Easy Tuna Casserole with Gruyere Cheese and Piquillo Peppers is an upgraded version of the classic tuna noodle casserole. Spiked with a bit of white wine and topped with buttery parmesan breadcrumbs – Yum!
Today I’m putting a twist on the classic tuna noodle casserole – Spiking it with piquillo peppers, a splash of white wine and lots of melty gruyere cheese. Trust me guys – This is going to be the best tuna noodle casserole you’ve ever put in your mouth… My husband said so.
We were talking the other day about how I always bring treats in to work and no one really eats them – Sweet stuff like these Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, this Blackberry Galette or these Blondies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. The people I work with have way more self-restraint than I do… Then Rick said: “You should bring this Tuna Noodle Casserole into work. I’ll bet everyone would devour it. It’s so good!”
Maybe I should try that next…. But for now, I’ve been bogarting all the leftovers for myself. I’ve seriously eaten this tuna noodle casserole for dinner, lunch the next day, and then dinner the next night… Needless to say, it reheats well.
The layers of ingredients in this easy tuna noodle casserole are key…
Tuna Noodle Casserole Ingredients
- Gruyere cheese with its nutty tanginess
- A good glug of white wine for some bright acidity
- Piquillo peppers, which have a rich, sweet and smoky flavor
- A golden-brown topping of panko and parmesan
How Do You Make Tuna Noodle Casserole?
One tip I have for you when making this easy tuna noodle casserole is to be sure to cook your pasta just shy of al dente – Give it a minute or two less than the suggested cooking time. That way, when everything gets combined and baked together, your pasta won’t be a mushy, soggy mess. Instead, it will hold its shape and texture.
Blending all the flavors together is the creamy white wine sauce. Made with milk, chicken stock and a bit of white wine, its tanginess is the perfect match to the creamy gruyere cheese, the sweet peas and the smoky piquillo peppers. Look for jarred piquillo peppers in the pickle aisle of your local market. I’ve found them to be readily available. However, if you can’t find them, you can also use pimento peppers or fire roasted red peppers. These are all peppers that don’t pack any heat, but instead have a sweet, smoky flavor to them.
And then, to top off this easy tuna noodle casserole is the most glorious golden brown topping of crispy panko breadcrumbs, nutty parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. It was hard not to just eat it all up as I was “taste-testing” it for doneness before topping the casserole with it. Bake it all together in the oven for about 15 minutes until it’s nice and bubbly and enjoy!
If you loved this Tuna Casserole recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
Tuna Casserole Recipe
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Gruyere Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 ounces farfalle pasta
- 5 Tbsp. butter (divided)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 4 Tbsp. flour
- 1/2 cup white wine (or dry vermouth)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 cup piquillo peppers (diced (6 ounces))
- 4 3- ounce pouches Blue Harbor Albacore Tuna in Water with Sea Salt (flaked)
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese (grated)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook the farfalle pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and garlic, cook over moderate heat, until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in flour and cook 1-2 minutes; add white wine (or dry vermouth) and stir. Add stock and milk, and bring to a bubble. Cook the sauce over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6-8 minutes.
- To the sauce, add the cooked farfalle pasta, frozen peas, piquillo peppers, tuna, gruyere cheese, and lemon juice and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish.
- In a small skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the panko and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute, stir in the parsley and parmesan. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the casserole and bake for 15 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Wine Pairings for Tuna Casserole:
- The bright citrus and herbal notes of a Sauvignon Blanc make a perfect match for this tuna casserole.
- For a fun pairing, and to really give this tuna noodle casserole an upgrade, pair it with a sparkling wine like Cava.
Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Be sure to try these too:
30-Minute Zucchini Pizza Boats
5-Minute Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Wow this sounds awesome! A perfect remix to the classic tuna noodle casserole.
Thanks Kelsey!
This looks so good! I’m really liking your suggestion of taking it to work instead of donuts! Fill people up with hearty and savory goodness!
Thanks Tamara 🙂 I will definitely need to try that soon… Except, tuna casserole makes the breakroom smell a lot less appealing than doughnuts… 😉
This is definitely fancier (and a million times prettier!) than the traditional tuna noodle casserole that I make at home 🙂 I would love to try your recipe because… gruyere cheese! I haven’t had it in so long and really, it’s delicious. I love how you used bowtie pasta too. Your recipe is beautifully photographed and I’m so happy to have discovered your blog!
Thanks so much Linnea! It’s always fun to “fancy up” the classics a bit… And wine makes everything better in my book!
Oh, yum! This sounds amazing, I must try this (since I love tuna and casserole, and omg, this seems so good!)
Thank you!!! I hope you enjoy. Cheers!
Wow! Thanks for sharing this. I made a scallion casserole last week and i will love to make the tuna noodle casserole you just displayed this week. Thanks
I hope you enjoy Andre!
Now THIS takes me back. As a kid I loved tuna noodle casserole, and now as an adult I can only imagine the creamy goodness PLUS gruyere . Amazing.
Erin, what a good idea to slightly undercook your pasta so the casserole doesn’t get soggy!
Yes – It definitely helps and the casserole looks prettier when it doesn’t turn to mush!
I love tuna casserole and also gruyere cheese. I love alone and will not have to share. 😁 Thank you!
Ooh this looks so good and like such a classy upgrade of a classic!
Thanks Kelsey!
Made this last night, and hubby and I both loved it. I was able to use closer to 15 oz of pasta, and I used regular roasted red peppers as I couldn’t find piquillo. I considered skipping the breadcrumb/parmesan topping to save time, but very glad I didn’t. It was worth it! It did take me closer to an hour (rather than the posted 40 minutes) to make this – but worth the extra wait!
I’ve made this a couple times now and both myself and my boyfriend absolutely love it. We both go for seconds every time. The sauce is pretty runny, so I would up the flour a little or reduce the milk/stock mixture. Besides that, I make it exactly as written. Very scrumptious.
I’m so glad you liked it Hannah!
How bout using sun dried tomatoes instead of the peppers?
Sounds like a great swap Jon!