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Comforting, filling Tuna Noodle Casserole is a classic dish for a reason. Hearty pasta and savory tuna plus a few vegetables are folded into a creamy sauce that delivers big on comfort and flavor. I’ve used gluten free noodles and a from-scratch sauce to make it entirely gluten free without overly processed ingredients!
Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Tuna Casserole Recipe
When you need a quick yet filling dinner option, a tuna noodle casserole is a great choice. And this recipe has everything you love about the classic dish in a gluten free package. It has cozy pasta in a rich cream cheese-based sauce, lots of tuna, more cheese, and some peas for color and pop. I always finish my tuna noodle casserole with gluten-free breadcrumbs for a bit of crunch!
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop and Oven
Dietary Info: Gluten-free
Skill Level: Easy
Tuna noodle casserole is such a classic dish, and it’s even better when it’s gluten-free! Here’s why you’ll love this gluten free tuna casserole:
- Easy to make gluten-free. It’s the simplest thing to make this tuna noodle casserole into a gluten-free tuna noodle casserole. Just use gluten-free noodles and gluten-free flour to make the sauce and you’re all set.
- The classic tuna casserole flavors you love! Even though this is a gluten-free version of tuna noodle casserole, it contains the same flavors and ingredients as the tuna noodle casseroles you’re familiar with.
- No overly processed ingredients. Unlike a traditional tuna noodle casserole recipe which can use canned soup, my recipe has you make the filling from scratch.
- Ready in less than an hour. A casserole that’s ready in 60 minutes or less? That’s my kind of quick dinner! And though it’s fast to prepare, this gluten-free tuna casserole isn’t short on flavor or heartiness. You can even make it a little in advance.
- Easy to adapt. You can change out some of the ingredients in this dish if you like, adapting it to your and your family’s preference. I love to throw in some extra vegetables for more nutrition.
Tuna Casserole Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s a list of everything you need to make this gluten free tuna noodle casserole. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Gluten-free Pasta: Use your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta (I find Jovial brand holds up well in casseroles). I used gluten-free macaroni noodles to make this dish, but you could try shells, ziti, or penne for a change.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Cremini Mushrooms: Or white button mushrooms.
- Yellow Onion: Or substitute a red or white obion.
- Garlic Powder
- Cassava Flour: Cassava flour is a wonderful starchy, naturally gluten-free flour that helps thicken sauces. If you can’t find it, use tapioca flour or cornstarch.
- Chicken Stock: Or use vegetable stock.
- Cream: Heavy cream will make the sauce ultra-rich. You can also use whole milk.
- Italian seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning you can substitute dried basil and oregano in equal amounts.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese blends into the filling for a creamy touch.
- Frozen Peas: I like to add a pop of color and texture with peas.
- Tuna: I used canned, drained tuna.
- Gluten-free Breadcrumbs: These are optional but I like to add them for a bit of crunch.
- Parmesan Cheese: I use grated parmesan as it melts well.
- Cheddar Cheese: You can use any sharpness of cheddar cheese depending on your personal preference.
How To Make Tuna Noodle Casserole
Follow along with the photos below to guide you through my simple method for making gluten-free tuna noodle casserole.
- Cook the noodles. Cook the noodles to al dente.
- Cook the vegetables. In a saucepan, cook the vegetables until soft.
- Make the sauce. Stir in the cassava flour then add the stock, milk, and cream cheese and cook until a thick sauce forms. Add the frozen peas.
- Finish the casserole. Stir in the pasta, and drained tuna. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and top with the grated cheddar and parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Bake and serve. Bake at 425°F until the casserole is fully heated through and the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly. Spoon onto plates or bowls to enjoy right away.
Tips & Variations
Follow my recipe exactly as it’s written for a more traditional tuna noodle casserole, or try some of the variations outlined below!
- Cook the pasta to al dente. When you put pasta in an oven casserole, it will continue to cook when the casserole is placed in the oven. So you’ll want to cook the pasta slightly less than if you were just going to dress it in sauce and it eat it immediately. I like to cook my pasta for casseroles just slightly less than al dente (1-2 minutes less than the package specifies).
- Substitute salmon for tuna. You can make a salmon noodle casserole using the exact same method you’d use to make a tuna noodle casserole! Simply substitute the tuna with an equivalent amount of salmon.
- Use fresh tuna. If you wish, you can buy a tuna steak, cook it, and cut it into bite-sized pieces or shred it. Then add the tuna to the casserole.
- Please the land-lovers. If you don’t have a family who enjoy seafood, you can use canned or chopped cooked chicken.
- Leave out the peas. If you wish, you can leave out the peas.
- Add other vegetables. To make this a more vegetable-heavy casserole, you can add vegetables like carrots, spinach, or broccoli. You can cook them when you cook the mushrooms.
How To Store Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole
Store cooled tuna noodle casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, you may want to add a few tablespoons of broth or milk because gluten-free pasta can dry out faster than regular pasta. To reheat, place portions of the tuna noodle casserole in a microwave-safe dish and heat in the microwave at 30-second intervals until the pasta is hot and the cheese is melted.
Make It A Meal
Creamy, filling tuna noodle casserole is always a welcome meal. I like to serve it with a simple salad or a green vegetable. Here are a few other suggestions for what to serve with this gluten-free tuna casserole:
- Salad. A salad is a great choice to serve with a rich dish like a casserole. Try a side of my Easy Greek Salad (you can leave out the feta if you want to make it a little lighter), Caprese Zoodles Salad, or Tomato Cucumber Salad with Feta Cheese.
- Fruit. A simple plate of seasonal sliced fruit is a refreshing accompaniment to tuna noodle casserole or make a fruit salad.
- A bowl of soup. Try a warming bowl of soup with tuna noodle casserole! My Creamy Instant Pot Tomato Soup is a lovely side, or make Butternut Squash with Sage and Thyme.
- Simple vegetables. Serve simple vegetable sides like Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Asparagus, or Air Fryer Cauliflower with tuna noodle casserole.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces/220 grams cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons cassava flour, tapioca flour, or cornstarch
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 3 5-ounce cans/420 grams tuna, drained
- ¼ cup gluten free breadcrumbs (optional)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup/113 grams grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (220℃).
- Cook the noodles, slightly undercooking them. I cooked for 7 minutes instead of 8 stated on the package.
- Add butter to a large pan and melt on medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions, sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften. Add Italian seasoning and garlic powder, sauté for one more minute.
- Add cassava flour and stir until well combined.
- Add the stock, milk and cream cheese and cook stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.
- Turn off the heat. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add frozen peas, stir to combine. No need to cook the sauce with the peas, they will cook in the oven, this way it will be fresh and have a nice green color.
- Add cooked pasta and drained tuna to the pan and mix everything together.
- Transfer the mixture to the 9×13-inch baking dish, top with grated cheddar cheese, parmesan and optional gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Did you make this?
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Brianna,
This is a keeper recipe! It was tasty and healthy. So much better than I remember any other recipe we have tried.
So happy to hear this!