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Tuna Melt Recipe
4.7 from 9 votes

Tuna Melt Recipe

This Tuna Melt Sandwich layers a creamy, tangy tuna filling and melted American cheese between buttery toasted bread slices.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 719 kcal
Course: Main Course, Lunch
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 5- ounce tuna canned, drained
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 celery rib small diced
  • 1 garlic finely minced clove
  • 1 tablespoon capers finely minced
  • 1 dill pickle about ¼ to 1/3 cup, small diced
  • ½ red onion about ½ cup, peeled, small diced, medium sized
  • 1 tablespoon dill finely minced, fresh
  • lemon about 1 ½ tablespoons, juice of ½ lemon
  • 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • 8 white bread sliced
  • 8 lices American cheese or Cheddar cheese
  • salt coarse and freshly cracked, to taste
  • black pepper coarse and freshly cracked, to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Mix the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, garlic, capers, pickle, onion, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Place the empty toasted piece of bread with cheese on top of the tuna, remove it from the griddle, slice it, and serve.
  5. 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 Information

Calories 719kcal (36%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 55g (85%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Polyunsaturated Fat 19g (112%) Monounsaturated Fat 13g (65%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 107mg (36%) Sodium 1129mg (47%) Potassium 295mg (6%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 778IU (16%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 376mg (38%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 sandwiches

Amount Per Serving

Calories 719

% Daily Value*

Calories 719kcal 36%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 29g 58%
Fat 55g 85%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Polyunsaturated Fat 19g 112%
Monounsaturated Fat 13g 65%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 107mg 36%
Sodium 1129mg 47%
Potassium 295mg 6%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 778IU 16%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 376mg 38%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.