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“Sandra’s Favorite” Tuna Noodle Casserole

A family-favorite tuna noodle casserole.

1 hour, 15 minutes

Serves: 6

Medium

A delicious one-dish meal that will surely please the family.

This recipe is a great take on the classic tuna noodle casserole. It’s called Sandra’s Favorite so it’s fair to assume my Aunt Sandy loves it. Overall it’s a really easy recipe with ingredients that you can find anywhere. I think this one took me about an hour and fifteen minutes from start to finish so it came together fairly quick as well.

The only real trick in this recipe is making the sauce after cooking the veggies. I don’t think you want the sauce to get too thick so err on the side of it being a little runny. My casserole dried out a little in the oven, so if I did it again, I would definitely cover in tin foil for the first 25 minutes and the cook under the broiler for the last 5 to really crisp the top.

This tuna noodle casserole is a meal by itself but could also be great with a side salad. Or try it with some roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts or broccoli.

If you’ve got the time, I highly recommend making your own cream of chicken soup. Here’s a recipe I’ve used and not only is it more flavorful, it also saves you from eating a lot of extra preservatives.

Steps:

Preheat Oven to 350º
Cook Pasta
Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Remember that we'll be cooking the noodles within the casserole later as well, so err on the lower side of the cook time so they don't get mushy later. When the noodles have finished cooking, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
Chop Veggies
Chop your onion, green peppers.
Saute Veggies in Butter
Preheat a pan on the stove top and once hot, throw in your butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add your onions, green peppers and pimentos and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened.
Make the Sauce
Once the veggies have cooked and softened, add your flour by sprinkling on top. Stir it to coat the cooked veggies and allow to darken slightly. Slowly pour milk over the mixture while continuing to cook and stir.
Cook Until Thick
Keep stirring occasionally and allow the sauce to cook until thick, about 5-10 minutes.
Combine
Once the sauce is thickened, add it to your drain macaroni. Add the can of soup and tuna and stir all ingredients to combine. Pour the mixture into your casserole dish (13x9 works well) and cover with the bread crumbs.
Cook
Cook the casserole in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes.