Barefoot Contessa Tuna Casserole Recipe (2024)

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Tuna casserole is a very popular dish, and it’s easy to whip up. It has a creamy texture and a delicious flavor, so you can serve it as a side dish or a main course. You can use it to serve guests as well. Tuna casserole is a delicious comfort dish. You can make it with fresh tuna or salmon, but if you want to add some extra flavor you can use tuna steak instead, as well. This is a simple dish to put together, but don’t expect it to be perfect or to look pretty.

Today I am going to share with you a barefoot contessa tuna casserole recipe that is extremely delicious. It’s a healthy recipe, with a very delicious taste. The best part about this dish is that it’s quick to make and easy to prepare. This recipe is also great for entertaining because it has a very substantial flavor. If you love tuna, you’ll love this dish. This is the best recipe for you.

The cold weather is here and I can’t wait for spring. That means it’s time for a big meal. I thought about cooking something light, but I decided to go with a tuna casserole. Everyone loves turkey and I’m sure you’re leaving with a big smile on your face. When you’re looking to make tuna casserole, you need some ingredients, so follow along and learn how to make this tasty meal.

How To Make Barefoot Contessa Tuna Casserole

Barefoot Contessa Tuna Casserole is a classic dish that is loved by many. Tuna casserole is one of those foods that seems as if it could be incredibly easy to make but ultimately is incredibly hard to pull off. I don’t even know how it’s possible to eat this dish every single day, because it is so tasty and easy to make. A bowl of tuna casserole is one of those comforting meals that you can eat whenever you feel like it; certainly not a bad thing.

This delicious casserole is perfect for lunches or dinners. Filled with fresh ingredients and topped with a creamy sauce, this casserole is a great choice for any time of the day. It’s a staple in many national cuisines, and it’s one of the easiest fish dishes to prepare, especially because you can use store-bought cans in place of the fresh tuna. Despite its simplicity, it’s a tasty dish, and it will taste even better the second time you make it, making it another step towards bettering your cooking skills. Give it a try today!

Ingredients

  • Solid light tuna, 2 cans (6 oz each)
  • Tubetti or elbow macaroni, 3/4 pound
  • Panko, 1 cup
  • Parmesan (grated), 1/2 ounce
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, 4 teaspoons
  • 1 yellow onion (finely diced)
  • All-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons
  • Chicken broth (low-sodium), 2 1/2 cups
  • Whole milk, 1 1/2 cups
  • Water (drained and flaked)
  • Frozen peas (thawed), 1 cup
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare pasta according to package directions, but cook it for two minutes less. Drain and set aside the cooked pasta.

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons of oil.

Step 3

In a medium pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Then add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 8 minutes, until soft.

Step 4

Coat the onion in flour and whisk it well. Slowly pour in the milk and broth while whisking. Bring the sauce to a boil while stirring continuously.

Step 5

As the sauce simmers, stir frequently until it has thickened. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 6

Toss pasta with tuna and peas, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Furthermore, you can also add seasonings like dry herbs, rosemary, etc.

Step 7

Fill a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the tuna mixture. Add the panko mixture on top. Be sure the dish is completely covered with panko.

Step 8

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the crust is golden and lightly browned.

Step 9

Remove the baking dish from the oven. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

In Closing

We hope you enjoyed this recipe for Barefoot Contessa tuna casserole. Tuna casserole is one of the classic American comfort foods. It is easy to make and provides a great meal for a busy weeknight. We would love to hear what you thought of it, so please leave us a review or comment below. We hope you take a moment to check out our other recipes to find something you will love.

More Amazing Barefoot Contessa Copycat Recipes

  • Barefoot Contessa Banana Bread Recipe
  • Cream of Asparagus Soup Barefoot Contessa
  • Barefoot Contessa Sirloin Tip Roast Recipe

Barefoot Contessa Tuna Casserole Recipe

Cuisine: American

Cuisine type: Dinner

Servings: 6 Servings

Preparation time: 30 Minutes

Cooking time: 30 Minutes

Total time: 1 Hour

Barefoot Contessa Tuna Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my tuna casserole so dry? ›

Tuna casserole can become dry due to overbaking or using an insufficient amount of sauce. To prevent dryness, it's essential to monitor the baking time closely, every oven is different! Take care to simmer the sauce so it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

What is tuna casserole made of? ›

Use 2 cans soup, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup pimiento, two 12-ounce cans tuna, 6 ounces (about 4 cups) egg noodles, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon butter. Bake in a 2-quart casserole for 30 minutes or until hot, then for another 5 to brown the bread crumb mixture.

