This from scratch tuna casserole is comfort in a dish!!
No canned cream of anything soup in this one! You won’t believe how easy it is to make a rich and creamy sauce with no dairy and only clean ingredients!
This gluten free casserole is especially flexible as it can be adapted for paleo, keto, AND Whole30 diets!
Comfort food! This gluten free dairy free tuna casserole will satisfy on any cool day! Easily made paleo, keto, or Whole30 compliant.
I worked out a recipe for this some months back when I had a plethora of tuna in the pantry to be used. I have tried multiple recipes over the last couple of years and just kept tweaking to find a recipe I liked best.
Gluten free dairy free tuna casserole really CAN taste great without a can of cream of mushroom soup (and if you read the labels on those cans, you’ll be happy to cook from scratch anyways).
Dairy free tuna noodle casserole ingredient notes:
- My favorite gluten free noodles are the Tinkiyada brand…no one can ever tell the difference!
- I like to use ghee, which is butter with all the milk solids (aka casein) removed. Any butter or oil will work though!.
- We use Wild Planet Tuna…it is wild caught and canned in small batches and retains its’ Omega 3’s in canning…great stuff!
PERSONALIZE IT, JAZZ IT UP:
This is a great basic gluten free dairy free tuna casserole. There are lots of great ways to change it up and make it your own:
- Add any variety of vegetables like peas, broccoli, spinach, or cauliflower.
- Add some spicy heat by using red pepper flakes or some cayenne.
- Mayonnaise (my homemade one linked) is a great addition instead of the cheese for some richness.
- A few tablespoons white wine or nutritional yeast would add some different flavor depth to the sauce.
- For the topping you could use crushed up potato chips or some sliced almonds mixed with butter and garlic. Have fun…I know I always do!
Can I make this a paleo, low carb, or Whole30 tuna casserole?
- This will work with roasted spaghetti squash as a stand in for the noodle…just add an egg in to help absorb some of the water! Let me know if you try it! A reader did and loved it! 2- 3 cups noodles will suffice…but ultimately your choice!
- The almond/ghee/garlic topping in recipe card works well. You could also use pork rinds whirred in a blender to make crumbs to replace the almond flour.
- You could also leave all noodles out (low carb or otherwise) and bake the creamy coated tuna with the garlic topping by all by itself. Then serve along side (or on top of) some sautéed veggies or cauli rice (This is how I do it for myself!). I really like it on top of a simple sautéed shredded cabbage!
- I like to use cassava flour to thicken the creamy sauce since it has such a neutral flavor, but any grain free flour will work. This works for paleo and Whole30 variations.
- I love serving this up with a side of simple sautéed broccoli with a kick!
Like casseroles? Here are some more to try!
- This Paleo Pepperoni Pizza Casserole is one my personal favorites!
- 30+ Paleo Casseroles (A round up) – so many to choose from!
- Cauliflower Mac & Cheese w/ Sausage & Kale is pretty darn magical!
- This Mexican ground beef casserole is full of all your favorite south of the border flavors in a convenient single dish!
If you need even more inspiration, check out this tater tot casserole!
Gluten Free Dairy Free Tuna Casserole Recipe:
Did you make this recipe? I want to know! Leave a comment below and let me know what version YOU tried!
Gluten Free &; Dairy Free Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry gluten free noodles I use either Trader Joe's brand or Tinkiyada, or roasted spaghetti squash noodles
- 3 tablespoons allowed butter or ghee or olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper finely diced
- 2-3 stalks celery finely diced
- 1/4 cup sweet rice flour or any mild tasting flour, this is for thickening only, so coconut flour (2T), cassava, or a starch for Whole30 or keto
- 2 cups unsweetened plant milk I use unsweetened coconut or almond milk, this could be part chicken stock too
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard you can use more if you like extra tang like we do. I sometimes add zest of one lemon here too, it is amazing in this!
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard could add more if you like extra tang
- 3/4 teaspoons sea salt to taste
- 1/4 cup homemade mayo OR 1 cup grated allowed cheese
- 2 cans albacore tuna drained. I like Wild Planet
Topping:
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (I make my own crumbs by whirring old pieces of various gluten free bread in my food processor. OR 3/4 cup almond flour works for a paleo option! Or crushed pork rinds.
- 2 tablespoons butter Or ghee OR avocado oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350 degrees.
