The Pioneer Woman Shared a Super Nostalgic Casserole Recipe That Your Kids Will Devour

The tuna noodle casserole is one of those dishes that has been a part of nearly everyone’s childhood since the mid-20th century. Traditionally, it’s made with cream of mushroom soup, but Ree Drummond (a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman) has updated the dish, keeping all its nostalgic flavors but with a bit more “from scratch” flair.

To start infusing flavor into this casserole, Drummond begins this recipe by sauteeing mushrooms and onion in a bit of butter. Once softened, Drummond adds some flour to coat the veggies and then a splash of sherry to deepen the flavor. Finally, a few cups of warm milk is added, along with salt and pepper, and the sauce is left to simmer and thicken for a few minutes.

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Then, the star of the show, flaked white albacore tuna, is folded into the sauce, as is diced red pepper, parsley, and a hearty helping of cooked pasta.

“You’ve got to use egg noodles,” Drummond says in the below video from Food Network’s Instagram page.

It’s time to transfer everything into a casserole dish once everything is stirred together.

“I like a tuna noodle casserole to have a little crunch on top, [so] I’m going to use panko bread crumbs,” Drummond continues. She first toasts them in butter before sprinkling them on top of the casserole. However, you can also go the classic route and use crushed-up potato chips, too. (Drummond even has another, more traditional, tuna casserole recipe on her website that uses this topping.)

Bake the casserole for about half an hour and then let it rest before serving. Your kids are going to eat this thing up — and it’s such a fun alternative to mac and cheese. Get the full recipe for Drummond’s tuna noodle casserole from Food Network’s website and add this dish to your weekly rotation.

Before you go, check out Ina Garten’s easy weeknight dinner recipes below:

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