Deluxe Tuna Casserole With Egg Noodles

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

The Ritz crackers give this casserole a great crunch. The sour cream can be replaced with yogurt if desired.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 6 ounces wide egg noodles
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (optional)
• 3 -4 tablespoons butter
• 2 (6 ounce) cans white flaked canned tuna, very well drained
• 1 cup frozen peas (can use more or less peas)
• 1 cup half-and-half cream or 1 cup full-fat milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 -4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional, can use more or less)
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 25 -30 Ritz crackers, coarsley crumbled (you can use more or less crackers)
• 1/4 cup melted butter, for drizzling
• paprika

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Cook egg noodles in boiling salted water until firm-tender; drain.
4. In a small skillet saute the onions with celery and garlic in butter or margarine until soft (about 3 minutes).
5. In a large bowl combine cooked noodles, sauteed veggies, shredded cheese, Parmesan cheese, tuna, half and half cream, peas, mushroom soup, sour cream, salt, pepper, and Old bay seasoning; mix well to combine.
6. Transfer the mixture into the baking dish.
7. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the mixture.
8. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs, then sprinkle lightly with paprika.
9. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is browned and the casserole is bubbly.

Reviews

[tonnerrebird]

Loved it! I missed the old tunahelper au gratin, with it's crunchy topping, and ended up finding this delicious recipe. Instead of the white cheddar, I used Kraft's "Triple Cheddar with a Touch of Philly." It was new and I had a coupon. I also added a can of mushrooms, because I love mushrooms. I omitted the peas and onions (personal preference). In my next go, I'm going to try my go-to for onion replacement in recipes - leeks. The Old Bay seasoning was a perfect way to give the recipe an extra kick. I think this recipe would be just as tasty if you substitued the tuna with canned or cooked chicken. My husband dislikes canned tuna but loves chicken, so I think next time I may make a version he would also like. Or maybe not. I like it too much to want to share. :)

[SarahRIzz]

This might have been tasty but for the Old Bay. I am going to just pitch my can of it b/c it has no place in my kitchen. Otherwise it was really just OK. I'm still searching for a really good tuna casserole that doesn't involve one pound of Velveeta.. (that is the best recipe ever!)

[Julie Julie Julie]

This was very good. I've ran into so many bland tuna casseroles in the past, and this one is very flavorful and easy to make. I made a few substitutions: (1) I used regular orange shredded sharp cheddar instead of white cheddar; (2) I used a can of evaporated milk, about 1 1/2 cups, instead of regular milk; (3) I measured out about 3 cups dried egg noodles; (4) I used french fried onions instead of crackers (I sprinkled on the paprika before the french fried onions); (5) did not drizzle butter on top; (6) baked it in the oven for 25 minutes.