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    Home » What We're Eating » Aunt Bee's Famous Tuna Noodle Casserole

    Aunt Bee's Famous Tuna Noodle Casserole

    Published: Dec 12, 2016 by Blair Lonergan

    Jump to Recipe
    A collage image of a tuna noodle casserole

    You only need 10 minutes of prep for this Tuna Noodle Casserole. An easy dinner, made with simple ingredients that's so good it's truly unforgettable!

    A tuna noodle casserole in a white dish

    I've spent the past week or so sifting through old recipe files from my grandmother and her best friend, Aunt Bee. To say that it has been a step back in time would be a huge understatement.

    My grandmother passed away when I was just 13, so Aunt Bee has stepped in as a surrogate grandmother -- especially in recent years. In sorting through the old files, I have uncovered personal notes that the young women exchanged, dinner party menus from the 1960's, recipe cards that are dated back to 1959, and other personal mementos that were stashed in the folders along the way.

    My grandmother met Aunt Bee when their husbands served together in the army. It was a friendship that stood the test of time -- after children were born and grown, after multiple military transfers, after their husbands passed away, and right up until my grandmother's death. Aunt Bee can share stories with me that nobody else knows, and can give me a glimpse at their lives as young mothers and wives.

    A close up of a tuna noodle casserole in a white dish with a spoon

    In a recent letter, Aunt Bee mailed me her yellowed, stained recipe card for Tuna Noodle Casserole, along with a quick story about the dish. This Tuna Noodle Casserole made her quite famous among the other military wives! It's the dish that Aunt Bee gave to other army families when (in her words), "there had been a mishap." It's the way that Aunt Bee showed love and support, and it's the meal that she made to comfort her friends and family.

    In recent years, Aunt Bee's daughter-in-law, Joan, ran into someone who had received one of Aunt Bee's Tuna Noodle Casseroles after one of those tragic mishaps many, many years ago. That person told Joan that she had NEVER FORGOTTEN about Bee's kindness and the dinner that nourished her during a very difficult time.

    This Tuna Noodle Casserole brings tears to my eyes because I think of my grandmother, of her incredible friendship with Aunt Bee, and of the life that they shared together long before I was born. When I prepare the simple dinner for my own family now, I feel overwhelmingly blessed for the ability to taste, touch, and enjoy the same comforting meal that my grandmother and her best friend shared so many years ago. I am grateful for this tie to the past, which is so much more than just food.

    Tuna noodle casserole in a white dish topped with cheese

    Ingredients For Making A Tuna Noodle Casserole

    • Good Quality Canned Tuna
    • Egg Noodles
    • Peas
    • Condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup
    • Cream
    • Curry Powder

    Cook's Tips

    • Always use high quality canned tuna for best results and flavor
    • Go with short egg noodles
    • Don't have cream? Use whole milk instead
    • Use condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted!
    • Top with grated cheddar for an extra comforting treat. If you don't have cheddar any good melting cheese will do
    • You can also add in other veggies such as corn or spinach

    An overhead shot of a tuna noodle casserole with cheese

    And all of the history aside, this Tuna Noodle Casserole is so darn good that it just might make you cry, too!

    More Delicious Tuna Recipes To Try;

    • 3-Ingredient Tuna Casserole
    • Sicilian Quinoa and Tuna Stuffed Peppers
    • Tuna Melt Sliders
    Print Pin
    3.5 from 2 votes

    Aunt Bee's Famous Tuna Noodle Casserole

    A delicious, hearty and warming tuna noodle casserole made with simple ingredients and only 5 minutes of prep.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Tuna Casserole, Tuna Noodle Casserole, Tuna Pasta Bake
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 438kcal
    Author The Seasoned Mom

    Ingredients

    • 1 12 ounce can “good” tuna (I used albacore)
    • 2 cups cooked egg noodles
    • 1 8.5 ounce small can Le Seur peas, drained
    • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup NOT diluted
    • 1 cup cream or whole milk
    • ½ teaspoon curry
    • Optional topping: ¾ cup grated Cheddar cheese

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
    • Spray a 1 ½-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Transfer to prepared dish.
    • Bake casserole, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes (or until heated through).
    • If you want to add some cheese, just sprinkle the grated Cheddar over the top of the casserole during the final 5 minutes of baking. Return to oven until cheese melts and casserole is hot and bubbly.

    Notes

    Nutrition information was calculated using Campbell’s Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup and whole milk. The optional cheese is not included in the calculation.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1500IU | Vitamin C: 24.4mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2.8mg

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

      December 12, 2016 at 7:21 am

      Your Aunt Bee makes the best comfort food! I love when you share her recipes. And whenever I see the name, I always think of The Andy Griffith Show! 🙂 Tuna casseroles hold a special place in my heart. It reminds me of my childhood, though I didn't have it too much because my mom didn't like tuna. This looks SO good, Blair! I've got to try this out!

