How To Make A Vegan Tuna Casserole

This Vegan Tuna Casserole recipe brings all the creamy, savory flavor of the classic—without dairy, eggs, or seafood. It’s budget-friendly, customizable, and packed with plant-based protein. If you’re looking for a nostalgic weeknight dinner, this recipe has you covered—with bold umami flavor and crispy topping included.

This tuna noodle casserole brings back fond memories of when I first lived on my own, was broke and had to meal prep most of my meals in order to have food for the week. No one ever showed me how to make it, I just threw some ingredients together and it became a staple in my home for years.

Since becoming vegan in 2016, I’ve wanted to make a plant-based version of my old recipe, but could never find dairy-free cream of mushroom soup. That’s when I decided to make this vegan Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup so I could use it in this recipe. I tried making it with this 7-ingredient Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup but found it just wasn’t thick enough for the casserole. But it’s great for a quick bowl of comfort.

So today you get a cream soup made with a vegan tuna substitute, a rich, smooth veggie-packed base and a crunchy buttery potato chip topping that’s so good, you’ll make it again and again. Welcome to plant based comfort food.

🥫Ingredients for Vegan Tuna Casserole (With Substitutions)

• Egg Free Noodles – it may be hard to find plant based noodles instead of egg noodles in the grocery store. But you can find them online at Walmart with the link on the left. Cook al dente according to the manufacturer’s directions so they don’t break apart when mixing ingredients.
• Butler Soy Curls – we mix this with strained sea weed water and allow to soak (covered) for at least 30 minutes. Sub with other vegan tuna substitutes like textured vegetable protein (TVP), shredded Hearts of Palm or mashed chickpeas for a no fish seafood bake.
• Seaweed Water – to mimic a slight “fishy” taste, we combine kelp powder, nori sheets, sea salt, olive oil and filtered water in a small pan, bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat and let soak for 10-15 minutes. You then add it to the soy curls and let the transformation begin.
• Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup – this is my vegan version and I find it to be even better than Campbell’s. Sub with white beans, plant milk, olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper mixed in a food processor until creamy.
• Fresh Peas – if you can’t find fresh, it’s perfectly fine to use frozen. 
• Onion – I used red onion for the color contrast, but any color onion will do. You can also use shallots or sub with onion powder.
• Celery – I love to add this healthy veggie into this casserole for the extra “crunch” factor. 
• Potato Chips – crush those baby’s up! Sub with bread crumbs or fried onions. If subbing with fried onions, skip crushing and pan-frying them in onion and garlic powder. 
• Garlic Powder – mixed with potato chips and vegan butter for the potato chip topping. Can also use bread crumbs. 
• Vegan Butter – mixed with potato chips and garlic powder to make the crunchy topping. Can use breadcrumbs instead. 
• Nutritional Yeast – adds a cheesy, nutty flavor while providing a boost of Vitamin B12 nutrition. 
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper – if low sodium, omit the salt. Sub black pepper with white pepper. 

🥣Step-by-Step Instructions (With Photos)

Before you begin, cook noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside. I highly recommend cooking al dente so the noodles don’t break apart during the preparation process. 

1. Prepare your plant-based tuna by first making seaweed water. Add torn nori pieces, kelp powder, olive oil and sea salt to boiling water (alternatively, you can use dulse flakes and skip the nori and kelp powder). Cover and remove from heat and allow to seep for 10 minutes. 

2. Add Butler Soy Curls to a bowl. Using a strainer, pour seaweed water through the strainer. Use a fork to press the cooked seaweed down so all the water goes into pot. Stir so that the soy curls are fully coated with seaweed water. Cover with clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. After 30 minutes, add to a food processor and pulse a few times (or use a fork) until the soy curls are shredded and look similar to tuna. 

3. Use the same large pot you boiled noodles in and add pasta of choice and the rest of the ingredients.

4. Give it all a good stir until everything is coated with the condensed cream of mushroom soup. 

5. Add mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish. Make your crispy topping by melting vegan butter and adding garlic powder and crushed potato chips to skillet. Stir to coat and sauté on medium heat until golden brown. Sprinkle over top of casserole.  

6. Bake at 350F/177C for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. Serve hot topped with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

♻️Customizations and Variations

You can easily switch it up in this dairy free tuna casserole and use the following to replace some of the ingredients to suit your dietary needs:

• Pasta: for noodle alternatives, choose GF penne or other gluten-free pasta, chickpea pasta or zucchini noodles (for a low-carb option).
• Protein swaps: TVP, shredded artichokes and hearts of palm can replace vegan soy curls for that subtle “fishy” flavor.
• Spicy: Add red pepper flakes + smoked paprika to spice it up a bit.
• Cheesy: Add shredded vegan cheese into sauce and on top.
• Other options: use blended white beans from a can or a potato-cauliflower blend instead of cream of mushroom soup for sauce.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

🥗Serving Suggestions to Compliment Vegan Tuna Noodle Casserole

• Massaged Kale Salad — or a simple green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette or balsamic for a refreshing contrast.
• Vegan Garlic Bread — or toasted sourdough are perfect for scooping up that creamy sauce.
• Pickles — or pickled onions and other pickled veggies add a tangy crunch that cuts through the richness.
• Roasted Veggies — Try my Gochujang Carrots, broccoli, or these Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts for extra color and fiber.
• Chipotle Sauce — my smoky homemade sauce adds an extra spicy kick to this vegan casserole. Or use a drizzle of vegan ranch.
• Lemon Wedges — A squeeze over the top brightens everything!
• Crisp White Wine or Sparkling Water with Lemon — both are light and refreshing to balance the dish.

🥘More Vegan Comfort Food You’ll Love

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