The Best Tuna Noodle Casserole with Mixed Vegetables
Some of the best recipes come from hunting through the cabinets on a rainy evening, pulling together whatever you have on hand, and ending up with something the whole family actually wants seconds of. That’s exactly how this easy tuna noodle casserole with mixed vegetables was born.
I didn’t set out to make a “recipe” that night; I was just trying to get dinner on the table without a grocery run. A couple of cans of tuna, some pasta that didn’t quite match, a bag of frozen vegetables that had been sitting in the freezer for who-knows-how-long, and two cans of soup I already had stacked in the pantry. Twenty minutes of prep, one pan, and forty-five minutes later we had a casserole that disappeared faster than anything I’d planned in advance.
That’s the thing about creamy tuna noodle casserole, it’s one of those old-fashioned comfort foods that never really goes out of style. It’s the kind of dinner that stretches a grocery budget, feeds a hungry family without a second trip to the store, and tastes like it took a lot more effort than it actually did. No special trip to the store. No complicated technique. Just pantry staples, a bag of frozen vegetables, and a warm oven doing most of the work. This creamy tuna noodle casserole is comfort food at its most honest — and it feeds six people without breaking the budget.
If you love a fuss-free one-pan meal, you’ll also enjoy my easy breakfast skillet with potatoes, another dish that comes together in a single pan with minimal cleanup.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Noodle Casserole:
- Uses pantry and freezer staples you already have
- Budget-friendly and feeds a crowd
- Creamy, hearty, and endlessly adaptable
- Works with whatever pasta shape you have on hand — no need to match
- One pan from stovetop to oven with minimal cleanup
Why This Tuna Noodle Casserole Works
The magic of this recipe is in the two soups. Cream of mushroom alone can taste a little one-note, and cream of celery alone can taste thin, but combined, they build a richer, more layered sauce than either one makes on its own. The evaporated milk is doing quiet work too: it loosens the sauce so it coats every piece of pasta instead of clumping, without watering down the flavor the way regular milk can.
Using frozen mixed vegetables instead of fresh isn’t a shortcut here, it’s a feature. They cook down at the same rate, they don’t need to be chopped, and because they were flash-frozen at peak ripeness, you’re not sacrificing nutrition to save time.
Equipment:
- HexClad 7-Quart Deep Skillet (stovetop to oven in one pan — no extra dishes)
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Medium mixing bowl
- Prep bowls
- Large stock pot for boiling noodles (can use just the skillet to keep it all one pot)
- Small spatula
- Serving scoop
- Colander
🍳 Equipment Note: This easy tuna noodle casserole with mixed vegetables goes from stovetop to oven in one pan – no extra dishes, no transferring. I made this entire recipe in my HexClad 7-Quart Deep Skillet, which handles both stovetop cooking and oven baking beautifully. The nonstick surface makes cleanup easy too, which I genuinely appreciate after a long day.
Ingredients:
- 2 (1 lb) boxes pasta (any shape works, mix and match what you have)
- 3 small cans tuna, drained
- 1 small can mushrooms, drained
- 1 large onion, chopped into large pieces
- 1½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can cream of celery soup
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 tsp oil for cooking
- ½ tsp dried dill (start here, taste and adjust)
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water (optional, but recommended)
Ingredient Notes
- Tuna: Canned tuna packed in water keeps this casserole from turning greasy. If you only have tuna packed in oil, drain it well and pat it dry.
- Canned soups: Cream of mushroom and cream of celery together is the flavor secret of this recipe – don’t substitute one for the other or use a double batch of just one. If you truly dislike mushrooms, cream of chicken can stand in for the mushroom soup without changing the texture.
- Evaporated milk: This is not the same as sweetened condensed milk – make sure you check the can. Evaporated milk is unsweetened and simply thicker than regular milk, which is exactly what this sauce needs. In a pinch, whole milk works, but the sauce will be noticeably thinner.
- Mushrooms: The canned mushrooms add texture on top of what’s already in the soup. If you’re not a mushroom person, they’re easy to leave out entirely – the dish will still hold together fine.
- Pasta: Any short or medium shape works here. Egg noodles are the traditional choice, but rotini, farfalle, penne, or a mix of whatever partial boxes you have in the cabinet all work equally well.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 370°F convection (or 400°F conventional).
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, then drain the rest and set the pasta aside.
