Tuna Spaghetti Casserole

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 05/07/20
Tuna casserole with spaghetti recipe

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
  • Total: 45 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 35 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
640 Calories
51g Fat
20g Carbs
27g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 640
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g 65%
Saturated Fat 30g 152%
Cholesterol 164mg 55%
Sodium 540mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 27g
Calcium 574mg 44%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Tuna noodle casserole is a comfort food standard in most households, but this dish gives the classic a twist by pairing tuna with spaghetti in a departure from typical elbow macaroni.

Everything about this recipe is easy—from the condensed soup to the potato chip topping—making it a quick and convenient busy-day family meal.

Best of all, it can be assembled a day ahead, refrigerated, and baked the next day to have a hot dinner on the table in no time.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces spaghetti (broken into pieces, cooked al dente, and drained)
  • 1 (7-ounce) can or pouch water-packed tuna (drained and flaked)
  • 1/4 cup pimiento (drained and chopped)
  • 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup mild cheddar cheese or American cheese (shredded)
  • 1/2 cup potato chips (crushed)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

    Ingredients for tuna casserole with spaghetti
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Coat a 1 1/2- to 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

    Pan
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked spaghetti, tuna, and pimiento.

    Combine spaghetti
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. In a large saucepan, combine soup, milk, and cheese. Heat and stir until cheese is melted.

    Combine sauce ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Add the tuna and spaghetti mixture and combine thoroughly.

    Add sauce to spaghetti
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and scatter the crushed potato chips evenly on top.

    Add layer of chips
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

    Remove from oven
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Serve and enjoy!

    Serve
    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Recipe Variations

The great thing about a casserole is its flexibility. Switch the protein and pair it with a complementary condensed soup and cheese, and you have an entirely new dish.

  • Use water-packed salmon in place of the tuna.
  • Replace the tuna with canned and drained white meat of chicken, switch out a can of condensed cream of chicken soup for the mushroom soup, and add a couple of handfuls of frozen peas.
  • Turn this into turkey tetrazzini by using leftover white, dark, or a combination of Thanksgiving protein. Use mushroom or chicken soup here, and add sautéed diced celery, onion, and carrots.
  • Leftover ham with Swiss cheese and a small can of drained mushrooms make an excellent brunch dish.
  • Add Mexican flair with cooked chorizo sausage or ground beef, condensed tomato soup, grated Monterey jack cheese, diced jalapenos, and a topping of crushed tortilla chips.
  • Go Italiano style by using cooked and diced Italian sausage, diced red bell peppers instead of pimiento, pasta sauce in place of soup, and mozzarella cheese. 
  • Use any type of pasta that appeals to you—just make sure to break up larger noodles before cooking them to make it easier to eat the finished dish.