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    Home » Dinner

    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper

    Published: Jun 8, 2021 · Modified: May 31, 2022 by Megan

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese
    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese
    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese
    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese

    This is a childhood classic! Creamy homemade tuna helper with plenty of broccoli, peas, and fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano. It's so good, takes 15 minutes, and uses only one pot. This recipe was originally posted in March 2018. I updated the recipe to make it a one pot meal and added updated photos. 

    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese this recipe

    This dish is an absolute childhood favorite of mine. The nights my mom made Tuna Helper were goooood nights.

    But I don't know now.... having tuna helper as an adult, something seems to be missing. It just isn't as good as I remember. So I decided to make my own, and THIS recipe is as good as I remember. I made sure this pasta was super creamy, had lots of peas and broccoli and plenty of tuna. Truly a childhood dream.

    INGREDIENTS:

    • Tuna: I used Ligth Tuna for this recipe because it has a third of the mercury of Yellowfin Tuna, which means more tuna for you!
    • Parmigiano-Reggiano: Parmigiano-Reggiano and Parmesan are two diffrent cheeses. One has a ton of flavor and is one of the best cheese ever. The other I could live without. Parmigiano is more expensive, but it is SO worth it. You will use less and get way more flavor from it. I think it tastes the BEST when you get a wedge and freshly grate it when you need it. Also, any leftovers make for great snacking cheese.
    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese

    OTHER VARIATIONS:

    • Vegetables: Growing up I remember a peas version and a broccoli version of Tuna Helper. I don't know if my memory is bad, but I can only find a broccoli and carrot version now. All that being said, you can add whatever frozen vegetables you want. I would stick to a total of 12 oz, give or take.

    ONE-POT TUNA HELPER VIDEO:

    I hope you love this Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper recipe! If you make it leave a comment! You can also share a photo on Instagram and tag #meganvskitchen. Enjoy!

    Print
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    Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper on a green place topped with peas, broccoli and cheese. surrounded by bowls of peas, broccoli and cheese

    Creamy Tuna Casserole

    ★★★

    3 from 1 reviews

    Print Recipe
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    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 4 Servings 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 8 oz fusilli noodles
    • 6 oz frozen broccoli cuts
    • 6 oz frozen peas
    • 6 oz canned light tuna (2 cans)
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated from the wedge
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill AND Italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon corn starch

    Instructions

    1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot, add pasta, cook 2 minutes shy of al dente. Then add frozen broccoli and peas. Bring back to a boil, and cook for 1 more minute. 
    2. Drain water and return pasta and veggies back to the pot. Place pot back on the burner, turn to medium-low heat. And add in tuna, heavy cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, dill, Italian seasoning, salt, and corn starch. Mix together. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the sauce thickens. Salt and pepper to taste. 
    • Author: Megan
    • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 5 Minutes

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 Serving
    • Calories: 480
    • Fat: 19g
    • Carbohydrates: 53g
    • Protein: 26g

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @MeganvsKitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #MeganVsKitchen

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angel says

      February 23, 2022 at 10:07 pm

      The dill seasoning was a spot on component. However, the parmesan cheese seemed foreign to my memory of the boxed dish.

      ★★★

      Reply

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