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Tuna Noodle Casserole with Crushed Potato Chips

Tuna Noodle Casserole with Crushed Potato Chips reads richness 4.8, sourness 4.8 and umami 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 51 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 4.8 · Sourness 4.8 · Umami 4.6 · Citrus 4.5 · Salinity 4.2 · Allium 3.6 · Marine & Briny 3.6 · Earthy 2.9 · Sweetness 2.9 · Funk & Ferment 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Bitterness 1.1 · Fruity 1.1 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Nutty 0.9 · Heat 0.8 · Floral 0.6

What's in it (15)

• hot cooked egg noodles — 340 g
• unsalted butter — 68 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• celery — 80 g
• cremini mushrooms — 227 g
• all-purpose flour — 23 g
• regular milk — 592 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• shredded sharp process cheese — 142 g
• cans albacore tuna — 150 g
• frozen peas — 237 g
• lemon juice — 15 g
• salt — 6 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• pickle chips — 473 g

Time & effort: about 51 min (46 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 153.2 kcal, 11.6 g protein, 4.3 g fat, 21.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
2. Add the egg noodles and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs, 5-6 minutes total — they'll finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms turn golden, 6-7 minutes.
5. Push the vegetables to one side of the pan, add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the cleared space, and once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking, until it smells toasty and no raw flour remains, about 1 minute.
6. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the milk and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking often, and cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar until melted and smooth, then stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
8. Fold in the drained noodles, tuna, and peas until every strand is coated in sauce.
9. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer, then scatter the crushed potato chips evenly over the top.
10. Bake until bubbling at the edges and the topping is golden, 20-22 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sheet-Pan Greek Chicken with Zucchini and Tomatoes — Greek
• Le Grand Aïoli — French · Provence
• Mediterranean Spinach Lasagna — Mediterranean
• Greek Chicken Souvlaki Salad Bowls — Greek
• Chicken Shawarma Caesar Salad — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what richness, sourness, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.