Creamed Tuna on Toast

~ Meet my all-time most beloved comfort food! This Creamed Tuna on Toast recipe dates back to my Grandma’s day. But even now, it delivers on all fronts: nourishing and delicious, in just a few easy minutes with surprisingly simple ingredients (that you probably already have on hand)! ~

This Recipe Is:   •  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Freezable  •  Make Ahead  •

This truly is my ultimate comfort food.

The one I remember from childhood. The one that still feels like a warm hug, whenever I need one.

Are you surprised? Probably a little.

But there’s a reason this cozy, old-fashioned recipe has such staying power, decade after decade – and still gets lots of Google searches every single day, even now.

It really is like a reliable, always-there-for-you friend. Uncomplicated, un-fussy, and always surprisingly soul-satisfying.

And the ingredients are the kind that you’ve probably always got on hand. Just in case. For comfort-food emergencies.

Plus, I’ve actually got some ideas for how you can switch it up a little, if you’re craving comfort food with a bit of a twist. You’ve got options!

But, Really … What Is Creamed Tuna on Toast, You Might Ask?

If you’ve never tried Creamed Tuna before, here’s what we’ve got:

• A silky cream sauce flecked with bits of tuna fish (I’ve got recommendations on the best kind of tuna to use … read on …), which cooks up quickly and is then …

• Draped over a crunchy-chewy-just-right slice of lightly toasted bread.

Andddddd … that’s it.

Simple, simple, simple.

You wouldn’t think such basic ingredients could add up to something this fantastic. But they do. And it really is wonderful. It kind of surprises me all over again, every single time: how much I dearly love this recipe.

It’s always so very easy and … well, just so darn comforting.

My Grandma’s Original Recipe

My copy of the original recipe for Creamed Tuna is scrawled in my Grandma’s hand on a yellowing note card, carefully tucked away in one of my recipe boxes. (Right along with those treasured, heirloom recipes for Date Bars and “Grape-Nuts” Bread.)

It’s been passed along through the women in my family throughout the years. My mom used to make it for me when I was little, until I was old enough to indulge in making it for myself. And on a chilly or sad or I-just-need-a-hug kinda day, this remains my ultimate.

Now, full disclosure: I’ve made a couple tiny updates to bring the original, vintage Creamed Tuna on Toast recipe into the modern era.

I also translated my Grandma’s non-specific directions into clearer, easy-to-follow steps that will ensure your cream sauce turns out silky-smooth and you get great results EASILY, every time.

So let’s make this!

(Because I want you to have this in your life, ready and waiting when you need a cozy, comfort-food hug!)

How to Make the Very Best Creamed Tuna

Ingredient Prep

There’s virtually no prep work here at all, unless you count ripping open your pouch of tuna. Nice! (You’re feeling comforted already aren’t ya?!?)

It’s a good idea to have everything measured and ready to go, right next to your stove, because this is a fast recipe and some of the steps go pretty quickly, so you’ll want to be ready for ’em.

Step #1

Step #2

Then, sprinkle in your flour and salt, and let them cook for 3 minutes.

The point of cooking the flour in this step is to ensure that you cook off that raw flour taste you can get if you don’t let it cook before making a cream sauce.

While it’s cooking, stir it frequently so it doesn’t brown.

You’ll notice that, at first, your flour will cake together, but then it’ll begin to separate into smaller chunks and coarse crumbs.

Perfect so far!

Step #3

Now we’re gonna add the milk. You might be tempted to just dump it all in at once, but you’ll get a reliably smooth and creamy sauce if you add it gradually instead.

So, start by pouring in just a few tablespoons of milk (you can eyeball this – it doesn’t have to be a precise, exact amount). Whisk vigorously as you dribble in the milk, until your mixture is fairly smooth and lump-free.

Then, add the rest of the milk in 2 more additions, whisking it well each time, until it’s smooth.

Step #4

Once your cream sauce is smooth, it will still be very runny, and you’ll want to thicken it up.

Turn your stove’s heat up to high.

Be sure to whisk continuously at this point, to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy.

And, be aware that once it does begin to thicken, it continues to thicken up very quickly. (So, you know, that’s not a really great time to take a phone call or strike up a conversation with your kiddos about who’s supposed to be setting the table.)

Also, note that you’re not completely thickening it at this stage.