- In a large oven-safe pan (I use my HexClad 7-Quart Deep Skillet which goes seamlessly from stovetop to oven) Heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add frozen mixed vegetables to the pan and cook for another few minutes until just tender.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together both cans of soup, evaporated milk, canned mushrooms, and drained tuna. Stir to combine.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the pan with the onions and vegetables. Stir everything together.
- Add cooked pasta and mix until well combined. Season with dill, parsley, salt and pepper. Taste as you go and adjust.
- Add cooked pasta and mix until well combined. If the sauce seems thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Season with dill, parsley, salt and pepper. Taste as you go and adjust.
- Place the HexClad covered skillet in oven and bake for 45 minutes, stopping halfway through to stir and return to oven.
- Remove from oven, give it a final stir, and serve hot. Makes 6 hearty servings.
Mary Ann’s Tips:
These are the small tips I’ve picked up from making this casserole on repeat, the kind of things that take it from good to the one your family requests.
- Don’t stress about matching pasta shapes. Different shapes add texture and this is a great way to use up partial boxes
- Reserved pasta water isn’t just a chef’s habit, the starch in it helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives the whole dish a silkier texture.
- Cream of celery and cream of mushroom together gives this a richer, more complex flavor than using one alone
- Start with ½ tsp dill and taste as you go. Dill is strong and you can always add more
- This easy tuna casserole with mixed veggies reheats beautifully the next day with a splash of milk to loosen it up
- Any large oven-safe pan works. Just make sure it can handle both stovetop and oven heat
- Make it ahead: Assemble the whole casserole up to a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate unbaked. Add about 10 extra minutes to the bake time since it’s going into the oven cold.
- Freezer-friendly: This freezes well before or after baking. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.
- Add a crunchy topping: For extra texture, sprinkle crushed crackers, panko, or French fried onions over the top for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Cheese it up: A handful of shredded cheddar stirred in or sprinkled on top for the last 10 minutes — turns this into a cheesy tuna noodle casserole without any extra steps.
- Double it for a crowd: This recipe scales up easily in a 9×13 baking pan for potlucks or feeding a bigger family – just add 10–15 minutes to the bake time and check that the center is hot all the way through.
Once you start playing with those variations, this casserole becomes one of those recipes you reach for again and again.
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One of the best things about this casserole is how well it keeps, which makes it a smart choice for leftovers and meal prep.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers hold up beautifully, so here’s how to store and reheat this casserole to keep it just as creamy the second time around.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze baked or unbaked casserole tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: For best texture, reheat covered in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes. A splash of milk stirred in before reheating loosens the sauce back up if it’s thickened in the fridge. The microwave works too for single portions – just add a splash of milk and cover loosely to keep it from drying out.
What to Serve With Tuna Noodle Casserole
This easy tuna noodle casserole with mixed vegetables is rich and creamy on its own, so I like to serve it with something simple and fresh alongside it like a crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette, steamed green beans, or garlic bread to round out the meal. It also pairs well with a simple side of peas if you want to keep the whole dinner in the same comforting, old-fashioned lane.
This tuna casserole recipe is all about stretching what you have, the same idea behind my vegetable soup using leftover vegetables.
Family Verdict
My husband went back for seconds before I’d even sat down to eat mine, and my youngest — normally suspicious of anything with mushrooms in it. She didn’t say a word about them, which in our house counts as a five-star review. The dogs sat by the oven door the whole 45 minutes like they had a stake in it too. This one’s earned a permanent spot in our rainy-night rotation.
Final Thoughts
This creamy tuna pasta casserole proves you don’t need a fully stocked kitchen or a complicated plan to put something truly satisfying on the table. A few cans, some frozen vegetables, and whatever pasta you have on hand; that is all it takes for a tuna noodle casserole the whole family will love.
If old-fashioned comfort food is your thing, you’ll find plenty more in my 21 simple casserole recipes roundup.
Your Turn
If you make this easy tuna noodle casserole, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Did you stick with the classic version, or make it your own with a crunchy cracker topping or a handful of cheese stirred in? Leave a comment below and let me know, and if your family has a verdict of their own, I want to hear that too.
And if this became a new rainy-night favorite in your house the way it did in mine, share it with someone who could use an easy, budget-friendly dinner in their back pocket.
