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Baked tuna noodle casserole in a white dish with a golden panko crust and melted cheddar showing at the cut edge

Creamy Baked Tuna Noodle Casserole with Cottage Cheese

A baked tuna noodle casserole with a cottage cheese sauce swapped in for canned cream soup, delivering 42 grams of protein per serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American comfort
Calories: 545
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Noodles and tuna
  • 12 oz egg noodles, dry, wide / 340 g
  • 3 cans canned tuna in water (5 oz / 142 g each), drained; drained weight about 360 g total
  • 1 cup frozen peas / 145 g
  • 1 yellow onion small, diced; about 110 g
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
Cottage cheese sauce
  • 2 cups cottage cheese, small curd, 2% / 450 g; blend smooth before using
  • 3/4 cup whole milk / 180 ml
  • 4 tbsp butter / 56 g, divided; 2 tbsp for onion, 2 tbsp for roux
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour / 24 g
  • 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded / 170 g, divided; 1 cup for sauce, 1/2 cup for topping
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Topping
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs / 30 g
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted / 14 g
  • 2 tbsp parmesan, grated / 10 g

Method
 

Prep and noodles
  1. Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C. Butter a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.
  2. Bring a 4-quart / 3.8 L pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Sauce
  1. In a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and the flour to the skillet. Whisk constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
  3. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat. Puree the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, then stir it into the skillet along with 1 cup of the cheddar, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese melts.
Assemble and bake
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, drained tuna, and peas. Pour the sauce over the top and fold gently until everything is coated, keeping some tuna in flakes.
  2. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  3. Mix the panko with the melted butter and parmesan. Sprinkle it over the casserole along with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar.
  4. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is golden brown.
  5. Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets.

Notes

  • Blend cottage cheese completely smooth before adding it to the sauce.
  • Drain and press the tuna dry to avoid a watery casserole.
  • Rest the casserole 10 minutes before serving so it holds its shape.
  • Divide the cheddar so half melts into the sauce and half browns on top.