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Creamed tuna on toast isn’t trying to impress anyone. It just shows up creamy, hot, and ready to fix your day. Cheap, fast, and weirdly satisfying. What more do you need?

Our tuna pasta casserole brings the same cozy vibes, oven-style.

A fork slicing into creamed tuna on toast.
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Here’s Why This Creamed Tuna on Toast Recipe Works

No canned soup required: A quick stovetop béchamel gives you better flavor and full control.

Pantry-friendly: Everything in this recipe is probably already in your kitchen.

Budget comfort food: This old-fashioned creamed tuna on toast is cheap, filling, and cozy. A stovetop tuna dinner like Grandma made.

Customizable: Add peas, pimentos, or swap the bread. This base takes whatever you throw at it.

Zero mayo: If cold, gloppy tuna salad isn’t your thing, this warm, creamy version is the fix. Or keep it chill with our tuna stuffed tomatoes, also mayo-free

Old fashioned creamed tuna on toasted bread next to grapes.

Recipe Tips

Whisk the roux thoroughly: Let the butter and flour bubble for a full minute to cook out any raw flour taste.

Warm the milk slightly: Cold milk can seize the roux. Room temp or warm milk helps it stay smooth.

Break up the tuna: Flake it with a fork before adding so it blends evenly into the sauce.

Use good bread: Plain white bread is classic, but sturdy sourdough or whole wheat won’t get soggy as fast.

Don’t skip the buttered toast: That extra layer of fat adds flavor and keeps the bread from turning to mush.

Toast topped with creamed tuna on a plate with grapes.

Tuna Fish on Toast

Creamed tuna gravy on toast is the kind of no-nonsense meal that still holds its own. It’s fast, filling, and full of cozy flavor. Proof that you don’t need a lot of ingredients to make something worth eating.

Craving more creamy classics? Check out my turkey tetrazzini, same comfort, different meat.

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Toasted bread topped with creamed tuna.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Creamed Tuna on Toast

This cozy, budget-friendly meal is straight from Grandma’s kitchen. A creamy béchamel sauce with tender chunks of Albacore tuna, spooned over buttery toast and finished with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Simple, nostalgic, and still just as comforting as ever.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • cups whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 (5 ounce) can canned tuna, drained
  • 4 slices white bread, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives, or parsley

Instructions 

For the Béchamel Sauce:

  • Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, until the roux is smooth and bubbling.
    Whisking flour into melted butter on a skillet.
  • Gradually whisk in the milk whisking until the mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
    Whisking milk into the butter and flour mixture.
  • Add the salt, pepper and onion powder, whisking to combine.
    Whisking the roux in a skillet.
  • Stir in the tuna, breaking it up with a fork and stirring gently until fully distributed in the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce while toasting the bread.
    Adding tuna to the creamy mixture in the skillet.

To Serve:

  • Place a slice of buttered toast on each of 4 plates and spoon the creamed tuna on top. Garnish with chopped chives.
    Spooning creamed tuna on a piece of toast.

Notes

Bread Options: Classic white sandwich bread keeps it old-school, but sourdough, whole wheat, or even English muffins work just as well. Use whatever you have on hand, or whatever needs to be used up.
Add-Ins: Stir in a handful of green peas, diced pimentos, sautéed mushrooms, or chopped hard-boiled eggs for extra flavor and texture. Grandma’s version often had peas and pimentos, but you can make it your own.
Nutrition Note: This recipe is based on water-packed tuna, which has fewer calories compared to oil-packed.
Refrigerate: Store any leftover creamed tuna in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the toast separate for best texture. I don’t recommend freezing the tuna gravy.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of milk if it’s too thick. Toast fresh bread for serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 238kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 536mg, Potassium: 182mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 564IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 172mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Dahn Boquist

Dahn Boquist is a retired nurse turned recipe developer, home cook, and baker with years of hands-on experience creating and testing from-scratch recipes. She specializes in whole-food cooking with creative twists on classic dishes. When she’s not in the kitchen, she enjoys sharing meals with family, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and spending time with her grandchildren.

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