- In a saucepan, boil noodles until very al dente..remember they will cook further in the casserole a bit. Alternately, roast your spaghetti squash and cool to shred.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat.
- Add your preferred butter (any oil would work too) to heat gently.
- Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and saute for 5-8 minutes to soften.
- Mix in the flour and stir to coat the vegetables evenly.
- In a glass measuring cup, mix the milk and mustards and pour into the vegetables, stirring to blend.
- Continue to stir until the mixture is thick and turn off the heat.
- Add the salt to taste and the mayo or cheese. Stir to blend, taste, and add more mustards, mayo, or salt to your taste.
- Stir in the noodles of choice and the tuna and mix to blend.
- Pour into a greased 12 x 8 pan.
- Topping: Mix together the breadcrumbs or almond flour, melted butter, and minced garlic and sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake in the oven until hot, bubbly, and the topping is crispy. About 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 477kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 24gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 885mgPotassium: 403mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1380IUVitamin C: 32.9mgCalcium: 146mgIron: 1.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Came across this recipe a couple of years ago, and it’s a favorite for the colder months! I add Old Bay seasoning to mine; otherwise, cook as written and it’s a family-pleaser each time. It can be hard to find simple dairy-free comfort food, and this fits the bill perfectly. Thank you for creating and sharing it!
Old Bay is such a great idea Abby, thanks for taking to the time to comment and support!!
Delicious! We are just transitioning to GF and DF lifestyle. It’s hard to do after 40 years!
This was absolutely delicious. My son had his over GF noodles, mum and I used zoodles. I used leftover cooked salmon from a couple nights before.
We have leftovers and are looking forward to them tonight.
I was dubious about the mayo but it works.
Thanks so much
I know, the mayo is so odd, but it adds richness without the dairy!! Glad it was enjoyed Liv!
Do you know about how many servings 1 recipe makes? It looks great add I’m excited to try it soon!
The nutritional info is calculated for 5 servings. Totally depends on your appetite, I would say between 4-6 servings
What’s the bake time please?
I’ve updated the recipe so that it is in the directions list, thanks for catching that! It was only listed in the top of the recipe card!
Made this last night and OMG!!! It was so delicious and tasted just like my mom’s from childhood. I definitely did not expect it to taste so similar to the original being GF/DF. (I swapped peppers for green peas and used only dijon mustard ) This is going in the regular rotation for sure…thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it Jessie!
I made this tonight (it’s actually in the oven as I type!). The only changes I made was adding peas & I added some old bay seasoning to the panko crumbs. I also toasted the panko crumbs in olive oil before adding to the top of the casserole. The tuna and noodle mix was sooo tasty already, I can’t wait until it’s all baked! Thanks so much for the recipe – my husband can’t tolerate casein so even lactose-free options don’t work for us. He’s happy to have this comfort food again!
thanks Jen!!
Uhhh, mustard and mayo??!! I was craving tuna noodle casserole so I tried the recipe anyway. Yes, it does work. This is a keeper. Thanks so much!
Seems so weird, I agree! But it creates magic dairy free goodness!
This is the tastiest tuna casserole I ever ate. I used rice shell macaroni, spicey honey mustard instead of the yellow and Dijon mustards, coconut flour for thickening, vanilla flavored almond milk and no mayo. Next time I make it, I will add my harvested dried bolete mushrooms. Also I didn’t have any breadcrumbs so I didn’t have a crumble crust. I covered the dish with foil and baked for 40 minutes. I have been having IBS with diarrhea this year and I put myself on a dairy-free and gluten-free diet before my GI Dr appointment and I now have been 3 1/2 weeks symptom free. It was easy to substitute foods that I like to eat thanks to my local grocery store. Only thing I didn’t like was the price, but if I have to make a diet change to make my life better, then I will do it. Thanks for the recipe, and I hope you might try my version some day.
I love you made it your own and that you enjoyed it so much Fran!
Tried your recipe tonight. Wow! I was a little skeptical about the mustards but the tastes blended well with all the other flavors. Loved the almond flour and butter crumbs. I topped the casserole with non-dairy mozzarella cheese then the crumbs. I tried the oat milk I buy but wasn’t sold on the taste so I used chicken broth in the mixture. Glad I did. Husband, adult son (neither have food limitations) and I went for seconds. Definitely a go-to recipe when we want tuna casserole.
