life idiot. You obviously know nothing about healthy eating.
You should NEVER be this rude. If you don’t like the recipe for whatever reasons then JUST DO NOT USE IT!!!
You have some nerve !!!
This looks like a great recipe to try Sylvia. I’m just finding it today (April 30th, 2022). I am very familiar with keto recipes and this kind of reminds me of one. I am also very particular about the tuna I use (only sustainable). I may change a few ingredients like xanthan gum instead of flour which is a great natural thickener. I love the vegetables you’re using and I will use the same ones. Lately I’ve been using a brand of pasta called “Chickapea” which is gluten free so I’ll use that instead of regular pasta. Really, this is one of the best tuna noodle casserole recipes I’ve seen and I will definitely be making it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi Alice, I am so glad you are excited to try my tuna casserole. I have since switched to gluten-free as well and I have tried this very recipe with chickpea, lentil and brown rice pasta and I love it! Please, if you think of it let me know how it comes out for you. Best, Silvia
Hi Silvia, Sorry it’s taken me some time to get back to you on your tuna casserole. I made it last night and it is wonderful. I decided to make the recipe exactly as presented on your website. I used egg noodles, but my noodles were huge so I ended up adding more liquid ingredients and more cheese. It is fabulous, and definitely a repeat. Thanks so much for posting it. Next time I make it, I will be trying gluten free pasta and maybe short pasta like fusilli or penne.
The recipe sounds delicious, and I look forward to trying it. My one comment is that I think the idea it might be served with potato salad isn’t that appealing or particularly healthy. That’s a lot of carbohydrates for one meal. I suggest a green salad, spinach or kale, steamed broccoli, or sliced tomatoes – something colorful will add balance to the plate.
Thanks for the suggestions Cathy. I hope you like it when you try, please let me know!
This sounds lovely. Am going to make for my toddler today.
Great, Sarah! Enjoy it 🙂
Would you say that 1 serving us roughly 1 cup? And are the nutrition facts for one serving or for the entire pan?!
I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe!
Thank you!!
Hi Brooke, thanks so much glad you liked my tuna casserole recipe. Yes, the nutrition is per serving which is 1 cup.
I just have a question. Can you freeze this?
Yes you can! All the details are in the post!