There’s something undeniably comforting about a tuna noodle casserole—it’s one of those classic dishes so many of us grew up with, bubbling away in the oven and filling the kitchen with cozy, familiar aromas. This creamy lemon dill tuna pasta bake brings that same nostalgic warmth, but with a fresh, homemade twist.

Made with tender pasta, savory mushrooms, crisp broccoli, and flaky tuna packed in heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil, it’s all wrapped in a luscious, from-scratch lemon dill sauce—no canned soup in sight. It’s a feel-good, grown-up version of the casserole you remember, perfect for a cozy night in or sharing with family.

What You Will Need to Make the Tuna Pasta Bake

Tuna

If you can find it, use tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil. You’ll love the rich flavor. I used StarKist’s Yellowfin Tuna packed in EVOO. It’s a solid tuna fillet, tightly packed with extra virgin olive oil.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Used for sauteeing the vegetables and in place of butter to make the roux for the creamy sauce. Extra virgin olive oil is full of heart-healthy unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat, making it a much better option than butter.

Onions

You can use yellow or sweet onions for this. While yellow onions are a bit more bitter, sauteeing them cuts that bitterness and makes them sweeter.

Garlic

Sauteed garlic combines with onions and the lemon to add a nice little bite to the sauce.

Mushrooms

I used crimini or baby bella mushrooms in this, but you could use white button mushrooms or chopped portabella mushrooms if you prefer. Mushrooms add a savory, umami flavor and are a classic part of a tuna casserole.

Flour

All-purpose flour makes the base for the creamy sauce.

Vegetable Broth

Vegetable broth adds a mild flavor to the creamy sauce. You could also use chicken broth if that is what you have. In a pinch you could use plain water but you’ll miss out on the extra flavor from the broth.

Dill

I used fresh dill weed in this dish, but if you only have dried, by all means, use that; just cut the amount down and use ½ or ⅓ as much.

Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest

One lemon, with the zest removed then juiced. The zest is where so much of the lemon flavor comes from, don’t skip this step!

Pasta

I used the pasta shape called Campanelle. It’s a tubular pasta with a ruffled edge that captures the sauce. But you can use whatever shape you have on hand. The more little undulations or ripples the pasta has, the more places for the sauce to cling!

Broccoli

While a classic tuna casserole or tuna pasta bake has green peas, I opted for broccoli in this. I prefer the flavor, especially when combined with lemon and dill.

Mozzarella Cheese

In place of bread crumbs or crushed crackers, I sprinkled the top with a little mozzarella cheese toward the end of baking it. To make it more MIND diet friendly, you can skip the cheese.

How to Make It

Step 1: Saute Vegetables

Start by sauteeing the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in a large skillet. You’ll want to brown the mushrooms, so cook the onions and garlic first and remove them from the pan. Then add a little more oil, turn up the heat, and add the mushrooms.

Step 2: Make the Sauce

The first step to making a good cream sauce is to make a roux. Okay, I know that sounds super fancy, but it’s a technique that is easy to do once you try it. A roux is the base for creamy sauces and gravies, so it’s a really good technique to know.

Here’s how you do it:

• Start by melting butter or, in this case, heating oil in a large skillet or sautepan.
• Once it is hot, add the flour and whisk it continuously for 2 – 3 minutes until all the flour is incorporated into the oil and the mixture starts to bubble slightly. This is IMPORTANT – cook the flour and oil, whisking for at least 2 minutes. You need to cook the flour a bit to get rid of the starchy flavor.
• Then, gradually whisk the vegetable broth into the flour mixture, whisking hard until any lumps that form are gone. You will have a nice smooth sauce.
• Once you get to this point, mix in any seasonings, like the lemon zest, lemon juice, and dill, and whisk to combine.

Step 3: Boil the Pasta and Broccoli

Boil the pasta according to the package directions in a large pan filled with boiling salted water. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli flowerettes to the water and cook them along with the pasta. Drain them and put the pasta and broccoli bake into the pan they cooked in.

Step 4: Combine the Tuna Pasta Bake:

Pour the creamy sauce over the pasta and broccoli. Mix in the onions, garlic, and mushrooms and combine everything well, making sure the pasta and broccoli are coated with sauce.

Add the tuna, being careful not to break up the chunks too much but making sure they are covered with sauce.

Pour the pasta into a large casserole dish and bake it in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. You can cover the casserole with shredded cheese when the casserole has 5 minutes left to bake or save it and serve it on the side at the table.

Variations

✅ Replace the broccoli with peas, asparagus, or another vegetable of your choice

✅ Add chopped spinach or kale in place of broccoli or in addition to it.

✅ Use crumbled crackers or bread crumbs in place of cheese as a topping.

FAQs

Storage Tips

I love having a few casseroles like this in the freezer for nights when life gets busy. Thankfully, they freeze well,l and you can store this one in the freezer for 2 – 3 months.

The pasta bake will last for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. Pull it out of the refrigerator a half hour before baking.

You can also freeze the tuna pasta bake. Remove it from the casserole dish and place it in a sealed, freezer-safe container. The night before you are planning to reheat it, thaw it in the refrigerator, and then scoop the casserole into a casserole dish to reheat. It can also be reheated in the microwave.

Other Recipes You Will Love

If you love pasta bakes and casseroles, here are a few of my other favorites!

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake with Spinach and Artichokes

Pesto Chicken Pasta

Hearty Italian Sausage Pasta Bake with Kale and Mushrooms