Polish Tuna Pie

Polish Tuna Pie is a simple, easy and comforting meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Layers of tuna, crunchy onion and mashed potatoes are topped with melted cheddar cheese.

Today I am sharing a recipe that instantly takes me back to my childhood: Polish Tuna Pie. This recipe has been passed down through multiple generations on my Mom’s side of the family, who are Polish. My great, great grandparents immigrated to the United States all the way from Poland and settled on a farm in Nebraska. When I was a kid, we had the chance of visiting this farm multiple times. It’s so neat to see where your family comes from and how they lived. 

My grandma made this dish for my mom, and my mom made this dish for us kids probably a thousand times growing up. My sister, brother and I developed very advanced taste buds for our age (an eight year old requesting tuna and onions!?), so this probably sounds strange to admit that this was one of my favorite recipes growing up. 

We were all about tuna— Polish Tuna Pie, tuna helper, tuna noodle casserole, tuna salad, we loved it. I used to eat tuna salad sandwiches 2-3 times a week back in college, because it was an affordable way to get protein! I found the recipe in my mom’s hand writing that she probably copied from my grandma one day. I just love the brown, weathered look of old recipe cards. Nostalgia. 

Canned tuna is a convenient, affordable and delicious way to make sure you and your family are eating enough seafood. Bumble Bee solid white albacore tuna is an excellent source of protein, it’s high in selenium and niacin, and free from saturated fat. Polish Tuna Pie is a recipe the whole family can enjoy. Kids love mashed potatoes and cheese. If you have a picky eater, combining these two foods with tuna may help children learn to love tuna, by combining it with foods they already like. The onions can easily be omitted, but do provide a nice crunch and flavor with the creaminess of the potatoes and cheese.  

Here’s the recipe for Polish Tuna Pie: 

5 from 1 vote

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Polish Tuna Pie

Servings 6

Author Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Ingredients

• 3 4- ounce cans white albacore tuna in water drained
• 3 Tbsp mayo
• 3 Tbsp sour cream
• 1/4 white onion sliced very thin and separated into rings
• 6 Yukon gold potatoes
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 Tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, mayo, and sour cream. Spread onto a 9" pie dish. Top with the sliced onion. 

3. Dice the potatoes and add to a large pot and cover with water. Boil until fork tender, about 7-10 minutes. Drain and return to pot along with half and half and butter. Mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the potatoes on top of the tuna mixture in the pie dish. Top with cheese.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.

Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!