READY IN 1 hr

Grandma Daly's Tuna and Tater Casserole

Read Reviews (9)

"This tuna casserole is an updated version of a recipe handed down from my grandmother, Elizabeth Kelleher Daly so of course it uses potatoes as its starch. She actually called it California Chicken. I guess to a native Yankee, the joke was that in California, tuna is chicken." — janet7th

Directions

Place the potatoes and carrots into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain vegetables, then cover to keep warm.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook and stir for about 1 minute, whisking out any lumps.
Whisk in the milk until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.
Flake the tuna, then stir it into the white sauce along with the potatoes, carrots, and peas. Season with salt and black pepper.
Transfer the tuna mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Mix 1/4 cup of melted butter with the crackers together in a bowl.
Sprinkle the cracker mixture over the tuna and potatoes.
Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 45 mins
READY IN 1 hr

Footnotes

Cook's Note
Use your choice of white or light tuna, packed in water or oil. If you like your peas well cooked, you can add them to the potatoes and carrots, but I find that an hour in the warm sauce in the oven cooks them enough. The original recipe called for canned peas but I don't care for them.

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Feb 12, 2012

I nearly passed this by because for some reason potatoes and tuna didn't sound that great. I love tuna though, so I thought I'd add this to my list of new attempts...(bein' used to noodles or biscuits instead of potatoes) :o). I have to say, I'm glad I made this. It took a little longer than the few minutes for the cream mixture to thicken, and you must be a speedy preparer, Janet, but in the end, it was very tasty, and my husband loved it, too! I walked my dog and came home to a lovely aroma in the house. I added a picture because it was worth it! Thanks for posting this, janet7th! I'll definitely make it again!

—SugarBrown

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 14, 2012

For me it was just ok. I needed to add a lot of salt and then added some hot sauce for more flavor. I think I would just prefer a normal tuna casserole w noodles... sorry!

—Jessica

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12 Ratings

Feb 09, 2012

Very delicous my children loved it (2&3) I added more veggies red and green peppers,daikon, celery, garlic, onions, potatoes and carrots sliced in food processer but no peas. :) will cook again.

—LadyKane

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Feb 24, 2012

This was so simple to make and very enjoyable. The cracker topping was a nice touch.

—Cathy G.

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Mar 19, 2012

Much better than traditional tuna casserole and so delicious! Thank you for the new recipe!

—RueAnn

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Apr 10, 2012

Very good! Followed as is and was tasty. Needed more seasoning, added extra garlic, etc. Pretty time consuming though, and a big mess was made because of seperate pans, pots, etc. Would recommend. ***Does not keep well....mushy and gross a day or two later.....eat leftovers quick!

—Gizmo&Spike's Mom

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Nov 27, 2012

Unfortunately, this recipe did not work for me. It did not thicken up and was more like a soup (I announced to my family it was soup for dinner and we ate it in bowls with spoons). The flavour was nice, but the texture was too liquid. If I tried it again, I'd definitely add more flour to the white sauce.

—kira

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Aug 12, 2012

Wow! This was awsome. My son has 3 helpings and said it was the best

—dawn

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Nutrition

Calories
661 kcal
33%

Carbohydrates
57.9 g
19%

Cholesterol
95 mg
32%

Fat
35.4 g
54%

Fiber
5.7 g
23%

Protein
28.5 g
57%

Sodium
597 mg
24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Grandma Daly's Tuna and Tater Casserole

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 661
Calories from Fat: 318

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 35.4g 54 %
Saturated Fat 18.6g 93 %
Cholesterol 95mg 32 %
Sodium 597mg 24 %
** Potassium 1127mg 32 %
Total Carbohydrates 57.9g 19 %
Dietary Fiber 5.7g 23 %
Protein 28.5g 57 %
Sugars 15.4g
Vitamin A 233 %
Vitamin C 49 %
Calcium 36 %
Iron 38 %
** Thiamin 35 %
Niacin 132 %
** Vitamin B6 46 %
** Magnesium 27 %
** Folate 35 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.