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 12, 2016 at 4:05 pm

        Thanks, Gayle! We love all of her recipes too! 🙂

        Reply
    2. SuzieW

      December 12, 2016 at 8:17 pm

      I always wonder if 2 cups of noodles is measured before or after cooking.

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 12, 2016 at 8:22 pm

        Hey, Suzie! This recipe calls for 2 cups of cooked noodles, so you'll want to measure the 2 cups of pasta after it has already been cooked. Hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
        • SuzieW

          December 12, 2016 at 8:28 pm

          Thanks for the fast answer.

          Reply
    3. Meredith

      December 12, 2016 at 9:57 pm

      This is a beautiful post. I love how recipes can stand the test of time. I'm making my Nana's potato kugel tomorrow for dinner. Even though she's gone, it makes me feel so close to her.

      I also want to tell you how much I adore your blog. A friend introduced me a few months ago, and I've since made a bunch of your dump and bake recipes. Perfect for moms!

      I also recently joined Young Living, and when I received my Essential Oils mag, there you were!!

      Thanks for a wonderful blog!! Can't wait to try more of your delicious creations!

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 13, 2016 at 2:19 pm

        Meredith! Thank you so much for your kind note! I'm really glad that you enjoy the blog, and I appreciate your kind words. I agree -- dump-and-bake dinners are the way to go for busy moms! Thanks so much for reading along!

        Reply
    4. Kristy from Southern In Law

      December 12, 2016 at 10:19 pm

      The next time I make homemade cream of mushroom soup I'll have to try this as I loveeee tuna noodle casserole!

      What a sweet memory behind the recipe too! <3

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 13, 2016 at 2:19 pm

        Thanks, Kristy! I hope that you get to try it!

        Reply
    5. Sarah @ The Gold Lining Girl

      December 13, 2016 at 9:31 am

      Wow, what an awesome post, Blair. That must be so fun to go through their old recipes and to see the letters they wrote. What a beautiful friendship they shared, and it's so sweet that you have Aunt Bee as a surrogate Gma, but that she also can still share stories and tell you about your own Gma. Amazing what food can do for people - that years later someone still remembers her casserole, and the comfort it provided in a dark time. I always love casseroles and comfort food - this will be a lovely recipe to have on hand. 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 13, 2016 at 2:19 pm

        Thank you, friend! Mwah!

        Reply
    6. lindsay Cotter

      December 13, 2016 at 5:41 pm

      I want to hug you, talk about memories of lovely grandma, and eat this! GF noodles of course

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 14, 2016 at 5:09 am

        Thank you! 🙂 Hugs welcome!

        Reply
    7. Tamara

      December 29, 2016 at 8:47 pm

      Yum! I want to try this but hate peas. Any substitutions ideas?

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 30, 2016 at 4:27 pm

        Hi, Tamara! You could use just about any vegetable that you prefer. If you're using canned vegetables, something like green beans would work well. If you prefer fresh or frozen veggies, I would cook them slightly first so that they're not still crunchy when your casserole is done. You could use asparagus, broccoli, diced carrots, corn, just about anything! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Jill

      January 31, 2017 at 2:48 pm

      Hi Blair... just started following your blog recently and have already cooked a few recipes. My husband is not a mushroom fan, is there a substitute for the cream of mushroom soup? Cream of celery, cream of onion?

      thank you...

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 01, 2017 at 8:42 pm

        Hi, Jill! Yes, you can definitely use something other than the mushroom soup. Either the cream of celery, cream of onion, or cream of chicken would all work well! Thanks so much for reading the blog. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Emily

      November 02, 2018 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      This is so comforting I make something very similar and love it, can't wait to try this version!

      Reply
    10. Lora Smith

      November 06, 2018 at 5:56 pm

      2 stars
      I loved the story! But we did not care for the dish. I really wanted to after such a lovely story! But all we could taste was curry. I will look on for the perfect tuna casserole.

      Reply
    11. Ana

      September 17, 2019 at 2:05 pm

      The Tuna noodle casserole sounds like a real winner, and easy. I'm going to make it on Friday. It seems that when growing up. As a child, it was always, meatless Friday's. So, still today whenever I prepare a fish meal of any kind , I always seem to make it a " meatless Friday". . Your recipe is a real winner. And easy. I also have all those ingredients on hand all the time. Now I can't wait for Friday. Ana

      Reply
      • Blair

        September 17, 2019 at 2:32 pm

        Thanks, Ana! I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Michele

      February 05, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      Can I you chicken breast diced up instead of tuna.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 05, 2021 at 5:56 pm

        Hi, Michele! Absolutely! 🙂

        Reply

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