Homemade Tuna Helper is a creamy pasta dinner made with egg noodles, tuna, vegetables, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese. It’s an easy homemade version of the classic boxed meal that’s made with simple ingredients and no condensed soup.
Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
- Cooking Method: This is cooked on the stove-top and finished off in the oven to melt the cheese.
- Key Ingredients: Pasta, canned tuna, and frozen and fresh vegetables. Plus, there’s cream cheese and milk to make a creamy sauce. Parmesan cheese is broiled until melted and lightly golden.
- Ease: Ready in about 35 minutes using simple ingredients.
- Top Tip: If you don’t have an oven proof skillet, pour the mixture into a casserole dish. You can also use a large pot like a Dutch oven to melt the cheese in the oven.
Jump to:
This has been one of our family’s favorite weeknight dinners for years. The creamy sauce, vegetables, and tuna make it a complete meal, and finishing it under the broiler gives the Parmesan a delicious golden crust.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Fresh and frozen veggies and a few pantry staples are all that is needed to make this easy recipe. Plus a little bit of cheese of course!
- Egg Noodles: We use No Yolks, Smart Pasta or whole wheat noodles. Use your favorite type and brand.
- Olive Oil: Canola oil or vegetable oil will also work.
- Yellow Onion: Regular yellow onions that are inexpensive work perfectly in this dish.
- Carrots: We dice up some baby carrots because that is what we always have in the fridge. Frozen will work. Canned will probably be too soft so I don’t recommend them in this recipe.
- Flour: Regular ol’ all purpose flour works great.
- Milk: I use whole milk. Skim, 1%, or 2% will work but will result in a sauce that is slightly thinner.
- Cream Cheese: This key ingredient is what makes it so creamy! Full fat or ⅓ less fat will work.
- Dijon Mustard: I use the smooth type for this. I have not tried the grainy variety. If you aren’t a fan you can simply leave it out.
- Frozen Sweet Peas & Corn: Canned corn works well. I don’t recommend canned peas because they are too soft and will become mushy.
- Canned Tuna Fish: I use tuna packed in water, packed in oil will also work. I use flaked light tuna, you can use solid white albacore tuna if you would like.
- Parmesan Cheese: It comes already shredded or in a block. We prefer the type on the block because it melts better.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Regular or Kosher salt will work.
How to Make Homemade Tuna Helper
This homemade Tuna Helper comes together in about 35 minutes using simple ingredients and a creamy homemade sauce.
- Cook noodles al dente according to package directions; drain.
- Meanwhile heat a large oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add oil, onion and carrots to the pan and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, turn heat up and cook until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add cream cheese, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Stir in peas and corn, half the cheese and drained tuna, mix until combined. Stir in pasta and heat until hot, stirring occasional.
- Top with remaining cheese and put under the broiler until cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Why is my Tuna Helper Watery? (And how to fix it!)
If you’ve ever tried the boxed version or other “one-pot” homemade recipes, you’ve likely ended up with a soup instead of a creamy pasta. Here is why that happens and why this recipe is the “no-fail” solution:
- The Problem with “One-Pot” Cooking: When you cook dry noodles directly in the sauce, the timing has to be perfect. If the noodles don’t absorb the liquid at the exact right rate, you’re left with a thin, watery mess.
- The Secret is the Roux: In my version, we start by cooking the onions and carrots in olive oil and whisking in flour. This creates a “roux,” which is the professional way to ensure a sauce stays thick and velvety.
- The Cream Cheese Factor: Instead of relying on water or just milk, we use cream cheese. This adds body and “grip” to the sauce, helping it cling to the egg noodles rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- The “Stand” Time: You’ll notice the final step is to let it stand for 5 minutes. This is crucial! During this time, the heat from the pasta helps the starches and fats bond, giving you that perfect “Helper” texture.
Pro Tip: Always drain your tuna thoroughly. If you skip the draining, that extra tuna-water will thin out your sauce and ruin the creamy consistency!
Tips for Making Homemade Tuna Helper
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer everything to a baking dish before topping with cheese and broiling.
- If the pasta gets done before you are ready for it drain it and keep it in a pot of cool water. Then drain it again and add it after the frozen vegetables. Make sure everything is hot before topping it with cheese and putting it under the broiler. If the pasta gets done after the sauce is ready then keep the sauce warm on low heat until the pasta is done.
One of the hardest parts of cooking any meal is timing everything to get done at around the same time. It gets easier the more you cook.
Substitutions & Additions
- Canola oil, vegetable oil or melted butter can be used instead of olive oil.
- Other topping ideas are bread crumbs, crushed Ritz crackers or potato chips.
- Replace some of the peas and corn with green beans.
- Instead of fresh carrots you could use frozen carrots, just add them when you add the other frozen veggies.
- Use sharp cheddar cheese instead of Parmesan for a different cheesy flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Store Homemade Tuna Helper Creamy Pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave until heated through, stirring once halfway through. Microwave times will vary.
FAQs
I don’t recommend freezing it because the pasta will become mushy.
Yes, but I don’t recommend them. Canned peas are already fully cooked and become very soft when heated in the sauce. Frozen peas hold their shape and texture much better, giving the finished dish a fresher taste and appearance.
Cream cheese gives this recipe its rich, creamy texture and helps create a smooth sauce without using canned soup. You can leave it out if needed, but the sauce won’t be as thick or creamy. If you don’t have cream cheese, you could substitute an equal amount of softened cream cheese spread, but I haven’t tested other substitutions.
Love this recipe?
Leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Homemade Tuna Helper Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- ⅓ cup carrot diced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 ¾ cups milk
- 4 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cans tuna in water, drained and flaked 5 ounce
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.8 ounces wide egg noodles
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Put oil in the pan and cook the onion and carrot for about 6 minutes or until carrot is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk, raise heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until slightly thick.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup yellow onion, ⅓ cup carrot, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 ¾ cups milk
- Stir in cream cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.4 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat broiler.
- Reduce heat to medium, stir in peas, corn, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and tuna. Add pasta and heat through. Top with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.½ cup frozen peas, ½ cup frozen corn, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 cans tuna in water, drained and flaked
- Broil 3 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
This was absolutely fantastic. Way better than expected. (Not that I expected it to be bad). But omg was it delicious. My daughter said it’s her new favorite dish and will make it for her husband. Thank you for posting!
You’re welcome, I am so glad y’all like it! Thank you for commenting and rating!
My husband and I are seniors, we liked this but found it too rich for us. Next time I’ll leave out the cream cheese and it should help. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you so much for trying it and I really appreciate your feedback! I can definitely see how the cream cheese might make it a bit rich, and that’s a great idea to leave it out or reduce it. I’m glad you still enjoyed it overall!
This is so good! I’ve always loved the boxed version, but stopped eating it years ago. This tastes so much like the original , we loved it! Thank you!
I am so glad you like it! Thank you for commenting and rating!
This came out really great. I will definitely make it again.
I’m so glad you like it, thanks for commenting!
My husband loves hamburger helper and tuna helper and I never buy them because they are processed food. He loved this tuna helper! It was quick and easy too! I used almond milk because it is what we had and I added all the Parmesan cheese to the recipe and skipped the broiling part of the recipe because I needed it done sooner. It was still delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I’m so glad you guys liked it, it’s one of my family’s favorites. Thanks for commenting!
My family really enjoyed this recipe. I did add some seasonings (1 tsp of McCormick Garlic & Herb) other than that I made it according to the recipe. So yummy! Thank you for this easy and nostalgic recipe!
You’re welcome, I’m so glad you like it! I just might have to give the McCormick seasoning a try.
Oh my goodness. This recipe is very good & very easy to make. Hubby & I both really liked it-will definately make again! Also I love your Pinterest site!!
Thank you, I’m so glad y’all like it!
This is good. But it’s not the flavor of the Creamy Tuna Helper that I love so much and was looking for. I do taste the resemblance, but it’s missing something and I don’t know what. Even so, I can’t find Tuna Helper anymore, nor the off brand, so I may make it again.
I tried to replicate it the best I could, I’m not sure what might be missing.
Very good better than store bought
Thank you for commenting and reviewing!
I love it that you list the ingredients and amounts required for each step. Keeps from having to scroll up and down all the time.
Thank you! It is a feature I really like too when making a recipe.
Hi I’m allergic to eggs what other pasta would work well? Thx.Diana.
Bowtie or rotini would work great in this recipe and they don’t usually have eggs. Also, Great Value has wide egg free ribbons, not sure if they are available where you are.
We love this recipe. I skip the corn & add more seasonings: 1 tbsp buttermilk powder or milk powder, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp onion powder, 1/8 tsp crushed dried celery & 1/2 tsp of parsley.Tastes so close to the real thing, without all the questionable ingredients. Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome, we are so glad you like it!
I made this for supper it was a good healthy meal I was pleased
This recipe is super yummy!
When I told my husband what I was making he wasn’t super into it. Lol! But he ended up saying it was really good and went back for seconds.
I did add an extra 2 oz of cream cheese. It just needed a bit more for me! I also cooked jalapeños along with onions and carrots for a little kick. Very good I do recommend!
You can never have too much cheese, right?! I am glad you guys liked it!
I really like this recipe. My family did too. Well the ones who like Tuna. I added more tuna the second time to beef it up around because I have growing boys
We are so glad you and your family liked it. It is good with extra tuna, we do that sometimes too! Thanks, Mindy
Our stores quit carrying the creamy version and only had the cheesy. Hubby wouldn’t eat the other. We love this and will make it a lot
So glad you and the hubby like it! Thanks,
Mindy
I added some panko crumbs that I fried for a minute or so in oil on top to add some texture! Great recipe, Mindy! Reminds me of home:)
Sounds delicious!
I made this last night, my family and I loved it!
I was so glad to find a recipe that doesn’t use canned soup. The cream cheese adds such a nice flavour and texture to the sauce.
I added some thyme and sage to the cooked carrot/onion and flour mixture- it was lovely! Your recipe is going in to my collection!
We are so glad you liked it! We love the cream cheese in it too. Thank you
Great way to layout this recipe. Fantastic. However no cream cheese. How to sub?.
You could puree some cottage cheese or use greek yogurt, maybe? It might change the texture a little, I’m not sure. You could leave it out, I will sometimes just leave an ingredient out of a recipes if I don’t have it or if I don’t like a particular ingredient.
I need to eat healthier because I have kidney disease and need to avoid preservatives. I also need to lose weight and increase my omega 3 oils. I plan to substitute salmon for tuna because salmon is much higher in omega 3 oils. I will try it soon.
My family loves your recipe! We make it about once a month. Our only change is to add mushrooms (chopped and cooked with the onions and carrots). Thank you for adapting this recipe!
That’s awesome. We like mushrooms too so I’ll have to give it a try. Thank you!