Mom’s Tuna Casserole with chips is one of those classic dishes that was on every dinner table across the country back in the day, including ours. This fast meal graced our table most often during Lent, but we begged Mom to make it at least monthly.
Tuna Casserole with potato chips was a staple in our house growing up, and both Barbara and I remember always liking it. However, Barbara was a little hesitant about making it for her girls because she didn’t think it would be something they like.
Well on a Friday during Lent, our Mom just happened to be over while Barbara was preparing dinner so she decided to give this easy casserole a try. Mom’s version of classic tuna casserole is a old-fashioned version containing peas and crushed potato chips on top.
Boy oh boy, is Barbara glad she gave it another shot. It might not be fancy but both girls had two helpings! So Mom for the win.
It’s safe to say that we will keep the pantry staples needed for this recipe on hand all the time. What’s it take? Cream of Chicken Soup, milk, canned tuna, frozen peas, salt, egg noodles, and potato chips. These are old-fashioned ingredients but we almost always have them on hand. We love the fact that we can use up all those leftover crushed potato chips as the perfect crunchy topping on this casserole.
Mom’s Tuna Casserole with Chips
A couple of tips from Barbara when making this tuna casserole from scratch.
First, par-cook the noodles so they are just slightly under-done. They will finish cooking in the oven once mixed into the rest of the ingredients.
You could use another type of tuna, but Barbara likes the big chunks of the chunk light tuna. You might even be able to trick those kiddos who think they don’t like tuna into believing it’s chicken, just saying.
How To Make This Classic Tuna Casserole with Potato Chips
Full recipe for classic tuna casserole can be found at the bottom of this post.
Parboil egg noodles for about 6 minutes; drain. Spray a 1-quart cooking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Mix together cream of chicken soup, milk, tuna, peas, salt and drained noodles. Pour in the casserole dish and top with crushed potato chips. Cook in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Looking for other Lent-friendly recipes? Try our Salmon Casserole, Tuna Salad Coneys, Low-Carb Salmon Patties or Easy Baked Tilapia.
Linking up to Weekend Potluck.
Mom's Tuna Casserole with potato chips is one of those classic dishes that was on every dinner table across the country back in the day, including ours.
- 10.5 oz. can Cream of Chicken soup
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 5 oz. cans, chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups egg noodles par-cooked and drained
- 1 cup potato chips crumbled
- Bring a pot of water to boil, and cook egg noodles for about 6 minutes. Drain. These will finish cooking in the oven.
- Spray a 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Mix together soup, milk, tuna, peas, salt, and drained noodles.
- Pour into casserole dish and top with potato chips.
- Cook in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
- First, par-cook the noodles so they are just slightly under-done. They will finish cooking in the oven once mixed into the rest of the ingredients.
- You could use another type of tuna, but Barbara likes the big chunks of the chunk light tuna. You might even be able to trick those kiddos who think they don't like tuna into believing it's chicken, just saying.
- Looking for other Lent-friendly recipes? Try our Salmon Casserole, Tuna Salad Coneys, Low-Carb Salmon Patties or Easy Baked Tilapia.
Referral links are used in this post.
Linking up to Meal Plan Monday!
Sounds good! i still love this dish and it was one of the first things I learned to cook while still at home as a teenager–same recipe. I sometimes use macaroni instead and make it on the stove top or in the oven. If in the oven, our topping of choice is rolled cracker crumbs with dots of butter rather than the potato chips. Think I’m going to cook some up soon as we haven’t had it for a long time and it’s a perfect winter food! Love the combo and get my fix in the summer with macaroni and tuna salad–just add chopped onions and exchange cream soup/milk for Miracle Whip. Stir and let mellow in fridge for a few hours.
It’s super simple but just such a classic! The crackers and butter topping sounds delicious too! We love a good cold tuna/pasta salad too!
the recipe I used had sour cream, mushroom soup, peas, pimento and crushed potato chips on top.Does anyone have that recipe?
That one sounds good too. We’ll keep our eyes open as we are looking through our older cookbooks.
To Roberta Gabor … Your sour cream/pimento recipe sounds good! I Googled TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE MADE WITH SOUR CREAM, and got several returns. Maybe your recipe is among them.
I’m so happy that I read all these comments!
