The BEST Tuna Noodle Casserole From Scratch

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup minced shallots or onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk (, whole or 2% milkfat)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 pound egg noodles
• 10 ounces canned tuna in oil or water (, drained (2 cans))
• 2 cups grated provolone
• 1 cup frozen peas (, thawed)
• 1 cup sliced green olives with pimentos (, drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   --- To Make the Bechamel Cream Sauce ---

2. 2

   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir together until combined. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes golden and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Add the shallot or onion and bay leaves, stirring and cooking until the onion softens and releases moisture and loosens the roux, about 3 minutes.

3. 3

   Whisk in the cold milk all at once and bring to a simmer. Whisk continuously while simmering gently, until the sauce thickens for about 10-15 minutes. Season with the kosher salt, adding more to taste, and stir in the nutmeg.

4. 4

   --- For the Tuna Noodle Casserole ---

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente and still chewy, about 2 minutes less cooking time than the package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.

6. 6

   Pour the drained pasta into a large mixing bowl with the bechamel cream sauce. Crumble the tuna over the pasta with the grated cheese, peas, olives, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently fold the mixture together. If the mixture feels too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water and fold to thin.

7. 7

   Butter a 2-quart baking dish and pour the noodle mixture into the dish. In a small bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Sprinkle evenly over the noodle mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for another 10 minutes until lightly browned and the casserole is bubbly and warmed through. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes to set before serving.