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Easy Cheesy Tuna and Rice One Skillet Recipe

This Easy Cheesy Tuna and Rice recipe is perfect on busy nights. Make dinner in one skillet and get it on the table in 30 minutes. Printable recipe included at the end of this post.

Do you ever have days where you are scrambling to get dinner made, but you desperately need to go grocery shopping?

Have you ever stared into your pantry and wondered what to make with canned tuna and rice?

This Easy Cheesy Tuna and Rice One Skillet recipe is a life saver for nights like that. You’ll want to add it to your menu plan!

We’ve updated the photos for this popular recipe and included some of the tasty seasoning options from our readers too.

Don’t miss our cheesy tuna noodle casserole recipe! Prefer canned chicken? You may enjoy our Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe.

Cheesy tuna rice in white cooking pot on table with a red cloth

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Easy Cheesy Tuna and Rice One Skillet Recipe

We don’t typically eat a lot of tuna fish in our house, but we do tend to keep a couple cans of tuna stocked in the cupboard. I love how quick and easy it is to make (yay for one pot 30 minute meals!).

The flavors in this tuna rice recipe are simple and basic so feel free to experiment with seasoning when you make it.

Also, it is budget friendly and uses common pantry items, making it perfect for when you have a no spend week or need to stretch the monthly grocery budget.

Tuna and rice with cheese and broccoli served on gray plate

Cheesy Tuna Rice Ingredients:

How to Make Tuna Rice and Cheese:

Open your canned tuna and drain them before adding the tuna to a skillet or a Dutch oven.

Heat tuna on med-high heat while measuring the rest of your ingredients.

Add long grain rice and vegetable broth to the skillet and stir. If you do not have vegetable broth, water will work as well.

Wooden spoon stirring tuna and rice in broth.

Heat to a boil then cover the skillet and reduce to low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes. (If you decide to skip the broccoli, you may need to simmer for 20 minutes.)

Add as much frozen broccoli as you would like. I used six ounces, but probably could have added more.

Frozen broccoli florets, tuna, rice, and broth in white cooking pot on stove

If the rice absorbs all the liquid, you may add a little more broth as you add the broccoli. Stir and cover for about 5 minutes.

Stir in cheese and cover for about 3 minutes or until melted.

Shredded cheese on top of tuna and rice cooking in white pot

Serve and enjoy!

Seasoning Suggestions:

I love taking a simple recipe like this tuna and rice dinner and tweaking it. I think it tastes great as is, but changing it up is yummy too. I mean, I don’t eat all of my tacos the same way every time either.

Thanks to our readers for sharing these tasty changes they made with our recipe. You may want to try these as well.

  • Use chicken stock instead of vegetable broth
  • Increase the broccoli to 12oz
  • Add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with the shredded cheese
  • For additional seasoning, try adding 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • Another option is to sautee some onion and celery first, then follow the rest of the steps
  • Instead of the shredded cheddar cheese at the end, add a little heavy cream and stir in a handful of shredded Parmesan cheese.
close up of completed tuna and rice recipe in a white cooking pot with a forkful lifting up.

Whenever I can make an inexpensive meal quickly, I’m happy. The kids have not tried my Cheesy Tuna and Rice casserole recipe yet since they are convinced they won’t like it.

I don’t eat tuna fish a lot, but when I do, I prefer it in a hot dish like this one skillet recipe. I hope you enjoy this tuna and rice meal too!

More Easy Dinner Ideas:

Printable Cheesy Tuna Rice One Skillet Recipe

close up of completed tuna and rice recipe in a white cooking pot with a forkful lifting up.

Easy Cheesy Tuna and Rice One Skillet Recipe

Yield: 4
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

This Easy Cheesy Tuna and Rice recipe is a life saver on busy nights. Make dinner in one skillet and get it on the table in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 (5 oz) cans of tuna, drained
  • 3/4 cup long grain rice
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • Frozen broccoli (at least 6 oz)
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Open your cans of tuna and drain them before adding the tuna to a skillet.
  2. Heat tuna on med-high heat while measuring the rest of your ingredients.
  3. Add long grain rice and vegetable broth to the skillet and stir. If you do not have vegetable broth, water will work as well.
  4. Heat to a boil then cover the skillet and reduce to low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes. (If you decide to skip the broccoli, you may need to simmer for 20 minutes.)
  5. Add as much frozen broccoli as you would like. I used six ounces, but probably could have added more. If the rice absorbs all the liquid, you may add a little more broth as you add the broccoli. Stir and cover for about 5 minutes.
  6. Stir in cheese and cover for about 3 minutes or until melted.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 257Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 627mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 18g

Nutrition information isn't always accurate and may vary based on ingredients and measurements used.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

More tuna recipes you may enjoy:

This Cheesy Tuna and Rice One Skillet Recipe is quick and easy to make. Plus, it is budget friendly and uses common pantry items!

Jim

Sunday 30th of January 2022

I'm going to try this in my 3Qt Instant pot!

Darcy Zalewski

Wednesday 13th of April 2022

Let us know how it turns out, Jim!

Joanne

Tuesday 4th of May 2021

Used canned salmon, sautéed onion and celery first and then added lemon pepper and lemon juice -was yummy :)

Darcy Zalewski

Wednesday 5th of May 2021

That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing with us, Joanne!

Candice Elliman

Wednesday 29th of April 2020

Excuse me for asking but is the rice you add already cooked or is it in its raw form? And then it cooks in the broth?

Darcy Zalewski

Thursday 30th of April 2020

Hi Candice, the rice cooked in the broth. Hope you enjoy this recipe!

JessicA

Tuesday 28th of January 2020

Have you tried this with brown rice? That’s all I have and am wondering if the liquid and time amounts should change.

Darcy Zalewski

Wednesday 29th of January 2020

Hi Jessica! I have not tried making this with brown rice. I think the brown rice would need a bit more liquid and cooking time, but I'm not entirely sure what the adjustment would be to cook them all in the skillet together. I would probably make the brown rice first and then mix in the rest of the ingredients until heated through, saving the cheese until near the end.

If you do make this with brown rice please let me know how it goes!

Jules B

Friday 13th of September 2019

This was so easy! I have no young kids to please anymore so I sauteed a little onion and celery to add at the start. We like the bite of Parmesan so at the end I added a little heavy cream and a handful of shredded Parm........ It was delicious. Thanks for a tasty, quick, and simple dish!!

Darcy Zalewski

Friday 13th of September 2019

I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Jules! Your additions sound delicious. I will have to try adding those in next time.

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