Name: Chef John's Tuna Noodle Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 0.5 cup finely diced yellow onion; 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 4 cups cold milk; 1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese; 1 (12 ounce) package dry egg noodles; 2 (5.5 ounce) cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained and crumbled, or to taste; 0.75 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 0.5 cup plain bread crumbs; 0.5 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 2 tablespoons olive oil

Chef John's Tuna Noodle Casserole

It's the king of comfort food casseroles made from scratch with white Cheddar, frozen peas, tuna, and a crispy breadcrumb topping.

1 hr 20 min total 15 min prep 55 min cook 8 511 cal

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
2 Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until it starts to soften up and turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, reducing heat if needed.
3 Pour in cold milk and whisk for 1 minute. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and comes to a simmer. Remove from heat, whisk in Cheddar cheese, and reserve until needed.
4 Fill a large pot with water and remaining salt and bring to a rapid boil. Cook egg noodles for 5 minutes. Drain well and add to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the reserved sauce, followed by tuna, peas, cayenne, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix with a spatula until evenly combined.
5 Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Mix bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil together in a small bowl until combined and resembling wet sand. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
6 Bake in the center of the preheated oven until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.