As most of you well know, we North Americans are facing a Winter unlike any seen in decades. With severe drought in the West and Arctic cold, record snows, and ice storms to the East, you’re either praying for rain or cursing the cold. Whether this Winter is truly one for the record books remains to be seen but it sure is a great excuse for making comfort food.
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These past few weeks, I’ve said good-bye to any thoughts of post-holiday dieting and broke out the Dutch oven and stock pot. I’ve made soups, tomato sauce, chili, stew, braised short ribs, baked pastas, and pulled pork. Not only that, I’ve baked more bread these past few weeks than I have in ages. In short, I’ve done all that I can to warm both me and my kitchen which, for reasons known only to my home’s previous owner, has no heating element other than the oven. Heaven bless that oven.
Since you really cannot make beef stew for one, soup by the bowl, or pulled pork for a single sandwich, you can well imagine that my fridge and freezer have been well-stocked with leftovers, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Even so, after my third dinner of beef stew or fourth lunch of a bowl of chili, and with temps still in negative territory, I began to crave something different and searched for some long-forgotten comfort food recipes. Enter tuna noodle casserole.
Before going any further, I need to mention this recipe’s origins. After all, I did call today’s post “Mom’s Tuna Noodle Casserole”. Although there is no direct link to Mom, I think there’s plenty of evidence to support my claim.
First off, I found it in the oldest recipe file that I own, one that I created on my first PC back in the 90’s. That file has survived a short-circuited motherboard, head crash, my conversion to Apple, and a transfer to my second iMac. Though forgotten until now, it contains a few gems from Mom but, I admit, this bit of evidence is highly circumstantial.
Perhaps the most convincing evidence can be found within the recipe itself. Although all the ingredients are listed, the amounts required for some of them are missing. This is a hallmark of the Bartolini family recipes and a major reason for this blog being created. I could only be more certain of this recipe’s provenance if an amount or two was listed as “a handful of” this or “a good pinch of” that. Members of the jury, there is no doubt in my mind that this is Mom’s recipe. I rest my case.
Now, a word of warning. This is an old recipe and some may not appreciate it. First of all, it contains mayonnaise and there are those who cannot abide the stuff. I don’t like cilantro, so, I’d say we’re even. It, also, contains a can of condensed soup, the bane of many a modern-day foodie. Well, I’m guessing this recipe comes from the 60’s and we didn’t have foodies back then. We had gourmands — and the Galloping Gourmet but never mind him. Lastly, the final two ingredients, though optional, are listed as frozen. In this part of the continent, when it’s casserole season, there are few, if any, fresh peas to be found, and, for those of us living in the Corn Belt, buying what passes for corn in the off-season is sacrilege. If, however, you’ve access to tasty, fresh peas and sweet corn in Winter, by all means use them instead of frozen.
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Mom’s Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- cooked noodles, buttered
- olive oil
- 1 large can ( 12 oz, 340 g) water-packed tuna fish, drained & flaked
- 1 small onion, chopped
- fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 can (10¾ oz, 305 g) cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of celery)
- 1 package ( 8 oz, 226 g) cream cheese
- 1/3 c mayonnaise
- 1/3 c milk
- cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 c bread crumbs
- 4 tbsp butter
- frozen corn (optional)
- frozen peas (optional)
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 375˚ F (190˚ C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked noodles, tuna, cheddar cheese, corn, and peas.
- Sauté onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil until onions are translucent. Add to the mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, soup, and cream cheese, stirring until hot and well-mixed. Add to the mixing bowl and stir to combine again.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and toast until golden brown. Immediately remove from heat.
- Pour the tuna mixture into the baking dish, top with the toasted bread crumbs, and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake, covered, for 45 minutes before removing the foil. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes to further crisp the topping.
- Allow to sit at least 5 minutes before serving.
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Notes
The amounts for some of the ingredients will depend upon the volume of noodles you’ve prepared. I’ve found that if I use a full pound (450 g) of noodles, for example, a single large can of tuna fish may not be enough. You’ll find that the “cream sauce” is rather thick and can overpower the rest of the ingredients. More tuna is needed to compensate.
