Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole is a modernized yet cozy version of the classic. No cream nor condensed canned soup needed!
“This was delicious! I added extra tuna and peas to bulk up the protein. Thanks for the recipe!”
I recently learned that items are considered to be “retro” if they’re least 20 years old, but not yet 40 years old.
Consider me and Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole ANCIENT then, ha!
That said, we’re giving this “classic” (that’s easier to swallow than ancient, right?) casserole a modern spin to make it gluten free and made with zero canned condensed soups.
You know what we call that? An upgrade!
Watch How to Make It
Gluten Free Tuna Noodle Casserole — No Canned Soup
I’ve been developing several new gluten free comfort foods for you, and many of them are centered around my Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup.
The French have Velouté, and I’ve got Cream of Mushroom — I am a walking, talking Midwestern stereotype! But truly, this homemade condensed soup is unbelievably delicious, made from fridge and pantry staples, and gluten free too.
ALSO, it’s made with zero cream! You can use whatever milk you have on hand — I usually use unsweetened almond milk if you can believe that.
The homemade soup joins cooked pasta, flaked tuna, peas, cheese, and crunchy potato chips to create a nostalgic, creamy, comforting, and satisfying gluten free casserole that’s a cinch to toss together.
Ingredients Needed
Raid the fridge and pantry for the everyday ingredients needed for this recipe.
For the Casserole:
- Gluten free rotini/fusilli: I highly recommend using brown rice pasta like Jovial Fusilli vs a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta. Brown rice pasta is much heartier and holds up well to being cooked then baked.
- Canned tuna: I also highly recommend Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna for this recipe. The texture and flavor are top notch. We buy this brand at Costco.
- Frozen peas: what would tuna noodle casserole be without them? No need to thaw first.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: a generous layer sprinkled on top of the tuna noodle mixture melts in the oven and adds so much to the eating experience. SO GOOD!
- Crushed potato chips: adds a satisfying crunch to each bite. I use Lay’s.
For the Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- Extra virgin olive oil: for sauting the mushrooms and shallots.
- Minced shallots: or minced onion if you don’t have shallots on hand.
- Mushrooms: either white button or baby bella mushrooms can be used.
- Butter: to create a roux which will thicken the soup.
- Gluten free flour: combines with the butter to create the roux. Use whatever blend you typically use for baking. I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Chicken broth: forms the base of the soup.
- Milk: adds creaminess to the soup. Use whatever you have on hand — I typically use unsweetened almond milk.
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, and garlic powder add lots of flavor to each bite.
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Step 1: Make the Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Start by adding chopped mushrooms and minced shallots to extra virgin olive oil in a medium-size saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid, the liquid has cooked off, and the mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes. Scrape them into a bowl then set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium then melt butter in the saucepan. Once melted, sprinkle in gluten free flour then whisk while cooking for 1 minute.
Slowly stream in chicken broth then milk while whisking to create a smooth sauce and then add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook while stirring for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce is thick and bubbly.
Add the cooked mushrooms back into the pot then stir to combine. That’s it! Feel free to make the Cream of Mushroom soup up to 3 days ahead of time.
Recipe Note
You will NOT need all of this soup for the Tuna Noodle Casserole! Scoop out a heaping 1/2 cup of the prepared soup then set it aside for another use (or eat as is — this soup is truly so delicious!)
Step 2: Cook the pasta.
Add gluten free fusilli to a large pot of salted, boiling water then cook until it’s just shy of al dente.
Again, I highly recommend using brown rice pasta vs a corn/rice blend pasta, as brown rice holds up much better to boiling and then baking.
Recipe Note
Be sure to slightly undercook the pasta as it will continue to soften in the oven.
Step 3: Combine then bake.
Drain the pasta then add it to a large mixing bowl with the prepared Cream of Mushroom Soup (minus the heaping half cup you’ve removed!), a can of drained then flaked tuna, frozen peas, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Scoop the mixture into a nonstick sprayed 8×8 casserole dish then top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Finally, sprinkle crushed potato chips on top. I love classic Lay’s Potato Chips, which are gluten free, perfectly salty, and provide the most divine crunch!
Bake the Tuna Noodle Casserole for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted, the sauce is bubbling in the corners, and the potato chips are golden brown.
Let the casserole sit and cool for 5-10 minutes then scoop onto plates and dig in!
I hope you LOVE this updated, gluten free twist on a classic cozy casserole! Enjoy!
