Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole (1950s)
Tuna Noodle Casserole was created by Campbell's sometime in the 1940s, became immensely popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and is still a classic American meal today. If you like tuna, pasta and cream of mushroom soup, you'll love this dish. And so will your wallet!
Equipment
- Normal Kitchen Utensils
Ingredients
- 10-12 Oz. Canned Tuna, Drained and Flaked Two Small or One Large Can
- 1 Lb Egg Noodles Or Elbow Macaroni or Shells
- 2 C Frozen Peas
- 2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup 10.5 Oz. Each
- 1 C Milk
- 1/2 C Crushed Potato Chips, Crackers or Bread Crumbs About Four Handfuls of Chips
- 1 tsp Butter or Oil
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil the pasta per the instructions on the package. Be sure to salt the water.1 Lb Egg Noodles
- Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Turn off the heat.
- Mix the frozen peas, cream of mushroom soup, tuna and milk with the hot pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I usually start with 1/2 tsp of each and add more if necessary.10-12 Oz. Canned Tuna, Drained and Flaked, 2 C Frozen Peas, 2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 C Milk, Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish using the butter or oil.1 tsp Butter or Oil
- Pour the noodle mixture into the dish and top evenly with the crushed potato chips. If using breadcrumbs as a topping, consider first mixing them with 2 Tbsp of melted butter.1/2 C Crushed Potato Chips, Crackers or Bread Crumbs
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Let the dish rest for five minutes before serving.
Notes
This is a classic iteration of an extremely versatile dish. Feel free to switch the peas out for corn, carrots or nearly any other vegetable. Use any other “cream of” soup in place of cream of mushroom: cream of celery, cream of cheddar and/or cream of chicken. You can even replace the tuna with chicken or ham.
If you like this classic dish and want to try another version, check out this Easy Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole.