Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper
If you love classic Tuna Helper, you’re going to love this homemade version. It’s creamy, comforting, and made from scratch with simple ingredients. Same cozy flavor, better taste, and ready in about 30 minutes.
Need more quick weeknight dinner ideas? These are always a hit: taco spaghetti, chicken and stuffing casserole & chicken garlic parmesan pasta.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 12 ounces medium egg pasta
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (12-ounce) can chunk tuna, drained
- Fresh parsley, for serving
How to Make Homemade Tuna Helper
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in cheeses until smooth.
- Add pasta and toss to coat.
- Stir in tuna until warmed through.
- Top with parsley and serve. Enjoy!
Storage & Freezing
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm in a skillet or microwave with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce.
Freezing: It’s doable, but creamy sauces can change texture a bit. If you freeze it, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently with extra liquid.
Creamy Homemade Tuna Helper
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
If you love classic Tuna Helper, you’re going to love this homemade version. It’s creamy, comforting, and made from scratch with simple ingredients. Same cozy flavor, better taste, and ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 (12-ounce) can chunk tuna, drained
Fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in cheeses until smooth.
- Add pasta and toss to coat.
- Stir in tuna until warmed through.
- Top with parsley and serve.
Notes
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm in a skillet or microwave with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce.
Freezing: It’s doable, but creamy sauces can change texture a bit. If you freeze it, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently with extra liquid.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
I made this last week and am making it again tonight because my daughter absolutely LOVED it (and so did I)! Also, it was super easy and quick to make. My daughter loves the boxed Tuna Helper (and she is a tough customer as she has sensory issues with taste, texture, smell) and I don’t care for it so I seldom make it for her/us. This recipe, however, has that homemade taste you cannot get from a box, is rich and creamy, and can easily be doubled – best of all, we BOTH like it ( better ingredients as well ). I will never buy another box again now that I’ve found this recipe. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing it! Who knew such a humble dish would prove to be a total game changer!? Thank you, again.
I’m thrilled to hear that you and your daughter loved this Tuna Helper copycat! Thanks so much for taking the time to share 🙂 Sandra