Ideally, it should still be a tiny bit thinner than you’d like it to be when you serve it. (But, having said this, you truly don’t have to stress about the whole thickening process … at the end of the recipe, you can easily thin the sauce to whatever consistency you’d like, if it’s gotten a little too thick. I just want you to be ready and on your toes about what’s happening here. )

Step #5

As soon as your sauce has just begun the thickening process, immediately turn the heat back down to low, and stir in your tuna.

(If you’re adding those optional peas, you would stir those in now, too.)

In this step, all you’re basically doing is allowing the tuna (and optional peas) to get warmed through, which really only takes maybe 30-60 seconds.

Your sauce will also continue thickening in this step, as it cooks.

Step #6

Serve that warm, creamy, comforting sauce over a slice of toast.

Normally, I like a heartier whole-grain loaf to add texture to the overall dish. But sometimes (like if I’ve been sick), a plain, smooth-textured bread feels right. Go with whatever you prefer. But remember that choosing a whole-wheat or whole-grain option will definitely give you a nice boost of nutrition.

If you happen to have some fresh parsley in the fridge, a sprinkling will add perky color. But honestly, does comfort food NEED perky color? Not really. It just needs to be warm and cozy and delicious, which is precisely what Creamed Tuna offers. And, as far as I’m concerned, boring-beige is 100% fine when it comes to comfort food. (So you can absolutely feel free to skip that parsely if you want.)

Delicious Variations

When I was little, we never, ever deviated from the most basic Creamed Tuna recipe. No additions, no options.

But it turns out that there really are some terrific options. So if need to add a dash of adventure to your plate of comfort food, here are a few additions you might wanna try:

• Add a Hard-Boiled Egg

This idea is actually noted on my Grandma’s old recipe card: “Sometimes you can add ½ a boiled egg on each slice.” I’m sure that was a way of adding extra protein to the meal, before her husband and children headed back out to tackle the physically demanding work of running their farm.

I don’t remember that my mom ever made it that way for me when I was little, though.

But how could Grandma be wrong? Give it a try if you’ve got a hard-boiled egg in the fridge!

Simply cut it in half and nestle it into the cream sauce on top of your toast.

• Add Some Peas

I’ve noticed that some recipes for Creamed Tuna on Toast call for adding peas to the cream sauce. I guess it’s kind of like a tuna casserole vibe at that point.

Huh.

Well, ok … I tested this variation for you, in case you wanted to go that route.

Honestly? Turns out, I’m not a huge fan of the peas.

But that doesn’t mean you won’t love it – maybe you will!

If you want to give it a try, I found that adding no more than about ¼ cup of thawed, frozen peas seemed to be about the right balance. You can simply stir them into the cream sauce in Step #5, at the same time you add the tuna.

• Add Some Tomato Slices

As an adult, the variation I’ve come to like best is adding some sliced tomato on top of the toast, before I spoon on the tuna cream sauce.

The tomato not only looks pretty, but also adds a freshness and a bit of juicy acidity to lift up the creamy notes.

But when it’s all said and done … I truly don’t need a variation here. When I need pure comfort, I want the simple beauty of the basic recipe. Nothing fancy. Just food happiness on a plate.

Oh, and guess what? If you like meal prepping for busy weeks, there’s even more happiness to be found in this recipe!

How to Make This Ahead of Time

I was surprised (and delighted) at how beautifully the Creamed Tuna sauce reheats, without separating.

I usually microwave it until it’s hot, and then spoon it over freshly toasted bread (but you can re-warm it on the stovetop, if you’d rather).

Maybe even more fabulous: it also freezes well! I’d suggest freezing it in individually sized portions, so you can pull out exactly the amount you need. But of course, you could also freeze it in a larger batch, if that works better for your family.

You can once again adjust the consistency of the cream sauce as you’re reheating it, if you want to make it a little thinner. Just like in Step #6 when you originally made the recipe, when you’re reheating it, you can stir in a smidge of milk to thin the sauce to the consistency you want.

I know this may feel like a more old-fashioned type of recipe than what I typically share with you. But of all the recipes I can think of, this really is the one that feels like my very most ultimate comfort food.

And so, I thought you might love it just as much as I do.

I truly hope you will!

And I hope it brings you an extra bit of comfort, whenever you need it most!

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