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–+ servings
Tuna tetrazzini in a casserole dish with spaghetti, tuna, cream sauce, peas, and lemon wedges.

Tuna Tetrazzini

This tuna tetrazzini casserole is made with pasta, mushrooms and peas all cooked in a creamy sauce, then topped with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan before being baked in the oven.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Recipe Makes: 6 servings

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish (or large cast iron skillet)
  • cooking spray
  • large pot
  • colander
  • Large skillet (if not using cast iron skillet)
  • 2 small mixing bowls
  • 2 whisks (or forks)
  • tongs

Ingredients

  • 4-6 cups water
  • ¾ tablespoon table salt
  • 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti noodles (or pasta shape of choice)
  • 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
  • 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
  • half of one medium yellow onion (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk (at room temperature)
  • 2 5-ounce cans albacore tuna in water (8 ounces drained, flaked with fork; see Notes)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
  • lemon wedges (optional, to serve)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly spray bottom and sides of 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Fill large pot with 4 to 6 cups water. Place pot on stove over high heat and bring water to rolling boil. When water begins to boil, add salt and stir to incorporate salt into water.
  • Once salted water begins to boil, add uncooked noodles. Cook pasta 1 to 2 minutes less than directed on package instructions. When pasta is ready, pour noodles and water into colander and set aside to drain.
  • While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over medium heat. When skillet is warm, add 2 tablespoons butter and let butter melt completely, swirling skillet occasionally to coat bottom of skillet in melted butter.
  • When butter is melted, add sliced mushrooms to skillet. Stirring occasionally, cook mushrooms 5 to 6 minutes or until mushrooms are browned and most liquid has cooked off.
    Browned, sautéed sliced mushrooms in a large skillet.
  • Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet with mushrooms, then add chopped onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter has melted and onions have softened, approximately 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir to incorporate, cooking 30 to 60 seconds or until garlic is just fragrant.
    Sautéed mushrooms, softened onions, and fragrant minced garlic in a large skillet.
  • Pour all-purpose flour and 2 cups milk into small mixing bowl. Whisk well until ingredients are fully incorporated and mixture is mostly smooth.
  • Remove skillet from hot burner. Slowly pour milk mixture into skillet, stirring constantly, until all of milk mixture has been added and incorporated into ingredients in skillet.
  • Return skillet to hot burner. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened slightly.
    Cream sauce for tuna tetrazzini in a large skillet with a wooden spoon.
  • Remove skillet from hot burner. Add tuna, peas, lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir well to incorporate ingredients, then taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
    Cream sauce for tuna tetrazzini with tuna, peas, and mushrooms in a large skillet.
  • Add al dente noodles to skillet and use tongs to toss pasta in sauce and separate any noodles that may be stuck together. Once pasta is well coated, transfer entire mixture to prepared baking dish. Spread mixture out across baking dish in one even layer.
    Tuna tetrazzini with spaghetti noodles in a large skillet.
  • Add parmesan and breadcrumbs to second mixing bowl. Whisk or stir to blend ingredients, then sprinkle mixture evenly over top of pasta mixture.
  • Cut remaining tablespoon butter into 9 small cubes. Place cubes of butter on top of breadcrumb mixture, spaced evenly apart.
    Tuna tetrazzini topped with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs in a large rectangular baking dish.
  • Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumb topping is golden brown in color. If desired, turn on broiler and broil on high 1 to 2 minutes or until topping is deeply browned and extra crispy.
    Fully cooked tuna tetrazzini with a browned breadcrumb topping in a large rectangular baking dish.
  • Carefully remove baking dish from oven and set aside to stand 3 to 5 minutes. When ready to serve, divide tetrazzini into servings and garnish with additional grated parmesan and lemon wedges, if desired. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

  • Tuna: The albacore tuna usually comes in 5-ounce cans - that weight includes the water the tuna is packed in. Once the water's drained out, you should have 4 ounces of tuna from each can, for 8 ounces of tuna total. This recipe needs 8 ounces drained tuna.
  • Skillet & Baking Dish: If you have a large cast iron skillet, you can skip the baking dish entirely. Prepare the recipe as written, and instead of transferring the mixture to a baking dish, just place the cast iron skillet directly into the preheated oven.

Recipe costs provided are approximate. Actual cost per recipe & serving will vary by location, store, brand, etc. Approximate cost shown does not include costs for any optional ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 399kcal | Protein: 21g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 395mg | Potassium: 514mg | Total Carbs: 48g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Net Carbs: 44g | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 161mg
Cheap Cheap Eats recipe developed by Cheryl Malik