Tuna Melt Recipe
This Tuna Melt Sandwich layers a creamy, tangy tuna filling and melted American cheese between buttery toasted bread slices.
Ingredients
- 4 5- ounce cans drained tuna
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 small diced ribs of celery
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon finely minced capers
- 1 small diced dill pickle, about ¼ to 1/3 cup
- ½ peeled small-diced medium sized red onion, about ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh dill
- Juice of ½ lemon, about 1 ½ tablespoons
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 sliced white bread
- 8 slices American or cheddar cheese
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, garlic, capers, pickle, onion, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over low-medium heat. Once melted and bubbling, add 4 slices of bread and toast for 2 minutes.
- Flip the bread over and add 1 more tablespoon of butter. Then add 1 slice of cheese to each toasted piece of bread, some of the tuna to two slices of bread, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Place the empty toasted piece of bread with cheese on top of the tuna, remove it from the griddle, slice it, and serve.
- Repeat the process with the remaining tuna, butter, cheese, and 4 slices of bread.
Notes
The most important advice I can give you is to make the tuna filling creamy but not so moist that it makes the bread soggy. To avoid this, drain the canned tuna really well, don’t add more than the recommended amount of mayo, and toast the bread until both sides are golden and crusty.
Toast on low to medium heat: You don’t want to set the heat any higher than medium or else the bread will burn. If the bread takes a little longer than you’d like to turn golden brown, cover the skillet with a lid to help lock in the heat.
Try an open-faced tuna melt: Instead of the classic sandwich, pile the tuna filling on one slice of toasted bread, top with a slice of cheese, and transfer the sandwiches to a baking sheet. Broil the open-faced sandwiches for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
Customize the flavors in the filling: Tuna melt recipes are notoriously flexible, and my recipe is no different. There are lots of mix-ins you can add to the filling to play with the flavors, like smoky spices (paprika, cayenne, etc.), minced green onions, pickled jalapeños, a spoonful of horseradish, diced roasted red peppers, a dash of hot sauce, a squeeze of Dijon mustard, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Tuna melt topping ideas: The sandwich is filling and delicious as-is, but if you’re craving a bulkier meal, add sliced tomatoes, pickles, or bacon on top before finishing them with the second slice of bread.
Make-Ahead: You can fill the tuna salad up to 1 day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, assemble the sandwiches and toast them fresh.
How to Store: Leftover sandwiches or tuna melt filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How to Reheat: Reheat the leftover or pre-made sandwiches in a skillet over low heat until warm and the bread is crispy. You can also warm them in a 375ºF air fryer or toaster oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 719kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 29gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 1129mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 778IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 376mgIron: 3mg