Be sure to brown the bread crumbs before sprinkling them atop the casserole. If you rely on the oven to fully brown them, you’ll run the risk of drying out the casserole.
Any broad noodle may be used here, though shorter ones work best. I happened to have a bag of farfalle, butterflies, and used it.
I think you could easily substitute chopped, roasted chicken in place of the tuna.
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It’s déjà vu all over again …
One common theme running throughout this blog is my love of pasta. I’ve certainly made no effort to hide it. With temperatures so terribly frigid, today’s Blast from the Past is particularly welcome in my kitchen, for it involves both a lengthy braise in the oven and a large pot of boiling pasta water on the stove top. Combined, they are just what’s needed to warm my kitchen and keep it that way well into the evening. Best of all, I end up with a great pasta for dinner. You can learn how to prepare Steak Pizzaiola by clicking HERE.
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Coming soon to a monitor near you …
Beef Cheeks
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from the Bartolini kitchens 
I’ve been wondering for about an hour whether to comment on this recipe! I first learned about tuna casserole when I had just moved to Midland, Texas, and proceeded to have my 2nd baby within a week. A new neighbor of ours was nice enough to bring over this exact casserole, except that it had potato chips on it! I was so appalled, I refused to even taste it. It was the combination of the canned tuna, the can of soup, with which my Kansas-born husband was very familiar, and the potato chips. It’s just that my French mother really sheltered me all those years, in spite of us living in the US. She never opened a can, and probably didn’t know what potato chips even were! I’ve relaxed over the years, but have never used canned soup, and certainly never used potato chips in my cooking. That’s not a judgment, that’s just me. I love the sentimentality of your casserole, however. And that’s what’s important!
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You moved that close to your due date? Gosh, Mimi, you’re Wonder Woman!
Considering how many foods Mom and Zia made from scratch, I’d be willing to bet she was drawn to this dish because it was so easy to prepare and would feed us all easily. Potato chips, though, was a bit too far for her to go.
For me, today, the main attraction of this dish is the memories that it evokes. I cannot prepare it without remembering Mom. 🙂
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I must admit, I have never made a tuna casserole, but this is really appealing for a number of reasons. it is always a privilege when a family recipe is shared, I love the idea of adding noodles – another casserole first for me, I always have tinned tuna handy and finally, it looks very warming and comforting – perfect for the foul wintery weather we are experiencing. Thanks!
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This really is an American dish from the past, before there were TV stations or websites devoted to cooking. The only way it would have made it across The Pond is if some expat brought the recipe. Even so, as you mentioned, when the weather gets real nasty, this casserole is a great way to fight back. Believe me, it works! 🙂
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I LOVE tuna casserole, and this one looks fabulous – canned soup, mayo, cream cheese et al. Sometimes, in life, you need a big helping of tuna noodle casserole done just this way. As my friend would say, “It’s like a big hug.”
Also, I greatly respect any recipe that survives as many technological obstacles as you’ve described here. This recipe rightly deserves a place in the Bartolini Kitchens Hall of Fame.
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Thank you, Ruth. I had forgotten all about this dish and finding the recipe was Divine Intervention. I prepared it as we were heading into the last Vortex and it was wonderful! Mom would have been proud!
If ever a recipe deserved an award for survival, this one — and all those in that file — surely do. 😉
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@”As most of you well know, we North Americans are facing a Winter unlike any seen in decades.” – yes, we do know from CNN-international… 🙂 I suggest you move here, just 2h-drive from my city: 🙂
http://myvirtualplayground.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/weekend-collioure-la-ville-des-fauves/
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another super-yummy post: we love tuna, especially the Spanish white one in olive oil that I use in my mixed salads with “endives”… 🙂 Grazie for dropping by crossroads, my very best and a serene week! cheers, Mélanie
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Ah, Melanie. I had my chance to move to France but said, “Non”. I considered moving to Italy — and said, “No.” I love my city and home.
