I tried Andrew Zimmern's 30-minute casserole recipe—now I can't stop making it

"I could write a whole book about this dish."

When I heard that Andrew Zimmern released a new cookbook designed to serve as "a sustainable seafood bible," I went searching for it immediately.

Like many food lovers, I grew up watching Zimmern travel the world on "Bizarre Foods." Those of us from New England had extra reason to cheer when he stopped at my husband’s family restaurant, The Daily Catch, back in 2012. During the visit, he tried the restaurant’s skate and black pasta, signature dishes my husband’s father, Paul Freddura, helped popularize back in the 1970s.

Skate, a flat cartilaginous fish related to rays and sharks, has long faced pushback in the seafood industry. Because of its biology, it must be handled and processed carefully after being caught; otherwise, it can develop a strong ammonia-like smell. For that reason, many fishermen and distributors avoided it, and large amounts were often discarded or undervalued.

Rather than letting a perfectly edible fish go to waste, The Daily Catch embraced the challenge. By learning how to handle and prepare skate properly, they turned an overlooked fish into a delicious and sought-after dish that Zimmern tasted and adored.

Zimmern’s latest book, "The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future," highlights ways to cook seafood more thoughtfully, from lesser-known species to smarter uses for familiar ingredients. While flipping through the pages, one recipe in particular stopped me: a tuna noodle casserole that Zimmern introduced as a dish he "could write a whole book about."

The choice might surprise fans who associate Zimmern with eating dishes like fermented shark or sea cucumbers. Instead, he celebrates a humble Midwestern staple that turns a can of tuna into the centerpiece of a comforting casserole.

Andrew Zimmern's Comforting Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

"In the Midwest, where I live, casseroles and hot dishes are a religion in the kitchen," Zimmern writes in the book. "Is there a recipe more polarizing than one for hot tuna mixed with noodles and baked? I don’t think so."

In an interview with Allrecipes, he elaborated. "Tin fish is the ultimate convenience food, making tuna noodle casserole the ultimate pantry dinner. It can be ready in a short amount of time, it feeds a large group, and it does so elegantly and inexpensively. It helps to clear out the vegetable crisper, too!"

"Casseroles and hot dishes are the Midwestern foods of legend. They are our culture's contribution to working people's food, baked in large trays to feed hungry people. I adore the addition of lemon and dill here, the more herbs the better, and I prefer my version to others that are overwhelmed with white creamy sauce. I want to eat tuna with noodles and vegetables. And yes, the better the quality of your canned tuna, the better the casserole," he added.

Curious why the champion of adventurous eating praises this simple classic so highly, I cooked Zimmern’s tuna noodle casserole at home to find out. Below, you’ll discover the recipe, my honest thoughts on how it turned out, and a few tips I learned along the way.

How To Make Andrew Zimmern’s Tuna Noodle Casserole

Credit: Allrecipes / Excerpted from THE BLUE FOOD COOKBOOK by Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver in collaboration with Fed By Blue. Excerpt provided by Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Zimmern’s tuna casserole starts with a homemade breadcrumb topping. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 4 cups of torn day-old bread, 1/2 stick of butter, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 cup of diced shallots, the zest of 1 lemon, 3 garlic cloves (grated on a Microplane or minced), and cayenne, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste to a food processor. Pulse until large, coarse breadcrumbs form.

Spread the mixture across a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Set aside and reserve for topping the casserole.

To assemble the casserole, boil 1 pound of egg noodles according to the package instructions until halfway to al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, until a blond roux forms, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg along with a mirepoix: 1 cup of finely diced carrots, 1 cup of finely diced celery, and 2 cups of finely diced onions. Cook until the vegetables soften.

Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock and 2 cups of whole milk, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh dill, and 2 tablespoons of instant chicken bouillon powder. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens.

Add 8 ounces of thawed frozen peas, 8 ounces of grated aged white Cheddar, and 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan. Stir until the cheese melts. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in three 5-ounce cans of tuna, drained and lightly flaked. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Fold the noodles into the tuna mixture, then transfer everything to a large casserole dish. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle the homemade breadcrumbs over the top and return the dish to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the topping turns crisp.

Remove from the oven and let the casserole cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Tips for Making Andrew Zimmern's Tuna Noodle Casserole

Zimmern’s tuna noodle casserole came together in under 30 minutes, and the assembly alone hinted at how decadent the final dish would taste. A quick roux thickened the sauce, creating a rich binder that coated the noodles and tuna. The mirepoix added savory depth and nostalgic notes reminiscent of classic American holiday dishes, while the peas brought a gentle sweetness that balanced the richness.

The cheese delivered the ultimate comfort factor, melting into a creamy sauce that blanketed every bite. A layer of buttery, crunchy breadcrumbs finished the casserole with a welcome textural contrast.

Below, you’ll find a few tips I picked up while making Zimmern’s tuna noodle casserole that can help if you decide to try this beloved dish at home.

• Swap the chicken stock. For a deeper seafood flavor, replace the chicken stock with lobster or fish stock. The added brininess brings out the tuna’s natural umami and gives the casserole a more pronounced ocean-fresh taste.
• Get creative with the noodles. No egg noodles on hand? Substitute another hearty, bite-sized pasta. Orecchiette, ziti, or macaroni all hold the creamy sauce well and work beautifully in this dish.
• Add more seafood. This casserole base welcomes plenty of variation. Stop by your local seafood market and look for sustainable options such as sardines, mussels, or squid to fold into the mixture alongside the tuna for extra flavor and texture.