Cheesy Tuna and Tomato Orzo
Updated March 23, 2026
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Ready In
- 20 min
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1⅓ cups/8 ounces orzo
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
2 cups vegetable stock (or water), plus more if needed
1 cup jarred marinara sauce
1 (5-ounce) can tuna in oil, drained and flaked
⅔ cup grated Cheddar or mozzarella
Chopped parsley (optional), for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)
49 grams carbs; 29 milligrams cholesterol; 468 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 710 milligrams sodium; 24 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot or large skillet over medium-high. Add the orzo, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and salt, and cook, stirring, until the orzo is lightly golden, about 2 minutes.
- Step 2
Stir in the stock and the marinara and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until orzo is fully cooked, 12 to 14 minutes. If it looks like the orzo is too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of stock or water to the pot.
- Step 3
Add the tuna and cheese and stir to combine. Adjust the seasoning to taste by adding more salt if necessary, then adjust the consistency of your orzo by adding a splash of stock or water if desired.
- Step 4
Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
This is a sexy and sophisticated version of a tuna casserole and just as easy. really hearty and great for cold weather. I bet kids would like it but even if I had children I'm not sure I'd share it! I am going to add some chipped green olives in next time to try to replicate a childhood recipe of my mother's - may or may not work but I'm thinking the little nuggets of salt might be just the thing!
perfect meal for a busy mom. didn’t have orzo so i used pastina. excellent.
This was a winner with the spicy-hating spouse, and I will make this regularly from now on. I used whole wheat orzo and doubled the garlic, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Next time I will leave out the 1/4 tsp of salt, since the salt in the jarred marinara and the tuna was more than enough. The two of us finished the whole things off, so I'd say this recipe make "2 to 4" servings, depending on your appetite. It was hard to quit eating it.
Hi, this sounds yummy but I am gluten free so Orzo isn’t easy to find. Could I use something else in place of it? Like maybe boiling elbow noodles separately or would the portions not work for that? Any suggestions?
My picky 5-year-old went back for seconds. I will definitely make this again! I agree with the commenters who said the added salt isn't necessary. I skipped it, and used half water and half broth for the liquid, and the salt level was fine. And thanks to the commenter who suggested that you can use tuna packed in water if you drain it and let it sit in some olive oil for a few minutes. Worked great!
We made this two nights in a row - the first night I followed the recipe with canned tuna and I added chopped spinach. The second night I riffed, swapping canned sardines for the tuna, finely chopped broccoli, and olives. Tasty both ways!