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HOMEMAKING HANDBOOK

Historical wisdom for modern life

Recipe

1950s Tuna Noodle Casserole

The cupboard casserole of the 1950s: canned tuna, egg noodles, cream soup, and a crunchy crumb topping.

A casserole dish on a stove
Photo by David Trinks on Unsplash

Context

Convenience foods reshaped weeknight cooking in the 1950s. Condensed cream soup, canned tuna, and packaged noodles produced a hot meal from the pantry with little planning. Historical versions often used cream of mushroom or celery soup; peas or potato chips on top were common variations.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz egg noodles
  • 2 cans (5 oz) tuna, drained
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 1 cup crushed potato chips or buttered crumbs

Instructions

  1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
  2. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine noodles, tuna, soup, milk, and peas. Season lightly.
  3. Turn into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with crumbs or chips.
  4. Bake 25–30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Rest a few minutes before serving.