Martha Stewart Tuna Casserole

Martha Stewart tuna casserole is easy, make-ahead comfort food made from scratch, no canned soup in sight. Chicken broth and whole milk become a quick, creamy sauce for tuna, peas, and tubetti under a golden panko Parmesan crust that feeds eight.

Serve this weeknight family dinner from one 9-by-13 pan, and swap peas for green beans, corn, or spinach depending on the season. Cook the sauce until it coats a spoon thickly, because thin sauce means a watery casserole.

Martha Stewart Tuna Casserole

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

Flaked tuna and sweet peas in a silky, from-scratch cream sauce, with a shattering panko and Parmesan lid that crackles when you break through it.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  

• 3/4 pound tubetti or elbow macaroni
  

• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  

• 1/2 ounce Parmesan, grated (2 tablespoons)
  

• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 1 yellow onion, diced small
  

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  

• 2 cans (6 ounces each) solid light tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
  

• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  

Directions

• Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions (it will be undercooked). Drain.
• Prepare the topping: In a small bowl, toss together panko, Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons oil.
• Start the sauce: In pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 8 minutes.
• Add the flour: Add flour and whisk to coat onion.
• Add broth and milk: Slowly whisk in broth, then milk.
• Thicken the sauce: Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.
• Add pasta, tuna, and peas: Stir in pasta, tuna, and peas and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the casserole: Transfer tuna mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top with panko mixture.
• Bake and serve: Bake until sauce is bubbling and crust is golden, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What can I use instead of tubetti in this casserole?

Egg noodles, bowties, orecchiette, or ziti all work here, just adjust the boiling time to 2 minutes less than the package says for each shape. Wider noodles like bowties hold more sauce in their folds, so the casserole will be saucier with those. I find egg noodles give the most nostalgic tuna casserole feel.

Can I make Martha Stewart tuna casserole ahead of time?

Assemble everything in the 9-by-13 pan without the panko topping, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Pull it out about 30 minutes before baking so it is not ice cold going into the oven. Add the panko topping right before you bake, and it will crisp up just as well as a fresh batch.

How do I store leftover tuna casserole?

Move leftovers from the baking dish into an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of serving. They keep for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat covered at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 2 minutes so the sauce stays creamy instead of drying out.

Why did my tuna casserole turn out dry?

The sauce was too thin before you added the pasta, or you baked it too long. Cook the roux and liquid mixture until it thickly coats the back of a spoon before folding in the tuna and noodles. If the sauce looks right but the casserole still dries out, pull it at 17 minutes instead of 20, since ovens run hot by different amounts.

What can I use instead of frozen peas?

Frozen cut green beans, corn kernels, or a handful of fresh spinach all swap in at the same 1-cup measure. Green beans add more crunch, corn brings sweetness, and spinach wilts down to almost nothing, so you could add an extra cup. Fresh or frozen broccoli florets work too, just chop them small so they cook through during baking.