More Gluten Free Comfort Foods
- Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Chicken Stew
- Creamy Ham Peas and Pasta
- Short Rib Ragu
- Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole
- Gluten Free Homestyle Beef and Noodles
- One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
- Gluten Free Homestyle Chicken and Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten free rotini/fusilli, Jovial brown rice fusilli recommended
- 5 oz can tuna, drained then flaked, Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna recommended
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1-1/2 cups crushed potato chips, from ~4 cups potato chips
For the Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons minced shallots
- 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 1/4 cup butter, or vegan butter
- 1/3 cup gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk, any kind
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8×8” baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
For the Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat then add the mushrooms and shallots. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms become tender, 5-7 minutes. Scrape the mushroom and shallot mixture into a bowl then set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium then melt the butter inside the pan. Sprinkle in the flour then cook while whisking for 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce then add the milk and seasonings. Turn the heat up to medium-high then cook while stirring until the soup is fairly thick, 3-4 minutes, turning the heat down if needed to prevent splattering. Turn off the heat then add the cooked mushrooms to the pan and stir to combine.
- Remove a heaping 1/2 cup prepared cream of mushroom soup for another use (or eat — it’s delicious as-is!) then scrape the remaining soup into a large mixing bowl and set it aside to cool slightly. The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
For the Casserole:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil then add the pasta and cook until it's just a touch under al dente — don’t overcook as the pasta will continue to soften in the oven. Drain then add the pasta to the mixing bowl with the slightly cooled cream of mushroom soup.
- Add the flaked tuna, frozen peas, and pepper to the mixing bowl then stir to combine. Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish then top with the shredded cheese and crushed potato chips. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly, cheese has melted, and potato chips are golden brown. Let the casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving.
Notes
- I highly recommend Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna for this recipe as it has great texture and flavor.
- I don’t recommend using a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta in baked casseroles as they tend to fall apart. Use a gluten free brown rice pasta like Jovial or Delallo fusilli.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
I doubled the peas and added a 1/2 cup shredded carrots. It was delicious!
Love it! So glad you were able to make it your own, Gail! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Hi! Could you reheat this in the oven if you have some leftover? Would covering it with foil and putting it in ~350 degree oven work?
Hi there! I do worry that the casserole would dry out in the oven, but it’s possible that could work. Personally I microwave individual sized portions to reheat.
Fantastic! Takes a bit of prep but well worth it. A new comfort food and extra special with my home canned tuna Thank you
SO happy to hear this, Laura! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I think it needed a little more salt, but other than that it was amazing and easy! No one would ever know it’s gluten free.
I’m thrilled to hear this, Corinna! As always, feel free to add salt to taste. :)
This came out delicious. Next time I’m doubling the recipe so I have more. With the standard recipe I used two cans of tuna to get extra protein and used chickpea pasta. I used all of the soup and ignored the part about keeping a portion out of it. This is a recipe that I don’t want to stop eating. Love it when I find a great recipe. Thanks!
I’m SO glad this was a hit, Sherry!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating – I really appreciate it!
This was delicious! I added extra tuna and peas to bulk up the protein. Thanks for the recipe!
Love it, Libby! So glad you enjoyed. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I can’t wait to make this! Reminds me of Iowa. Potato chips on top was mom’s recipe too.
Love your site always! Hugs to your whole family!
This is a total Midwest recipe, you are so right!! Sending hugs to you all too!
This recipe is tagged as dairy free but it has cheese in it. Is there something your family does to make this work?
Hi Emily! I use vegan butter in the soup, and dairy-free cheese can be used instead of regular cheese in the casserole. Our family likes Violife cheese the best — that said, I typically make a personal-sized casserole for my daughter who has a dairy allergy using her vegan cheese, then use cheddar cheese on the other portion for the rest of the family, as they don’t love the flavor/meltability of vegan cheese.
Love your recipes! Do you think I could prep this ahead and freeze just before baking?
Oh I’m so glad to hear that, Jen! I don’t typically love freezing cooked gluten free pasta because it can so easily fall apart when thawing>>reheating, BUT brown rice pasta has a better chance of thawing/baking well vs a corn/rice blend pasta!
Thank you! I was mostly concerned about the homemade soup portion. We aren’t GF so I’ll be able to use a freezable pasta. My kids will love this!
Oh gotcha! Yep, the soup freezes just fine, and you can use regular all-purpose flour in the soup instead of GF. I hope it’s a hit, Jen!
What quantity of canned cream of mushroom soup should I use in this recipe? Wanting to make it tonight but only have a can of soup and not all the ingredients to make from scratch!
Hi Kayln! After removing the 1/2 cup prepared soup, there’s ~3 cups soup left to add to the dish. I think 2-1/2, 10oz cans should cover it. I have not tested this soup with canned condensed soup so I can’t speak to the seasoning/sodium levels in the final dish!
Have you tried Bonza chickpea pasta? Does it hold up?
Hi Karen! I haven’t, but if you feel Banza is a sturdy enough pasta that could hold up to boiling then baking, you could definitely give it a try!
Being a retired Sailor, while at sea, about all we had, external to the chow hall, was various canned fish, tuna and various forms of sardines mostly. There is not enough you, or anyone, can do to get me to eat either, even in my old age (just shy of 80).
Nice try kiddo
Ha! Well, to each their own, and I can definitely empathize with where you are coming from!