Happy to hear it Marie, thanks for letting me know!
Was wondering what I could add instead of onion? It looks interesting and I love tuna bake. Thanks
Do you need to avoid onion completely? Green onions, chives could work, you could also omit and increase the other umami builders to taste (lemon, mustard, garlic).
Can you use salmon instead of tuna? My 16 month old cannot eat tuna (or gluten or eggs ) and I am looking for quick recipes to make the whole family that are healthy.
Definitely Elizabeth!
I don’t eat alot at one time, if I use gluten free pasta, will it taste good when I reheat my leftovers of this tuna casserole?
Sure, I eat leftovers for lunches all the time and still very much enjoy them!
This looks really good! Instead of the noodles, could I use zucchini noodles/zoodles? Thanks!
Yes Sara! My suggestion is to bake the casserole separately sans zucchini noodles, and the quickly heat them when you ae ready to serve the casserole over the top! Zucchini noodles have so much water, cooking them together might effect the recipe in an unintended way.
I’m wondering if I could use vegan/dairy free cream cheese instead of mayo (as I can’t eat eggs). Any thoughts?
Yes heather, I think that could work well. Will you let me know? I think it will add good thickness and a creamy texture.
You could use vegan mayo. That’s what I use instead of mayo.
This is one of my “go to” recipes since taking grains and dairy out of my diet for health reasons. It’s delicious and it makes me so happy to have a meal that I loved when I was growing up. I‘ve been making it successfully with spaghetti squash instead of noodles. Thank you so much!
Great to know Erica, thanks so much for sharing! I usually make the casserole for my family and leave a bit of the casserole sans noodles in a smaller baking dish for myself. I want to try with spaghetti squash too!
This casserole is SO delicious and comforting. We doubled the noodle quantity using the quinoa macaroni noodles from Costco and added a little more milk and cheese. We all went back for seconds! Oh! And had hot sauce on the side.😋
Do you know what the size of your servings break down into; I. E cups, etc.?
not exactly, but probably apx 1.5 cups pr serving? I would say are typical portion sizes are not oober small portions, healthy appetites here. Obviously subjective, but in case it is helpful!
Wow! I was kind of skeptical when I was preparing this, but it turned out amazing! I’m honestly lazy and I didn’t do any of the steps, just mixed it all together and threw it in the oven. I also added a little bit of brewer’s yeast, garlic powder and onion powder. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
wow, I’m impressed dump and cook style works!!! I LOVE dump and cook!! Glad you liked it Jessica!
Loved this! Thanks for sharing.
Isn’t SO much better than kinds made with convenience foods? Glad it was enjoyed, thanks for your comment Samantha!
What can i use in place of mayo? And is ghee truly dairy free?
A vegan cheese that melts, possibly a cashew based sour cream or cream cheese…you’re trying to add a richness to the sauce. Ghee is only casein free, but any vegan margarine will work.
I was just talking with a friend about Tuna Noodle Casserole (both of our moms used to make it). I am so glad I found your GF, DF, healthier version. Thanks!
If this is dairy free then why is there a can of unsweetened milk as part of the recip
I use either unsweetened coconut or almond milk usually. Looks like
I omitted that after stating
The brand, I’ll fix
It!
Under Instructions 9. you need an edit–I’m sure you’ll see what it is 🙂
Thank you for the yummy recipe!
LOL!! Who knows how I missed that one, too funny!! Thanks for playing editor, glad you liked the recipe!
Thanks for this great recipe! I made it tonight for dinner and it turned out delicious. I used store-bought mayo, unsweetened almond milk, and used sliced almonds for the topping. I also added red pepper flakes for some spice–came out creamy and flavorful. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers!
Thanks Sarah…getting feedback is what we bloggers love!! This is the tuna casserole recipe that changed my my mind!!
Wow this was great! I loved the idea of mustard and added about 4x the amount but could probably have added more. Even added a bit of rice vinegar to punch it up a bit.
yes, I usually add more too…I love the zing!! Thanks for your feedback David!
Can I prepare this to a point and then refrigerate (or freeze) for a quicker option on a weeknight?
Yes David, it’s four ounce cans!
yes…prepare everything minus the noodles and freeze!!
yes, either prepare, cover, and refrigerate for a few days, or prepare everything SANS noodles and freeze.
for the albacore tuna, what size of can? (I have 4oz and 12oz cans…I assume 4oz?)
