Classic Tuna Casserole Recipe-Butter Your Biscuit (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!

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.

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.

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.

Grill: To keep tuna from sticking to the grill and add flavor and moisture, marinate the fish. Brush tuna steaks with oil, then grill over very high heat 1 to 2 minutes per side. Do not cook tuna steak past medium-rare, and don't let it rest after searing.

Another moisturizing fix: Melt some butter and drizzle over the top; or season and warm some cream and use that to baste your dish. Finally, serve with a wedge of lemon or lime for squeezing, which can add some acidity balance in addition to a bright hit of flavor.

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.

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.

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.

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.

Shredding the tuna finely prevents the salad from ending up with any dry bits. A splash of fish sauce or minced anchovy adds a subtle savory hit.

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.