Instant Pot Tuna Casserole is the easiest way to make tuna casserole without soup. Dump ingredients in, press a button, and enjoy tuna noodle casserole comfort in under 30 minutes.
Instant Pot tuna casserole has become a favorite rescue dinner recipe. Chicken Alfredo is a close second as a convenient comfort. This toss-and-go pressure cooking method is the easiest way to enjoy tuna noodle casserole in under 30 minutes. It's a family-loved budget-friendly dinner recipe where pantry staples really go the distance.
Instant Pot tuna casserole key ingredients
Ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card below.
- egg noodles - use plain or whole wheat
- canned tuna - oil or water packed
- peas - use fresh, frozen, or canned
- carrots - use fresh or frozen
- mushrooms - any variety
- chicken broth - or preferred broth
- dried onion - the perfect pantry substitute if you don't have raw onions on hand
- milk - or preferred dairy product
- cheddar cheese - white or yellow cheddar (I use both)
- Parmesan cheese - grated or shredded
How to make Instant Pot tuna casserole
Recipe instructions are listed in the printable recipe card below.
- Chop carrots and mushrooms (or use pre-cut veggies).
- Place egg noodles, tuna, peas, carrots, mushrooms, chicken broth, and onion in the Instant Pot.
- Press ingredients down to submerge in the liquid.
- Close the lid, seal the pressure valve, and pressure cook, followed by a natural pressure release.
- Release remaining steam, open the lid, stir in milk and cheese, and devour!
How is Instant Pot tuna casserole different from old fashioned tuna noodle casserole?
- it's pressure-cooked = no need to heat up the whole kitchen
- uses less dirty dishes
- the pasta cooks with other ingredients = creamier
- dinner's on the table in 30 minutes
- perfect for don't know how to cook or don't like cooking
- hands-free cooking = get stuff done while dinner is being made
- no canned soup = real food with less salt and more flavor
- perfect for people who literally forget to plan dinner ?
You'll be glad to know that the flavor, texture, and tuna casserole dreaminess is all there with Instant Pot Tuna Casserole. It's almost hard to believe that a pressure cooker tuna casserole can be this easy and delicious!
Can I freeze tuna casserole?
Absolutely! That is, if there's any left over Like any casserole, this tuna noodle casserole can be frozen up to 90 days portioned into freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe plastic zip top bags.
To thaw frozen tuna casserole, place casserole portion(s) in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost function on a microwave following manufacturers instructions.
Best noodles for tuna casserole
Egg noodles are the most common pasta for old fashioned tuna casserole. Compared to conventional pasta noodles, egg noodles actually cook a little quicker. But fee free to use regular pasta in place of egg noodles by adding an extra +1 minute of pressure cook time to the recipe (for a total of +2 minutes on high pressure).
If using a gluten free pasta, keep the original pressure cooking time of +1 minute, especially if your pasta is made from beans or legumes, which tend to be more delicate and cook more quickly.
How to add crispy toppings to Instant Pot tuna casserole
Want that crispy topping like an old fashioned tuna casserole? Use breadcrumbs (lightly coated in olive oil or melted butter), or French fried onions, or potato chips, and either of these 2 methods:
Method 1: Turn the oven broiler to HIGH; transfer the tuna casserole into a baking dish or individual serving dish sprinkled with your choice of topping. Place casserole 6-10" under the broiler until golden brown (about 2 minutes).
Method 2: If you have the Instant Pot air fryer lid, you can sprinkle your toppings over the casserole in the cooker and follow the manufacturers instructions to toast them to your liking.
Ingredient substitutions
- Heavy cream or half and half in place of milk for a creamier texture and richer flavor (but beware the fat calories)
- Frozen mixed vegetables in place of fresh vegetables (thawed and mixed in after the pressure cook cycle)
- Canned chicken or salmon in place of canned tuna
- Your favorite cheese in place of the cheddar and parmesan
- Regular pasta in place of egg noodles and add 1 minute to the pressure cook time (for a total of 2 minutes)
- Vegetable broth in place of chicken broth
- Fresh onion in place of dried onion flakes
- Gluten-free pasta in place of egg noodles
Instant Pot dinner recipes we love
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Lasagna Soup For Instant Pot Or Stove
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Italian Sausage Soup With Orzo
- Ham Alfredo Pasta For Instant Pot Or Stove
Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 oz Uncooked Egg Noodles, same as 3 cups
- 1 5oz can Tuna, drained
- 1 cup Frozen Peas, or canned or fresh
- 1 large Carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
- 5 whole Mushrooms, 4 oz chopped
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Tbsp Dried Onion Flakes, or 1/4 cup diced raw onion
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
- ⅛ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Milk
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, shaved, shredded, or fresh grated
- optional Lemon
RECIPE VIDEO
Equipment
- stirring utensil
- can opener
- airtight storage containers
Instructions
- Add EGG NOODLES to the Instant Pot. Then cover the noodles with TUNA, PEAS, CARROTS, MUSHROOMS, ONION, SALT, and PEPPER. Pour in CHICKEN BROTH.
