Name: Stove Top Tuna Casserole
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 ounces (340 g) short pasta (penne, fusilli, shells, etc.); 2 cups small florets of broccoli (can also include chopped pieces of stem); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 1/2 cups small (between 1/4 - 1/3" size) pieces of bread (either torn or cut) (see note 1); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons all purpose flour; 2 cups milk; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste (3/4 teaspoon for fine salt, or to taste); 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; pinch cayenne (optional); 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, cut into small pieces; two 5 ounce cans tuna, well drained

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Tuna noodle casserole is the comfort food you all know and love. But, with this easy stovetop version, you can make it in only about 30 minutes, without having to heat up the oven! And, this stove top tuna casserole is made entirely from scratch (without canned soup).

bowl of tuna noodle casserole with spoon and napkin.

Note: this post was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2023 with improved instructions.

Tuna noodle casserole is a quintessential comfort food: tender noodles, creamy sauce, tuna and a bit of veggies all mixed together, with a buttery, crumbly topping. Sounds heavenly! With this recipe for stove top tuna casserole, you can have all this, but in only about 30 minutes AND without heating up the oven!

This tuna casserole recipe is also made from scratch, without canned soup (just like my chicken tater tot casserole!). It's like a really delicious homemade tuna helper! So let's dig into this creamy, comforting stove top tuna casserole together, shall we?

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Ingredients
Tips and tricks
Substitutions and additions
Storage and reheating
What to serve with stove top tuna casserole:
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient notes

Pasta: any short shape will do (fusilli, bowties, shells, etc.).

Bread: any old leftover bread you have laying around will work. This will get torn or cut up into chunks for the crumb topping. If you don't have bread, you can also use store-bought breadcrumbs (panko is perfect for this!).

Canned tuna: I like using solid white albacore for this stove top tuna casserole because you get bigger chunks in the finished dish, but chunk light works great too!

Tips and tricks

Timing for the pasta

hand holding box of pasta next to another box of pasta.

First of all, if you can't time the pasta just right to be done when the sauce is, it's ok! You can let the sauce sit on the burner with the heat off until the pasta is done.

But, if you're in a hurry and want to time the pasta to be finished right around when the sauce is done, here are some tips:

Start heating up the pasta water right in the beginning.

Take note of the pasta cooking time before you start cooking.

It took me 15 minutes to complete the sauce portion. Although your exact timing may vary, use this as a rough guide to inform when you start your pasta cooking.

If your pasta water starts boiling before you are ready to add the water, just turn down the water slightly to keep it at a simmer. Then, a minute or two before you need to add the pasta, turn it up again and it should get up to a boil quickly.

Other tips and tricks

Drain the tuna and pasta very well before adding them to the sauce! Especially if you are using chunk light tuna, which is very watery compared with albacore.

I like to plunk the tuna into a fine mesh strainer and squeeze the tuna with my hands to make sure I remove as much moisture as possible. This is the same technique I use for my tuna salad with Greek yogurt. If your strainer is large enough, you can set it aside and use it to drain the pasta as well.

hand holding drained tuna over strainer.

And if you are adding canned vegetables instead of fresh, make sure to drain those well too. Any extra water you introduce into the dish will also water down the flavor and the creaminess of the sauce.

The cream cheese will incorporate the quickest into the sauce if you cut it into small pieces rather than large chunks. If the cream cheese doesn't seem like it's melting into the sauce at first, don't worry, keep whisking!

Substitutions and additions

This homemade tuna helper recipe is so flexible, feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes. Here are some substitution and addition ideas for you:

Instead of tuna, try canned salmon, canned chicken, or even chopped up ham!

Instead of (or in addition to) the broccoli, try peas, chopped spinach, chopped asparagus, or a mix. Adjust the cook time accordingly depending on the size of veggie!

Feel free to use frozen veggies instead of fresh; just cook them separately before tossing them into the finished dish. Likewise, you can also use canned vegetables. Just drain them well and add them right at the end.

If you don't have leftover bread to turn into the crumb topping, you can substitute ¾ cup store-bought bread crumbs (panko would work well!).

Want to make this creamy and comforting stovetop tuna casserole even more indulgent? Mix some shredded cheese into the sauce along with the cream cheese! Mozzarella, cheddar, and/or Monterey jack would all taste delicious.

Storage and reheating

Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.

You can reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes on high until heated through.

Or, place the leftover stove top tuna casserole in a small saucepan, with a splash of milk, and cover. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

bowl of tuna noodle casserole with water glass and napkin on the side.

What to serve with stove top tuna casserole:

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Stove Top Tuna Casserole