Instant Pot Tuna Casserole is a classic casserole turned into an easy Instant Pot dinner with egg noodles, tuna & peas in a homemade creamy pasta sauce.
Featured Review
“I've made this quite a few times and it always turns out delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It's easy, very tasty and a family favourite” - Karyn
If you want to sit down to a bowl of comfort, then this Instant Pot Tuna Casserole needs to be on the menu!
This Instant Pot version of a 1950s classic casserole features wide egg noodles and tender chunks of tuna in a creamy, cheesy sauce with peas and just a hint of parsley.
I love this one-pot tuna casserole not only for the flavor, but also because of the nostalgia. You simply can't eat tuna casserole without thinking about your childhood! My family never put crushed potato chips on top, but if that's part of your casserole memories than by all means go for it!
Looking for more canned tuna pasta recipes? Try Tuna Pesto Pasta or Tuna and Orzo Pasta Salad.
Looking for more classic childhood recipes that you can make in your pressure cooker? Try Instant Pot hamburger helper or Instant Pot mac 'n cheese.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Only a few minutes of ingredient prep
- Egg noodles cook in just 2 minutes
- No canned, condensed sauce - just fresh, simple ingredients
- Creamy and rich, but not thick and heavy
- Fresh parsley (or dill) brightens up the dish
- A one-pot dinner that's on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Saute onion and garlic in butter
- Add water, egg noodles and salt
- Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, instant release
- Stir in cream cheese, grated cheddar, whole cream and Dijon mustard
- Add canned tuna, frozen peas and fresh parsley
fresh parsley
Questions About Instant Pot Tuna & Egg Noodle Casserole
Yes, you can, and you'll end up with a deliciously creamy pasta dish. Yum! Just leave out the tuna and follow all other recipe instructions
Yes, you can. Use 12 ounces of elbow macaroni (¾ of a one pound box or bag of dried pasta). Follow the recipe below with this one change: When you add the pasta to the Instant Pot, only add 3 cups of water and cook the elbow macaroni for 6 minutes on high pressure.
Only if you know exactly how much water to add and the correct cooking time for another type of pasta. The 2 minute cooking time and 4 cups of water for 12 ounces of pasta has only been tested for egg noodles.
One pasta shape to try would be this recipe for Instant Pot orzo. Follow the cooking instructions for orzo, then just stir in the ingredients for this tuna casserole.
Classic tuna casserole is often baked with either breadcrumbs or crumbled potato chips on top. When you finish cooking this recipe, you can transfer it to a casserole pan and add one of these toppings before serving.
I like to use "solid" canned tuna for this recipe, so that the dish has larger pieces of tuna in it. This is different than "chunk" tuna, which has very small/shredded pieces. The label on the can should indicate "solid" or "chunk." Here's a guide from Good Housekeeping about the different types of canned tuna.
I also used water-packed, because this dish is rich enough and doesn't need any added oil. If you'd like a recipe for oil-packed tuna try Tuna Pesto Pasta.
Yes, canned tuna is already cooked and ready to eat. That's why you can add it to this recipe after the pasta has cooked.
Yes, you can freeze the cooked casserole in a sealed container or you can wrap a casserole dish with several layers of plastic wrap. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat tuna casserole, use the microwave or reheat in the oven in a foil-wrapped dish at 350 F. Add a drizzle of milk or half an half as it reheats to loosen up the noodles and sauce.
More Instant Pot Comfort Food
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
Instant Pot Tuna Casserole is a classic 1950s casserole turned into an easy Instant Pot dinner with egg noodles, tuna & peas in creamy pasta sauce. This one-pot dinner is simple but flavorful comfort food made with fresh ingredients.
Total Instant Pot Cooking Time: 10 minutes to reach pressure + 2 minute cooking time + instant release
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 2
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Instant Pot
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot or half of an onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 cups water
- 12 ounces wide or extra wide egg noodles
- ¼ teaspoon salt (add a generous ¼ teaspoon, and add more to taste later)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (buy a brick of cream cheese, not whipped)
- ⅓ cup whole cream
- 1/2 to 1 cup grated cheddar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 5-ounce cans solid tuna in water, drained (I used albacore tuna)
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or dill
Instructions
- First, cut the cream cheese into small squares and set it aside so it comes up to room temperature.
- Using the saute function, melt the butter and add shallot/onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, just to soften and lightly brown. Don’t let it burn or stick to the pot.
- Add garlic, saute 30 seconds.
- Add water, pasta and salt. Mix well so that all of the noodles are wet. Try to push the noodles down flat so they’re as close to the water as possible (they won’t be completely covered, which is fine)
- Cook on high pressure, for 2 minutes. When the cooking time is done, instantly release the pressure.
- Mix well. If there’s some liquid left in the bottom of the pot, that’s okay.
- Stir in the cream cheese, cheddar, whole cream and Dijon mustard.
- Add tuna, frozen peas and parsley. Mix well. Add salt if needed.
Notes
This recipe was made in a 6-quart instant pot
The frozen peas don’t need to be defrosted. They will defrost quickly when added to the hot pasta.
You can use between ½ to 1 cup of grated cheddar, depending on how much cheese you like
To add a crunchy topping, serve the tuna and noodles in a casserole dish and crumble potato chips on top, or sprinkle browned breadcrumbs on top.
Karyn
I've made this quite a few times and it always turns out delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It's easy, very tasty and a family favourite.
Jenny Meier
Thanks for letting me know, I'm glad your family enjoys it!
maryanne
I grew up eating tuna noodle casserole and have always had a fondness for it, and I love your addition of mustard and dill! Sounds like a delicious new twist!
Dannii
I love tuna casserole, but I hadn't thought to do it in the instant pot. Such a great idea!
veenaazmanov
Yummy combination of Tuna and Noodles. This is delicious and one of my Family favorite meal. Perfect Dinner special.
Farah Abumaizar
I am always looking for instant pot recipes, so finding this made me so happy. Can't wait to try this out, looks so easy and comforting!
Denay DeGuzman
Love love this great classic recipe! I had no idea you could make it in an Instant Pot. Adding this now to our monthly meal-plan rotation.
Jenny
Great, hope you enjoy it!