This instant pot tuna casserole is a simple, but delicious meal all made in one pot. Perfect for a quick and easy dinner, lunch or meal prep.
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I love a good tuna casserole, and I'm so excited to finally have found the perfect way to cook it in the instant pot! This is a tuna casserole without canned soup, and it only uses common and affordable ingredients.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you will need pasta, vegetable broth, carrots, canned tuna, frozen peas, frozen or canned corn, milk, shredded cheese, celery, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Use short types of pasta, such as penne or fusilli. For the cheese, you can choose your favorite, but I like to use cheddar for this recipe.
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Drain the canned tuna, peel and dice the carrots, and dice the celery.
- Layer the ingredients: Add the dry pasta to the instant pot. Then, add the tuna, carrots, frozen peas, frozen corn or drained canned corn and celery on top of the pasta. Finally, pour over the chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- Press down the ingredients to submerge them as much as possible. Don't stir.
- Cook the casserole: Cover the instant pot with the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK setting for 3 minutes.
- Release pressure: Turn the valve to quickly release the pressure from the instant pot, then turn it off.
- Finish the dish: Add milk and shredded cheese to the instant pot. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Serve: Serve the tuna casserole, optionally topped with dill or parsley, lemon juice or Parmesan.
Browse my collection of healthy casserole recipes for more dinner inspiration.
Top tips
Here's my best advice to help you make the perfect casserole:
- Follow the instructions precisely to ensure that the ingredients cook correctly.
- Make sure to allow the instant pot to release some steam naturally. The dish will finish cooking during this process.
- Only use white, short types of pasta. If you use wholegrain pasta, chickpea pasta or other variations, the recipe might not work.
Serving suggestions
Tuna casserole is a meal in itself, and can be enjoyed as is for lunch or dinner. However, if you want to serve it with a side dish, here are some of my favorite suggestions:
- Air Fryer Mushrooms - Serve your dish with air fried mushrooms on the side for a flavorful meal.
- Mediterranean Roast Vegetables - A medley of roasted vegetables is a great side dish!
- Air Fryer Broccoli - This air fried broccoli tastes great, and is super easy to make.
- Garlic bread, or any bread. Pasta and garlic bread are like made for each other.
Variations
Gluten free: Make sure to use gluten free pasta and vegetable broth if required.
Dairy free: Use a vegan or dairy free cheese and milk substitute if required. Please note that certain vegan cheeses don't melt well. The dish also tastes great without the added cheese.
Extra veg: Feel free to add additional vegetables, such as spinach, kale, olives, broccoli, cauliflower and more. Hard vegetables should be diced and added to the instant pot before cooking. Soft vegetables and leafy greens should be added to the casserole after cooking.
Other types of fish: Substitute the canned tuna for equal amounts of canned salmon or mackerel if you wish to try the recipe using other types of fish.
Leftovers
You can store leftover instant pot tuna casserole in sealed containers in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy it cold, or reheat it in a microwave or instant pot before serving.
I love to prepare a big batch of this recipe and enjoy it for lunch or dinners throughout the week.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. Pasta only cooks in a few minutes in the instant pot, and it can be cooked together with any sauce and other ingredients that you like.
No. Whole wheat pasta has different requirements, and will require different cooking times. Feel free to experiment with the recipe, but I cannot guarantee that it will work.
You might also like these recipes
- Broccoli Sausage Casserole
- Skinny Mexican Casserole
- Healthy Tuna Pasta Bake
- Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
- Minced Beef Pasta Bake
- Healthy Tuna Pasta Bake
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces pasta
- 1 can tuna (drained)
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup Cheddar (shredded)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dill
Instructions
- Drain the canned tuna, peel and dice the carrots, and dice the celery.
- Press down the ingredients to submerge them as much as possible. Don’t stir.
- Cover the instant pot with the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK setting for 3 minutes.
- Turn the valve to quickly release the pressure from the instant pot, then turn it off.
- Add milk and shredded cheese to the instant pot. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Serve the tuna casserole, optionally topped with dill or parsley, lemon juice or Parmesan.
Video
Notes
- Don't substitute for other types of pasta.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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