I am sorry I’ve been so late to visit your blog. I have been very busy here and have grown far behind in getting to the blogs I want to read, I need to re-think the way I manage my time. What I am now doing is not working. 🙂
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stiamo seguendo in Tv i grandi disagi del popolo americano per il clima, qui da noi il clima è mite, già avanza la primavera e gli alberi sono fioriti, il freddo non si è quasi sentito, ma ci sono state molte piogge, con alluvioni e frane in molte parti d’Italia, il clima sta cambiando ovunque a causa dell’incuria dell’uomo…allora sì, molto meglio rifugiarsi nell’ottimo cibo che tu ci proponi, ho copiato la ricetta e credo che quanto prima la proverò in cucina
buona notte
We are following on Tv the great hardships of the American people for the climate, the climate here is mild, already makes the spring and the trees are in bloom, the cold is almost not heard, but there were plenty of rains, floods and landslides in many parts of Italy, the climate is changing everywhere due to the carelessness of man … then Yesmuch better to trust in the great food that you propose, I copied the recipe and I believe that the sooner the try in the kitchen
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Yes, our weather is bad this year, worse than it has been in decades. I’ve also read of the rains and floods in Italy and Great Britain. You’re right, It’s man’s carelessness that’s the cause. Thank you, Ventis, for commenting. If you do try this recipe, I hope that you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
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What wonderful comfort food, John, truly. I’ll have to swap out the mushroom elements if my older son – who would otherwise be all over this recipe – is going to try it, but that’s easily done I hope. Staying warm by the heat of your oven sounds like a pretty good deal, and that well stocked freezer is a blessing. Having enjoyed a particular chili or lentil soup a few too many times in a row recently, though, I know what you mean about wanting to mix things up.
You totally threw me off with mentioning your dislike of cilantro, though. Say it isn’t so, John! 🙂
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You can easily skip the mushrooms and no one will be the wiser. Nothing about this recipe is set in stone. Sorry though, I just don’t like cilantro — and I’ve tried. It was never used in our cooking when I was growing up and I just cannot get used to it now. 🙂
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Your vile winter is often reported on our news in the evenings. It seems to be the most severe and the most harsh in decades. I don’t know how you all are coping. Meanwhile, back in Oz, we’ve had very little rain and much of the country is in drought – again! It never seems to stop for the poor farmers. Anyway, when I first started cooking I made a lot of chicken casseroles that all called for a can of condensed soup and some mayonnaise. And yes, in the winter, these casseroles were very warming and tasty. I love how you’ve been keeping yourself warm by cooking up a frenzy! xx
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Thanks, Charlie. We get news report of your drought here, too. Earlier it was the extreme heat and the ever-present wildfires. And the poor Brits are getting soaked. We — Man — have really messed things up. Just this morning, they reported that Alaska’s average temperature was 15˚ warmer than normal for Winter and we’ve got another arctic blast hitting us over the next couple days.
Mom always had a can or two of soup on her pantry shelf. She, long with the neighbors, all used them in casseroles. Most of the recipes came out of magazines. There were no cooking shows, save Julia Child. 🙂
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John, it HAS been so cold for you! It sounds like you’ve been keeping well fed – essential in this kind of weather! The tuna casserole made me smile – it IS an old recipe, as the can of soup gives away, but I bet it tasted delicious. It reminded me of an old recipe I read recently, which had on its ingredients list – “a can of brie”. Remember when soft cheeses came in tins? 🙂
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Yes, it has been cold, Celia, but I’m lucky that I needn’t go out in it if I don’t want to, unlike poor Celi. I don’t know how she does it. We had plenty of cheese in the house but bought it all from the Italian markets. I do not remember any of it being tinned. I’ll have to ask Zia about it. Canned brie? Oh, my!
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Bring on the gourmands with a big brass band fanfare John! roll on a return to (some) of the 60s and 70s recipes. You have reminded me my mum used to use condensed soups all the time – I remember creamy chicken and rice dishes which always started with a can of soup 🙂 Happy days and good warming tasty food. Nothing wrong in that!
