This creamy gluten free tuna casserole is a classic comfort food dish the whole family will love. It makes a budget-friendly meal with just a few simple ingredients. Make it in 40 minutes with your favorite gluten free pasta.
Jump to:
If you want an easy family dinner, this gluten free tuna casserole recipe is really good! It has a creamy sauce and tons of flavor. I created this tuna noodle recipe with cheese because cheese adds so much extra creaminess, but I included a dairy-free option!
Grab these simple ingredients to get started. Do check out the variations below because there are some fun ways to vary the flavors in this recipe! If you are looking for another tasty, kid-friendly gluten free casserole, you will also want to try my Gluten Free Baked Ziti Casserole.
Why This Recipe Is Great:
- It is a budget-friendly, inexpensive meal.
- You can make this tuna noodle casserole ahead to save time.
- The creamy, cheesy flavor is absolutely delicious!
- There is a dairy-free option, so anyone can enjoy this easy gluten free casserole recipe.
This is by far the best GF pasta I have had."
Rosemarie W., Facebook comment
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten Free Pasta - I used Jovial gluten-free shell-shaped pasta. Any shape of pasta is okay. I haven't tested this recipe with legume pasta brands.
- Goat Cheese - I use plain goat cheese, but regular cream cheese also works well to make this creamy gluten free tuna fish casserole.
- Cream of Chicken Soup - I love cream of chicken soup and used this instead of cream of mushroom because I added a lot of mushrooms to my recipe. You can use either one. There are only two brands of gluten free cream soups that I know of. Walmart Great Value and Pacific Companies are the two who make gluten free cream of chicken and gluten free cream of mushroom soups. Campbells just released their own gluten free versions as well.
- Vegetables - I included both onions and sliced cremini mushrooms. You can use any mushroom, and you can definitely add other vegetables. Some good options are peas, diced carrots, and cauliflower.
- Gluten Free Bread Crumbs or Panko - You can buy these or make homemade Gluten Free Bread Crumbs easily.
- Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic Powder and Dried Parsley - Always check to ensure your spices are gluten free. I like Penzey's and McCormick's brands.
I have tons of delicious easy gluten free dinner recipes on the blog. Give this easy One Pot Gluten Free Italian Pasta recipe a try too!
Substitutions:
- Make it dairy-free by substituting dairy-free cream cheese and a dairy-free cream of mushroom soup. This gluten free, dairy-free condensed mushroom soup recipe is very good. VioLife makes a really good dairy-free parmesan cheese!
- Feel free to change things up by using canned chicken or salmon instead of canned tuna.
Tips For Sucess:
- I highly recommend using either Jovial or Tinkyada brands gluten free pasta for this recipe because they hold up well to sauces and sitting in sauces.
- Check out my tips on cooking gluten-free pasta for more ways to make gluten-free pasta stays al-dente.
Variations:
- Use cream cheese instead of goat cheese.
- Add peas and other vegetables.
- Add ⅓ cup cheddar cheese to the mushroom mix when you add the other cheeses.
- Save time by skipping the baking steps and enjoy the cooked tuna fish casserole right out of the skillet!
Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
TIP: Start by cooking your gluten free pasta according to package directions, BUT cook it one minute less than what is recommended on the box. This will help prevent mushy pasta.
Step 1: While the pasta is cooking, dice your onions. Wash and slice your mushrooms. Add oil to a skillet and cook the onions and mushrooms until they are softened.
Step 2: Drain the canned tuna. Add the tuna, cream of chicken soup, and goat cheese to the skillet. Add salt, garlic powder, parsley, and pepper. Mix and reduce the cooking heat to medium-low and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 3: Cover and reduce the heat to simmer and stir to blend the contents. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
Step 5: Mix the parmesan, seasonings, and gluten free panko in a bowl.
Step 6: Pour the pasta into the mushroom mixture and mix well. Pour into an 8x8 casserole dish. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the gluten free tuna noodle casserole.
Step 7: Bake at 350º F for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Serve this dish with my kid-friendly Kale and Apple Salad!
Recipe FAQ:
I topped my tuna casserole with gluten free panko, but you can use gluten free bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed pork rinds for more fun flavor options!
Yes, canned tuna is gluten free. Always double-check, but there should not be any reason for gluten to be added to canned fish.
Any kind of tuna is okay to use, but I highly recommend using tuna packed in water and NOT oil.
This gluten free tuna casserole will keep fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
You can easily make this gluten free tuna noodle casserole ahead. Make the recipe (except for the panko topping) and put it into the casserole dish. Wrap in plastic wrap. When you are ready to bake it, mix up the panko topping and sprinkle it on top before baking.
Storage:
To store this tuna fish casserole, wrap the casserole dish with plastic wrap. If you prefer, you can store it in an air-tight container. You can freeze this tuna casserole, but note it will change the texture of the gluten free pasta drastically.
More Gluten Free Dinner Recipes:
- Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
- Easy Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
- Gluten Free Pigs in a Blanket
- Creamy Gluten Free Chicken Tetrazzini
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 ounces tuna fish 2 cans packed in water, drained.
- 12 ounces gluten free pasta * see note
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 10.5 ounces canned cream of chicken soup * see note
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms * see note
- ⅓ cup diced onions
- 1 tespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Topping
- ½ cup gluten free panko * see note
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated works best
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start by boiling your gluten free pasta according to package directions, BUT cook it one minute less than what is recommended on the box. This will help prevent mushy pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, dice your onions. Wash and slice your mushrooms. Add oil to a skillet and cook the onions and mushrooms until they are softened.
- Drain the canned tuna. Add the tuna, cream of chicken soup, and goat cheese to the skillet. Add salt, garlic powder, parsley, and pepper. Mix and reduce the cooking heat to medium-low and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cover and reduce the heat to simmer and stir to blend the contents. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the parmesan and gluten free panko in a bowl.
- Pour the pasta into the mushroom mixture and mix well. Pour into an 8x8 casserole dish. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the gluten free tuna noodle casserole.
- Bake at 350º F for 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
- I highly recommend using either Jovial or Tinkyada brands gluten free pasta for this recipe because they hold up really well to sauces and sitting in sauces. Other brands work but can get mushy. Check out my tips on how to cook gluten free pasta for more ways to make gluten free pasta stay al-dente.
- Note, I used canned cream of chicken soup. You can also use cream of mushroom soup. There are only two brands of cream soup that are gluten free. Walmart's Great Day and Pacific Foods are the two brands.
- I used cremini mushrooms but you can use any type of mushroom.
- This recipe will keep fresh in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older December 2021 post with more recipe details.
Fearless Dining
Looking for more? Get my FREE Gluten Free Lemon Desserts E-Cookbook when you sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter!
Amy
Can recommend a different canned fish? My husband can’t seem to tolerate tuna.
Sandi Gaertner
I would think any canned fish or get a little crazy and use rotisserie chicken!!
Donna T
How much goat or cream cheese. Did I miss it?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Donna, I used the little 4-ounce package of goat cheese. You could also use that amount of cream cheese if you prefer.