- Do not stir the ingredients. Instead, press down to submerge the noodles in the broth. (I like to use a potato masher for this).
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, close the valve seal, and cook on manual HIGH pressure for 1 minute (yes, that’s only one minute), followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). DO NOT SKIP the NPR...the noodles are still cooking.
- Carefully turn the pressure valve to release any remaining steam and open the lid.
- NOTE: You will see a little excess liquid at first, but it helps incorporate the cheese in the next step AND the noodles will soak it up the longer it sits.
- Stir in MILK, CHEDDAR CHEESE, and PARMESAN CHEESE. I used a minimal amount of cheese, so feel free to add more.
- Serve warm with (optional) grated LEMON ZEST and a squeeze of LEMON JUICE.
Recipe Notes from TKG
Tuna Casserole Ingredient Substitutions
- Use heavy cream or half and half in place of milk for a creamier texture and richer flavor (but beware the fat calories)
- Frozen mixed vegetables in place of fresh vegetables (thawed and mixed in after the pressure cook cycle)
- Canned chicken or salmon in place of canned tuna
- Your favorite cheese in place of the cheddar and parmesan
- Replace egg noodles with regular pasta and pressure cook 1 minute for thin pasta (such as medium shells) or 2 minutes for thicker pasta (elbow, bow tie, rigatoni, etc).
- Vegetable broth in place of chicken broth
- Fresh onion in place of dried onion flakes
- Gluten-free pasta in place of egg noodles
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Linda Vazquez says
Hi I already cooked my pasta before I got the idea to try in my Insta pot is there an adjustment to be made the noodles are already cooked for cooking time or ingredients?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Linda, yes, since the noodles are already cooked, it changes the whole recipe because the pasta cooking liquid, pressure cooking, and timing work together. Since your noodles are cooked, it voids the instructions. At this point, the vegetables could be sauteed and the remaining ingredients added (tuna, milk, seasoning, cooked noodles, some splashes of broth, and cheese folded in), then served. Hope this makes sense 🙂
Margaret says
As delicious as this sounds, and it does… a 1 cup serving is NOT a realistic supper serving. The cholesterol, fats and sodium in 1 cup, let alone 2 cups, makes this something I could never justify trying. Too bad…
The Kitchen Girl says
Well, I appreciate the compliment. Please know that I use 1-cup servings to help readers easily visualize the amounts. If I merely said 8 servings, you would have no point of reference for recipe yield or serving amount. Also, I always encourage readers to use their favorite nutrition calculator for accuracy. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
Katherine says
Comfort food at its best! I have made this recipe twice now. I’m not a big milk fan so I used yogurt once and sour cream this last time. Delicious and easy to make with the Instapot.
Claire says
I was wondering if I could use chickpea pasta (small shells or penne) instead of the egg noodles, and if I should adjust the time?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hiya, others have reported using chickpea pasta without adjusting the time. Keep in mind that different brands use different flours, so you may need to do some testing. Please do let me know how it goes. Thanks and enjoy!
Claire says
I used a box of Banza corkscrew pasta with no changes and it worked great! Thank you!
Hilary says
Really good I have to admit I unsure as I made it but it was delicious comfort food Than you
The Kitchen Girl says
Well that's perfect! So glad to inspire ... thanks so much!
Loretta Russell says
I am going to try tuna casserole. Sounds delicious!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Loretta! Let me know if you have any questions. We just made it a few days ago ... absolutely love this recipe for convenience and comfort 🙂 Enjoy!
Lisa says
I've made this using tuna several times. Fast, easy, and yummy. My parents and I really enjoy it. My husband will eat it, but doesn't love tuna. My kid hates tuna and refuses to touch it.
So tonight I used a can of chicken. I always increase the carrots. Added one stalk of chopped celery, and a sprinkle of thyme & garlic powder.
He says this is much better than tuna. Kid agrees (even though she's never tried the tuna!). I still prefer tuna for when I visit my folks, but this is a better choice for my husband and daughter.
Thanks again for a great recipe!
The Kitchen Girl says
Aww you're so welcome and yep, canned chicken is perfect in this too. I love it both ways 🙂 So glad you're enjoying it!
Mary says
This was absolutely delicious. I made it for my parents and my sister and they devoured it. I added an extra can of tuna, thawed peas and carrots (added at the end), and part low-fat cheese mixed with extra sharp cheddar and parmesan. (I didn't use more cheese than the recipe called for and that was a perfect amount! The end result was very creamy.) I added fresh crushed garlic, fresh onion, and a little sprinkle of Bay Seasoning and red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon - which took it to a whole other level. Also, I used whole wheat rotini pasta and kept high pressure for 2 minutes - perfect! This will be made again many times.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome Mary! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Sounds like you you really did take Instant Pot tuna casserole to a new level. Love the Old Bay add-in...great idea! I really appreciate your feedback and review. Thanks so much!