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You Mum and mine may have read the same magazines. Back then, they were a great source for recipes. Well, the neighbors, too, often supplied Mom with new dishes to try. That soup, though, played a big role in many of them. Those dishes may not have been the healthy by today’s standards but they sure kept us warm and full. 🙂
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Ah! This is my kind of comfort food. Open the cans, throw them together, and savor. I guess those days these were used more so because there was so little information on them, and frankly, people concentrated more on food than on the ingredients – after all, most ate fresh anyway and lived loooooong happy lives! My grandma ate at i cup of sugar everyday, and still lived to be 90, hale and hearty. This post is so comforting, especially when this winter is driving us nuts. More polar depressions this week. Bring it on. With this kind of food, we are ready to battle 🙂
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Ha! I love how you think, Minnie. This Winter has been a battle, all right. I’m hoping this is the last vortex for the year. I think we’ve had more than enough. I still have leftovers, though, so, I am ready if the weather gods aren’t finished messing with us. 🙂
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Marvelous recipe, John. IMO, this goes beyond comfort food into the realm of soul food. I like your mention of your freezer/fridge of leftovers. It might make a fun post for you to give us a peek inside some day!
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Thank you so much. I wish I had thought about taking a picture. For a wile, I placed leftovers inside my barbecue on the back porch. They all froze solid and kept well out there. Now that would have been the picture to snap! Now, unfortunately, it’s all clear.
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I remember the galloping gourmet, okay now that is dating me… However, so who cares if this recipe has a creamed soup and mayo, its all about comfort in difficult times and let me tell you mother nature is being a real pain this year. Sending warm thoughts your way…
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Thanks, BAM. The worrisome thing about the weather is that it’s not just us. California is having a severe drought. England and Italy are having plenty of rain with floods hitting some areas. Australia is, also, drought stricken. Meanwhile, the average temperature for Alaska this winter is 15˚ above normal. This is not good.
You’re right about comfort food. This isn’t a dish I’ll be making weekly. It sure was good, though, and brought to mind some wonderful memories — and warmed up my kitchen! 🙂
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CJ, my mother made her tuna noodle casserole with homemade roux. I made mine with Cream of Something soup! I love your recipe for Mom’s Tuna Noodle Casserole with mayo and cream cheese. Sounds absolutely delicious just as it is. (P.S. I haven’t forgotten you… been sick for several weeks with bronchitis and now that I’m on the road to recovery, a number one priority is catching up on my favorite blogs!)
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Welcome back, Kathleen! Bronchitis is nothing to trifle with and I’m glad that you’re feeling better. If I lived closer, I would have brought you some of Mom’s soup. It always worked for us. I hope you’re back to 100% real soon.
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You are blessed not just with a loving mom but a mom with amazing talent in the kitchen. Recipes that warm and comforts the heart .
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Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful comment. Mom was all that you mentioned — and so much more. 🙂
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My mom always made Tuna casserole for Ash wednesday. I think I’ll do that this year. I’ve actually rediscovered mayonaisse after years of shunning it. My mom never put corn or peas in hers, and probably not cream cheese. And will come back another time to try the pizzaola – another thing my mom used to make. Love this site.
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For me, it’s great when a recipe is associated with a holiday or special day. For me, preparing the dish brings wonderful memories to mind. I hope you’ll find the same to be true. This recipe is very forgiving. Forget about the peas, corn, and even cream cheese. It’s still going to result in a dish of comfort food.
I’m glad you enjoy my site. Thanks for visiting and taking the time to leave such a great comment.
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I looove a good retro tuna casserole. Usually make mine with rice though. Keen to try it with buttered noodles. I know my boys will love this (and so will I).
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Rice? I never would have thought to use rice, Saskia. What a great idea! I gotta try it. 🙂
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Ohhhhhh. This brings me back to my childhood! I loved my mother’s tuna casserole (or ‘tuna mornay’ as we call it here in Aussieland). She often served it with pasta shells or rice, I used to devour every mouthful! You’ve made me want to revisit the recipe. Great post as always John, will try your version. I like the addition of the soup, that’s a new ingredient to me!
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Thanks, Laura. Amazing how many others shared your response. This is one dish packed with nostalgia! That can of condensed soup was a mainstay of every American kitchen back in the day, long before TV chefs and cooking shows. The soup company bought adverts in magazines that included recipes featuring their condensed soups. Mom always had at least 2 cans in her pantry. 🙂
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Yum! That looks like a lovely, hearty meal! I love a good old-style casserole. 😀
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Yeah. This is definitely a recipe from back in the day and works on so many levels for me. It’s a dish full of nostalgia. 🙂
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