Tuna Macaroni and Cheese Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

Tuna Macaroni and Cheese is a quick, stove top dinner that can be made from pantry staples. The extra cheesy tuna mac goodness will satisfy everyone in your house.

Tuna Macaroni and Cheese Recipe:

You know the scenario. It’s been a long day, and you walk through the door. There’s no time to cook a huge meal for the family. This Tuna Macaroni and Cheese will check the box for these busy nights. The entire recipe is cooked on the stove top, and it only uses one saucepan and that means less mess to clean up afterwards.

We found this recipe in our trusty Pot O’Gold cookbook like so many other of our favorites on this site.

I love how quick this tuna mac and cheese with Velveeta goes together. The longest step of the entire recipe is cooking elbow macaroni. Once the macaroni is cooked, you toss in the rest of the ingredients and dinner is served.

I keep all these ingredients on hand – tuna, elbow macaroni and cheese melt are always in the pantry. And, there’s always milk and butter in the refrigerator.

Our house deemed this dish a success. The extra cheesy goodness from cheese melt (AKA Velveeta) creates a delicious base. The protein comes from simple canned tuna.

Other Favorite Tuna Recipes

We are big fans of canned tuna. Here are some of our favorite recipes featuring tuna:

• Tuna Melt Turnovers
• Mom’s Classic Tuna Casserole
• Tuna Salad Coney’s
• Tuna BBQ
• Barbie’s Tuna Salad
• Tuna Macaroni Salad

Notes about the Macaroni and Cheese with Tuna recipe:

• This tuna mac and cheese recipe calls for elbow macaroni, but any pasta will do. Cook according to package directions.
• You could make this cheesy tuna mac a complete meal by adding frozen peas. Add them at the same step as the tuna, and they will cook quickly.
• A fun change-up would be using white cheese melt (queso blanco).
• Stove top tuna mac calls for tuna packed in oil. You could absolutely use solid albacore tuna or tuna packed in water. I would drain any tuna packed in water first.
• Looking for a more traditional macaroni and cheese sans tuna? Try our skillet mac and cheese for a classic side dish!

How to Make Tuna Mac:

Instructions:

1. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain the water, and add the cooked pasta back into the saucepan.
2. Cut cheese melt into cubes and add it and the milk to the macaroni; stir until the cheese is completely melted.
3. Stir in butter, garlic salt and pepper.
4. Add undrained tuna, and stir. Serve hot.

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