I had no noodles, but I did have tiny pasta shells, and I had no cream of chicken soup, but I did have cream of mushroom. I had frozen peas, but I added some par-cooked green beans too.
It came out great!
And I think small broccoli florets (pre-steamed to partial doneness) sounds very good, too. I do love peas, so I’ll probably always have some of those in it and just add some of the green beans or broccoli as well. (Frozen peas are great when added right from the freezer, but I par-steamed the green beans and will do the same with petite broccoli florets.)
There are lots of good suggestions here. I’ll definitely be trying the asparagus addition. Thank you! And thanks for the clarification on the dry pasta measurement.
This the same as my mother’s but she used cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken
Honestly, our mom used whatever cream soup she had in the cabinet! Sometimes cream of chicken, sometimes cream of mushroom, sometimes cream of celery!
Covered or uncovered to cook it?
Cook it uncovered!
I usually top mine with grated cheddar cheese, Italian bread crumbs, then paprika.
That sounds good too!
I was wondering where the cheese was. Ain’t right w/o some cheese.
I’m about to make this and I’m wondering if the noodle amount is 2c measured out of the dry noodles or a 16oz package of noodles. Big difference. The package I have is 12oz but is a little over 4c dry. But 2c looks like so little. ??? I’m boiling the whole package and winging it. ?
Sorry, I was traveling yesterday so I didn’t see your question until today. It is 2 cups of dry noodles. It’s a smaller casserole so if you do make it with more noodles, I’d just add a second can of soup. Hope it turned out OK for you. I hate winging it with recipes (Barbara loves winging it) so I hate that I didn’t see your question before you made it!
Oh my gosh did we grow up in the same house lol! Beloved favorites tuna casserole, salmon or tuna patties, chipped beef and creamed gravy, I bet you guys had farmers potatoes, too (sliced and cooked in skillet with onions and bacon omg). I’ve been craving both salmon patties and tuna casserole and this just sealed the deal lol. Enjoyed uour post, thanks for sharing ♡
Sounds like our homes were really similar. We just called them fried potatoes but they were a staple!
I think I also grew up in your house. my mom made all of what yours did. Kraft macaroni and cheese with the salmon patties
The classics of the 1980s and 1990s!
Are YOU kidding…. this is 1950 – 60’s foods!!! Yummy!!!
We think it’s a classic no matter what decade!!
You are so right Carolyn. 50s and 60s.
Lisa, sounds a lot like my house, too! I grew up in small-town northeast Kansas. We ate a lot of salmon patties, tuna casserole, and fried potatoes with onion cooked in bacon grease. Oh, man, those were the days!! I have this tuna casserole in the oven right now, and I added a little onion powder, a little garlic powder, and dried dill.
Those dishes sound familiar! Hope you enjoyed the tuna casserole!
Have you ever tried it with canned chicken instead? What about a different green, like broccoli? My hubby doesn’t like peas so I’m trying to think of something else to include! Thanks!
We’ve done it with chicken and it is great. You could leave the peas out for sure. Broccoli should work but we haven’t tried it. We have added cheese and that’s yummy too!
I have made it with green beans before because my daughter didn’t like peas when she was little and it turned out fine.
If I double the recipe how much cooking time should I add??
It should take an extra 15 minutes. It really just needs to heat through!
I have this in the oven, baking as J type 😀
I loved this recipe growing up And it was good! My mom did the same (using whatever cream of soup on hand). I doubled the recipe because my husband wants more for tomorrow. And I like to make extra to take over to My grown children’s homes 😀
Ah…the memories.
Yay! So glad you are enjoying it. We loved it growing up and we love it today!
How so I convert this to fit a 3 qt dish?
If you are wanting to make this in a 3-quart dish, you might want to double the recipe. Or you could make another cup or two of noodles and then adjust your wet ingredients so that it’s not too dry – add another can of soup.
I’M GOING TO MAKE THIS USING CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS SPEARS CUT INTO PIECES. MY FAMILY ABSOLUTELY HATES HOT TUNA( I PERSONALLY LOVE IT WITH TUNA). I’LL BE USING CANNED ASPARAGUS SO THAT IT WILL BE SOFT. I’M SOOOO LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING THIS RECIPE!!!!
Let us know how it turns out!!
I’M PUTTING IT TOGETHER NOW,I WLL DEFINITELY LET YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT❤❤❤
1950s!