Thank you so very much for this recipe! I did a few tweaks for personal taste, but the framework of this recipe yielded a very close match to the taste of the casserole from my childhood. My tweaks were as follows: I doubled the noodles and used the spiral pasta from Tinkiyada. I substituted 10 oz of organic frozen peas (cooked) and a handful of shredded organic carrots (readymade from the produce section) for the bell pepper and celery. Next time, I will bump the rice flour up to 1/3 cup and the unsweetened cashew milk up to 3 cups to accommodate the increase in pasta. I did use more mustard and that tip was excellent! I also used the almond meal option for the topping and it was outstanding.
Thanks Kiki! Glad your tweaks worked, thanks for sharing them with us!
Awesome looking recipe. I was looking for a dairy free version that didn’t have chicken stock in it! I currently have a pretty restrictive diet so that my 6 month old son does not get sick after nursing. I have to avoid black pepper, chicken, dairy, and tomatoes. His reaction to chicken really surprised me and was the hardest trigger to identify. Thanks for the recipe. We are trying it tonight.
I hope it made you guys happy Danielle! It always pleased everyone who I make it for….I use the mayo version consistently now, it is my fav!
My daughter’s fiance had multiple food allergies and I had a craving for old fashioned tuna noodle casserole. I honestly had never made it myself and didn’t realize how draped in dairy it was. I made it and then felt terribly guilty as he heated a “healthy” microwave meal. Today my goal is to find a dairy free recipe and create it for Ethan. I’m so impressed by your work for your child and your generosity in sharing these finds with those of us not so creative or apt to start a blog. Thank you, Tessa and all of you who have shared ideas. I feel so ignorant, as I don’t know the terms you use with ease.
Hi Judith! It is a whole new world…one unknown to me 5 years ago! The good news is, with so many food allergy bloggers out there…you have a lot of resources to find some safe and healthy foods for next time!!
I made this for my family this evening. I used Barilla’s Gluten Free Elbows, Daiya Mozzarella Shreds and I was plumb out of celery, but celery seed worked well in a pinch. Both of my boys (one of which has multi-food allergies) asked for multiple helpings. That is SUCCESS in this house. This recipe has a great base for other yummy casserole ideas brewing in my head. Thank you so much for sharing!
Awesome Shannon! Thanks so much for sharing your tweaks! I appreciate the feedback!
Wow! I had a craving for tuna noodle casserole, and this hit the spot! I did it with zucchini ribbons 🙂 next time I’ll decreas the liquid about, but adding egg did help with that. Thank you!
Glad you liked it Daria…and good to know about the zucchini noodles…I would anticipate a lot more water content with those too…i would probably attempt to salt and drain them for time to get as much of the water out as possible…I would hate to dilute the flavor! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Thank you for your recipe as I have just been put on a Fodmap Diet it has given me some ideas as how to do it. I can not have onion or peppers and have lactose milk so I am going to see how it goes with these modifactations.
Hi Patricia! Hope it works well for you…I’d love to hear about the FODMap modifications you tried, readers love reading about them! I would beef up the flavor, maybe the green parts of the green onions diced finely? Regular milk should work great!
oh and galric infused oils would be great too…either one you have made yourself or Trader Joes sells one for 3.99!
Just made this…came out delish! Thank you!!!
You’re welcome Tiffany! Thanks for letting me know!
We did this tonight PALEO (well, more Primal I guess as we did use dairy) with the spaghetti squash and an egg. DELISH!! I added a little more mustard and used the almond, garlic, olive oil topping. Also didn’t have a pepper, so did carrots instead. A keeper…thanks!
so glad to hear a Paleo version worked! Thank you for letting me know Kim!
Tuna noodle casserole?? This is one of those comfort dishes that just get better and better the more I eat them. Yours looks amaze!!
Yum! I love tuna casserole but always associate it with boxed mac and cheese. This will be a great guide to make a Paleo version! thanks 🙂
Gee, this looks so yummy!
Yum! I’d like to try this with salmon.
I made this with salmon last night, because I raided my pantry and was all out of tuna. It turned out great and the recipe worked really well. I was a little leery of subbing mayo for cheese as suggested, but it tasted really good.
It adds a touch a richness CHiara, kind of unexpected, but oh so good! Thanks for taking the time to give me some feedback!