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Mixed Vegetables
Equipment
- HexClad 7 qt Deep Skillet stovetop to oven in one pan
- Stock pot for boiling noodles
Ingredients
- 2 lb. pasta
- 3 cans tuna do not drain, small cans
- 1 can mushrooms drain
- 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 large onion chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (Campbells)
- 1 can cream of celery soup (Campbells)
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 tsp avocado oil for cooking
- ½ tsp dried dill start here and adjust to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Gather Equipment
- HexClad 7qt deep skillet
- silicone spatula
- prep bowls
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- colander
Gather Ingredients and Prep
- 2 lb. pasta – prepare according to package instructions. Drain liquid keep 1/4 cup of the pasta water for the casserole mix. Use the HexClad 7 qt deep skillet for this complete dish.
- 3 cans tuna –
- 1 can mushrooms
- 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 large onion
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (Campbells)
- 1 can cream of celery soup (Campbells)
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 tsp avocado oil for cooking
- ½ tsp dried dill
- salt and pepper to taste
Prepare Oven
- Preheat oven to 370 degrees F (convection) 400 degrees F (conventional)
Prepare Food
- 1 large onion – using cutting board and sharp knife, chop onion into bite sized pieces
- Open 3 cans tuna (do not drain), 1 can cream of mushroom soup (Campbells), 1 can cream of celery soup (Campbells), 1 can evaporated milk, 1 can mushrooms (drained) and set aside until ready to prepare.
- Add ½ tsp dried dill to small prep bowl to be ready
- Gather salt and pepper to have ready
Cook
- Using HexClad 7qt deep skillet, add a small of amount of oil and onions to sauté.
- Add 1 can mushrooms and 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables to mix and cook.
- Add 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables, 1 can cream of celery soup (Campbells), 1 can evaporated milk and mix.
- Add in undrained 3 cans tuna and mix.
- Add seasonings – ½ tsp dried dill and the salt and pepper to taste.
- Once mixed, add in the 2 lb. pasta that was cooked set aside earlier. and the 1/4 cups of pasta from cooking the pasta. Mix together ensuring pastas is fully mixed in. Cover with lid and place in preheated oven for 45 minutes. MIx once about halfway through cooking in oven.
Serve
- Remove from oven and using a serving spoon to serve into portions. This recipe makes 6 healthy portions.
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions About Tuna Noodle Casserole
This creamy tuna noodle casserole is made with canned tuna, mixed pasta, cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup, evaporated milk, frozen mixed vegetables, mushrooms, and onion — all seasoned with dill, parsley, salt and pepper.
Absolutely — this recipe works with any pasta shape you have on hand. I actually used a mix of farfalle and rotini because that’s what was in my cabinet. Different shapes add interesting texture and it’s a great way to use up partial boxes.
Yes — assemble everything, cover, and refrigerate before baking. When ready, bake as directed adding 10-15 minutes to account for the cold start.
Stored in an airtight container, this easy tuna casserole with mixed veggies keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk to restore the creamy texture.
You can use two cans of cream of mushroom if that’s what you have — the flavor will be slightly different but still delicious. The combination of cream of celery and cream of mushroom gives the richest flavor.
Yes, this freezes well both before and after baking. Wrap it tightly and freeze up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating.
Fresh works too — just cook them slightly longer in step 4 until they’re tender before adding the soup mixture, since fresh vegetables take a bit more time than frozen.
Yes — simply leave out the canned mushrooms. If you want to skip mushroom flavor entirely, swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken.
Any oven-safe pan that also works on the stovetop is fine; a Dutch oven or a deep, oven-safe sauté pan, both work well. If your pan isn’t stovetop-safe, just sauté the onions and vegetables separately, then combine everything in a 9×13 baking dish before baking.
Reserved pasta water contains starch from the noodles, which helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives the casserole a silkier, more cohesive texture. It’s also useful for loosening the sauce if it seems too thick before baking. If you forget to save it, plain water works in a pinch, though the sauce won’t cling quite as well.
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About the Author
Hi, I’m Mary Ann, creator of My Tasteful Threads cozy lifestyle blog where I share cozy reads, meaningful travel ideas, handmade crafts, and simple everyday cooking. Most evenings you’ll find me with yarn in one hand, a cup of tea nearby, and a good book within reach.
Stitch • Stir • Explore • Read
