Air Fryer Tuna Casserole
Add Preferred SourceAir fryer tuna casserole is the dinner I make when the cupboard is nearly bare and nobody wants to wait on the oven. Canned tuna, a bag of frozen peas, and a few cups of egg noodles turn into a creamy, cheesy bake in about 20 minutes.
The one move that matters is pulling the noodles a couple of minutes early, so they finish in the air fryer instead of going mushy. It comes together fast, and it turns a few pantry cans into a proper dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Start to finish in about 20 minutes, and the air fryer keeps you from heating the full oven.
- It’s built from pantry cans and a bag of frozen peas, so a cup of canned tuna stretches to six servings.
- The panko and cheddar on top crisp up while the inside stays creamy.
- Each serving lands around 20 grams of protein, from the tuna and the cheese.
- It works as a main or a smaller side, and the leftovers reheat well for lunch the next day.
- A can of vegetable soup does the work of a from-scratch sauce, so there’s no roux to stir.
Ingredients You’ll Need
A few of these are worth a closer look; the printable card below has the full list with quantities.
- Egg noodles: cook them two to three minutes short of the package time, since they keep softening in the air fryer. Drain and set aside.
- Canned tuna: drain it well so the filling doesn’t turn watery. Fresh tuna works too if you cook and flake it first.
- Vegetable soup: this is the binder, doing the job cream-of-mushroom soup does in a classic tuna casserole, and it folds a little veg into the sauce. The milk loosens it.
- Frozen peas: they go in straight from the bag, no need to thaw.
- Cheddar cheese: half goes into the mix and half on top, so you get melty cheese through the middle and a browned, crisp crust.
- Panko breadcrumbs: the crunch on top. They crisp up better than regular breadcrumbs.
- Milk: it brings the filling together and keeps it creamy.
How to Make Air Fryer Tuna Casserole
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Cook the noodles short
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles 2 to 3 minutes less than the package says.
You want them just under done, because they keep cooking in the air fryer and you don’t want them mushy. Drain them and set aside.
Mix the filling
In a large bowl, stir together the drained noodles, drained tuna, the can of vegetable soup, milk, frozen peas, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix in half the cheddar so everything is coated.
Top and air fry
Grease a baking dish that fits your air fryer basket and spread the mixture in evenly. Scatter the rest of the cheddar over the top, then the panko.
Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for about 10 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
Garnish and serve
Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese over the top, followed by panko breadcrumbs for a nice crunch.
Set your air fryer to 320°F (160°C) and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle the sliced chives over the top and serve it warm, straight from the dish.
To get ahead, you can mix the filling a few hours in advance and keep it covered in the fridge; stir in a splash of milk before it goes in, and add the panko only just before cooking.
It’s best air fried fresh, and if it sits overnight the noodles will soften.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Keep the noodles under the surface of the sauce. Any that poke out can brown too hard or dry at the edges before the rest is done.
- If the filling looks dry before it goes in, stir in a little more milk. The noodles keep drinking up liquid as they sit.
- Use a dish that fits your air fryer with room around it for air to move, or the middle cooks unevenly while the top races ahead.
- Drain the tuna properly. Skipping that is the quickest way to a watery casserole.
- Taste it before it bakes. The cheese and soup carry most of the seasoning, but it often takes more salt and pepper than you’d think.
- When you don’t have an air fryer, bake it in the oven instead using the oven-baked tuna casserole.
Recipe Variations
- Stir in extra vegetables to bulk it out, like corn, diced carrots, or mushrooms, all supported here.
- For a different melt, swap some of the cheddar for Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or Swiss, all supported alternatives.
- Going gluten-free is a well-supported swap, using your favorite gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs. It comes together the same way.
- To push the protein higher, fold in cooked chicken, shrimp, or chopped hard-boiled egg along with the tuna; it’s a supported add-in.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, and eat the leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Make that within an hour if your kitchen is above 90°F (32°C), and there’s no need to cool it on the counter first, since hot food can go straight into a covered container.
To reheat, warm it in the microwave or air fryer until it’s hot through, 165°F (74°C) on a thermometer, with a splash of milk stirred in to loosen it. It also freezes well.
In airtight portions it’s best within about 2 to 3 months, and the noodles soften a little once thawed, so thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Tuna Casserole
This is rich and creamy, so I like something crisp and sharp beside it.
A tangy slaw is the easiest contrast, and this red cabbage coleslaw cuts through the cheese nicely. A plain green salad or some steamed green beans do the same job if you want to keep it simple.
To round the plate out, warm garlic breadsticks are good for mopping up the sauce.
FAQs
Yes. Cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or cream of celery all work in place of the vegetable soup. They make the casserole a little richer and drop the bit of veg the vegetable soup adds, so stir in a handful more peas if you want it back.
Yes, though egg noodles hold their shape best. Short, sturdy shapes like rotini or shells work well, while thinner pasta can go soft. Whatever you use, cook it a couple of minutes under the package time so it finishes in the air fryer.
Yes. Any air fryer works, a Ninja Foodi included, as long as your baking dish fits the basket with a little room around it for air to move. Cook times vary slightly between models, so check it at the 10-minute mark.
Yes, though it’s at its best fresh. Freezing is a fine way to get ahead, and airtight portions reheat into a good lunch, but the texture turns a little softer afterward, so I’d keep frozen portions for an easy weekday meal rather than a centerpiece dinner. The storage notes above have the timing and thawing.
More Easy Casserole Dinners
- Air Fryer Chicken Casserole, the same air-fryer routine and early-drained noodles with chicken in place of the tuna. The one to make when you want this dinner without the fish.
- Taco Casserole, beef, black beans, and crisp corn tortillas for a louder, Tex-Mex night.
- Cheeseburger Casserole, burger flavor baked into pasta for when the grill is not happening.
- Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, a hands-off bake where the chicken and rice go in raw, so there’s barely any prep.
Ingredients
- 3 cups egg noodles
- 1 cup canned tuna drained
- 1 can vegetable soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons chives thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles 2-3 minutes short of the time indicated in the package. Set aside.3 cups egg noodles
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles, tuna, vegetable soup, milk, frozen peas, salt and pepper, and half of the cheese.1 cup canned tuna, 1 can vegetable soup, 1 cup milk, 1 cup frozen peas, Salt and pepper, 2 cups Cheddar cheese
- Grease a baking pan and transfer the mixture. Top with the rest of the cheese and Panko breadcrumbs.1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- Bake in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes, or until bubbly.
- Top with sliced chives.2 tablespoons chives
- Serve and enjoy your air fryer Tuna Casserole!
Notes
Nutrition
