Along with my Scalloped Potatoes with Mushroom and Garlic recipe, this one is another re-invention of a childhood favourite, Tuna Helper! I loved it as a kid, so I decided to make a new version using my grown-up cooking skills. This recipe feeds four adults generously, so cut the quantities in half if you’re feeding fewer people. The cream sauce has a lot of ingredients, but it comes together quickly. It’s worth all the measuring, trust and believe!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

for the cream sauce

3 tablespoons diced shallot
1 tablespoon diced garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 diced white mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped chives

for the casserole

10 oz egg noodles
8 oz canned tuna
10 oz frozen peas
4 cups crushed potato chips

To start the cream sauce, melt the butter of medium heat and sauté the shallots and garlic for about a minute. Add the flour and mix well to form a roux. Stir the roux continuously while it cooks and watch carefully. I’m colorblind, so instructions I received to remove roux from heat when it starts to darken in color were useless to me. Instead, I stop cooking roux when it starts to smell like toast. Either way, when you notice one of those things happen, remove the pan from head and add the cream and chicken stock. If you have drained your canned tuna, you can add the water from the cans as well.

Return the pan to the head and stir continuously until the sauce thickens and reaches a rolling boil. Add the shredded cheddar and stir in. When it is melted and combined, add the salt, pepper, mustard and mix. Lastly, add the mushroom and chives.

Cook the egg noddles per the package instructions and rinse with cold water in a sieve. Slightly undercooking them is a good idea since they will finish in the oven.

Combine the noodles, tuna, and peas in a large bowl, and add the cream sauce. Mix thoroughly, then transfer to a 9 x 12 baking dish. Pour the crushed potato chips over the top and smooth evenly.

Bake the casserole at 375 F for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how toasty you like your potato chip crust. Allow to cool slightly before serving.