Gluten free noodle casserole is the ultimate comfort food! It’s the time of year when the days are short, the light is fleeting, temperatures are falling and we’re all looking for yummy ways to warm up from the inside out!
My favorite kinds of comfort foods are those that also make great leftovers, so this recipe is one of the best!
I grew up enjoying old fashioned tuna noodle casserole, but of late, I’ve taken to using salmon–Costco even carries wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (boneless) in the can, which boasts 410mg Omega 3s per serving! So this casserole is not only delicious, but it’s a deliciously healthy one-dish meal the whole family will enjoy!
Obviously, if you have leftover grilled salmon from the night before, it goes without saying (though I’ll say it anyway, just in case!) that re-purposing those leftovers in this casserole is a delicious option!
Like any casserole, this one is flexible. I’ve given you a good guideline for correct proportions, but add more or less fish or tofu; more or less pasta; more or less peas – you get the picture. It will work and be delicious, regardless.
Whatever you choose to add, remember that this casserole is YOUR casserole. Like any good casserole, it’s F L E X I B L E and forgiving. So don’t be bound by the ingredients I use; instead use my ingredients as guides for proportions. This gluten free noodle casserole is equally delicious as a vegetarian dish, for example. Amp up the spices or splash on some tabasco for some heat. Make this casserole different every time you make it by changing out the base soup flavor. Any way you make it, it will be delish!
Trust me when I tell you that I’ve experimented with all kinds of gluten-free, dairy-free cheese and soup, and I can say with every confidence that even the dairy in traditional casseroles like this one will not be missed if you choose to use my dairy-free / vegan suggestions.
A great way to meet the dietary needs and tastes of everyone in your family, while warming their bellies and leaving plenty for leftovers. Now that’s my idea of comfort food!
Gluten Free Noodle Casserole Recipe
The ultimate comfort food: gluten free noodle casserole is easy and flexible, and it's a recipe you can turn to again and again to fill bellies and warm hearts.
Ingredients
Noodle Casserole
- 16 ounces gluten-free pasta spirals or penne (e.g. Glutino® Brown Rice Rotini; Le Veneziane® Corn Penne; Tinkyáda® Brown Rice Pasta Spirals; Ancient Harvest® Corn-Quinoa Pagodas) – use more or less depending on whether you like your casseroles more “noodley”
- 32 ounces cream of mushroom soup or other creamy soup (e.g. Imagine® Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup is dairy and gluten free)
- 29-32 ounces canned tuna or salmon, rinsed and drained (be sure to remove bones if your brand contains bones) or sautéed tofu cubes (or skip protein entirely)
- 16 ounces frozen or canned peas (may even use black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day!)
- 7-8 ounces cheddar dairy or non-dairy cheese (e.g. Daiya™ Cheddar Style Shreds; Go Veggie® Veggie or Rice Shreds; or Lisanatti Almond Cheddar Shreds – lactose free)
- 1/4 cup GF nutritional yeast or grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. If using frozen peas, prepare according to package directions; if using canned peas, drain.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a very large bowl, stir together soup, fish or tofu, peas and cheese. Add drained pasta and stir to combine.
Pour into an oiled 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top, if using.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Pin for later!
What is the best tasting substitute for dairy to make my own white sauce? Have an allergy to the protein in dairy. Can’t do soy.
Hi Sarah – I use Imagine Foods Creamy Portobello Soup here. It’s vegan (non-dairy) and soy-free and also gluten-free! Here’s a link to it.
~jules
Loved this Dish, however I added Thyme (about a tsp) Garlic salt (couple shakes of the bottle) Chili flakes ( one to three shakes of the bottle) and substituted the Cheddar Daiya Cheese with PepperJack. And the nonpasta we chose was a Brown Rice blend….
Sounds yummy, Rene! Thanks for sharing your creative substitutions!
Wow, the idea of having tuna noodle casserole again is just amazing. It was one of my favorite dishes from childhood. Do you have any suggestions though for a dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free soup alternative? The mushroom soup is made with soy. Perhaps could I substitute the Imagine Potato Leek soup instead? Or should I try to make my own mushroom soup?
It looks delicious. I am going to make it next week, it sounds perfect. Thanks for the recipe and ingredients.
Sounds delicious.. Thanks for the tips that you have given. Honestly, I have not tasted that kind of food, but I am looking forward to cook that kind of foodstuff and I will follow your recipe. Thanks for sharing with us.
I was never a tuna fan growing up, and I have mercury issues, so any time I find a good tuna recipe I simply substitute canned chicken. (The cans look just like tuna cans and the chicken is packed in water just like tuna.) WalMart and Sam’s Club sell a brand called ‘Valley Fresh’ that is stamped ‘Gluten Free’ at the end of the ingredient list. I have had no problems with it. There is another brand I used to buy from the same stores that I think was called ‘Member’s Mark.’ I think it was cheaper, but somewhere along the line I switched to this one because I thought the ingredients were healthier or something like that. I can’t remember exactly. But I do know that on the Valley Fresh can it says ‘97% fat free, no preservatives, made with sea salt, no artificial ingredients, minimally processed.’
I just made this tonight. I went to 2 stores looking for GF cream of mushroom soup. I found some at MOM’s organic market, and spent $30 on soup alone. Then I proceeded to eat myself silly. This is almost exactly what I remember growing up with! Thank you so much!
I am looking for a good baking powder buscuit recipe. Have tried my recipe with your flour and no good. Help!
I have a great biscuit recipe! It’s in my new cookbook, Free for All Cooking. I have taught it at several gluten-free baking classes and everyone loves it, dairy-free or with buttermilk, either way!
Ohhh…this sounds yummy and easy to make. I am going to make it next week, it sounds perfect. I think I am going to try it with sauteed tofu. Thanks!