How do you moisten leftover tuna casserole? ›

Alternatively, Foods Guy recommends adding a splash of water or chicken stock to your casserole and covering it with plastic wrap before microwaving, which will add new moisture and lock in the steam, ensuring a perfectly moist reheated tuna casserole.

Who makes frozen tuna casserole? ›

Tuna Noodle Casserole Frozen Meal | Official STOUFFER'S®

How do you keep a casserole moist? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

How to make a casserole less dry? ›

Paulette recommends
  1. Set the casserole out for 30 to 60 minutes prior to reheating it in the oven.
  2. Preheat the oven.
  3. If the casserole looks particularly dry, add a small amount of water to it to help rehydrate the casserole. ...
  4. Cover the casserole tightly with a cover or aluminum foil to help retain moisture.
Sep 7, 2022

How do you thicken tuna casserole? ›

How do you thicken tuna casserole? To thicken your tuna casserole, keep it in the oven for longer. This should thicken it right up. Mixing in an extra ¼ cup of parmesan cheese will also help bind it together.

Why do people put mayo in tuna? ›

Essentially an emulsion of eggs and oil, mayonnaise acts like food glue to bind tuna fish, celery and onion together in tuna salad. “Mayonnaise typically has four main ingredients; oil, eggs, water and vinegar,” said Ali Manning, a food scientist and consultant for Umami Food Consulting.

Should you cook canned tuna? ›

Can you cook canned tuna? Canned tuna is actually already cooked before it's canned, so technically, you can eat it straight from the can if you want. However, you can add canned tuna to a dish that you're cooking to add some healthy protein. For instance, you can add canned tuna to a pot of mac and cheese.

Can I eat tuna casserole that was left out overnight? ›

If you reheat food that was forgotten on the counter overnight or was left out all day, will it be safe to eat? TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal.

How many days is tuna casserole good for? ›

Store your leftover tuna casserole in a shallow, airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave.

What method should be used to cool tuna casserole? ›

Proper cooling methods for food
  1. Separate food into smaller portions. A large pot of hot food put right into the fridge can become dangerous. ...
  2. Cover food loosely while it cools. ...
  3. Stir loose foods. ...
  4. Use an ice bath. ...
  5. Add ice as an ingredient. ...
  6. Use a blast chiller or tumbler.

Who makes Walmart tuna? ›

Pacific Island Tuna was formed in October 2021 as a partnership between TNC and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Pacific Island Tuna now supplies Great Value canned tuna to Walmart.

Is it OK to freeze tuna casserole? ›

Lastly, you can freeze cooked tuna casserole if you cannot eat it within 3-4 days. Whether it's fresh out of the oven or leftovers, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If straight from the oven, allow it to cool completely before sealing it so it doesn't continue to cook.

Is frozen tuna better than canned tuna? ›

Frozen tuna is safer

In fact, fish you buy frozen is immediately frozen after it's caught, preserving the nutrients, flavor, and texture of the fish, per Livestrong.

How do you cook tuna so it's not dry? ›

Tuna dries out quite quickly and turns crumbly, so it should be cooked very briefly over a high heat in a frying pan, on a griddle or over a barbecue; or cooked under oil (confit), sous vide or simmered in a sauce.

How do you fix dry tuna? ›

Add a little moisture to the mix

Unless your tuna comes in a pouch, chances are high that it's preserved in water and in a can. Once water is removed from a meat that's already dry on its own, the result is a sinewy and unappetizing protein surrounded by aluminum. Mayonnaise is, by far, the most popular addition.

Why is my tuna mayo dry? ›

To prevent your tuna salad from being dry, you'll need to stir in at least one tablespoon mayo per one (5-ounce) can of tuna. After mixing in the rest of your ingredients, taste the salad. If you want it creamier, stir in another tablespoon or two of mayo. A squeeze of lemon juice also adds moisture.

Why tuna meat is dry? ›

Like all fish, however, the connective tissues in tuna are much easier to break down by cooking than those of beef. That means it is much easier to cook a tuna steak into a dry, crumbly mess than beef.

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