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
  • Servings: 4 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: 4
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

Glass Bakeware Warning

For premade casseroles or leftovers that are in a glass baking dish and have been refrigerated, do not place directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, place any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or, allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven preheats.


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 sautĂ©ed 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.