A mouthwatering cheesy Tuna Melt recipe that comes together in 20 minutes or less! This open-faced version of the the classic tuna melt sandwich is even quicker and easier to make, and may even look a little fancier. Perfect as a light meal for busy weeknights and always a huge hit.
As you may or may not already know, making a tuna melt is supremely easy. But the key to an outrageously delicious tuna melt, unquestionably starts with the tuna salad. Packed with pickles, red onion, celery, mustard, dill, and the perfect amount of mayo, this one is so good you could eat it straight out of the bowl.
Spread all that goodness on sliced bread that has been toasted until it’s almost threatening to burn (this is key). Top with your favorite gooey cheese and slide under the broiler for 2 minutes, or so. Then my friends, please proceed to enjoy what I consider to be one of the world’s best open-faced sandwiches.
This tuna melt is perfect for lunches or snacks, or for a light meal on busy weeknights. We especially love it on hot summer days when being near a stove for more than 10 minutes seems daunting.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy and quick – Everyone is always looking for delicious recipes that are easy and quick. This flavourful tuna melt which takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, 100% delivers.
- Meal prep: I like to make a big batch of the tuna salad, then use it to make tuna melts, or even regular sandwiches, throughout the week.
- Economical and satisfying – Tuna melts are filling enough to be a meal all on their own, plus you can feed quite a few people without breaking the bank.
- Kids and adults will love it – This tuna melt is crunchy and flavorful with melted cheese oozing all over it. What’s not to love?. What’s not to love?
Ingredient Notes
These are the ingredients you need to make this easy tuna melt recipe:
- Tuna: To make the tuna filling you will need 2 (6-8 ounce) cans of water-packed tuna. I am a huge fan of tuna that is packed in olive oil which is a lot tastier and juicier than tuna packed in water. However, it can be more expensive and not as readily available so I usually water-packed for my tuna melts. If possible, look for cans labelled “pole-and-line-caught” for a more sustainable product. No matter what canned tuna you use, be sure to drain it well.
- Mayo: For a creamy and flavourful tuna salad, you will need some good quality mayonnaise. Even if you don’t love mayo, it is pretty essential here or the tuna melt will be very dry.
- Mustard: A bit of mustard helps cut through the richness of the mayo. I like to use a whole-grain mustard but Dijon mustard will work just as well.
- Red onion: Finely diced red onion provides the perfect crunch and savoury bite. You can use green onion, if you prefer.
- Celery and pickles: For briny flavour and crunch factor, in my books, the best tuna melt recipe includes both. If I had to choose just one, I would likely go with dill pickles, or gherkins, since I always I have a jar or two in the fridge. A pickle relish would also be great. I personally love using both in a tuna salad. If I had to choose just one, I would likely go with dill pickles, or gherkins, since I always I have a jar or two in the fridge. A pickle relish would also be great.
- Dill: Fresh dill adds wonderful flavour and freshness to the tuna salad.
- Cheese: I like to use an aged cheddar cheese for my tuna melts, but any good melty cheese will work. See section below for more on what cheese to use.
- Bread: For best results, use thick-cut slices of bread that can hold the weight of the toppings. In addition, toast the bread really well so it doesn’t get soggy under the tuna salad. I like to use sourdough bread but white bread, English muffins, rye, a seedy multigrain, etc, will all work.
Variations
- Add capers: The salty brininess of capers goes really well with tuna. If I have a jar of capers in my fridge, I love to add a few tablespoons to the tuna salad.
- Replace mayonnaise: For a lighter option, you could use Greek yogurt or a mix of mayo and yogurt, if you wish.
- Add tomato slices: Tuna melts with slices of tomato are also quite delicious. Place the tomato slice on top of the tuna salad, then top with cheese.
- Make it a spicy: If you’re looking for a spicy tuna melt, addd a few dashes of hot sauce or 2-3 tablespoons of chopped pickled jalapeños—delicious!
- Add dried or fresh fruits: Raisins, diced fresh apples or grapes would also be tasty in this tuna melt.
Tips On Making The Best Tuna Melt
To be sure, a tuna melt is highly customizable to personal preferences. But I follow a few informal rules that I think are key in making an outstanding tuna melt.
Make it open faced. First and foremost, in my world, a tuna melts should be open faced sandwiches. Faster and easier to make, they are also easier to eat than classic tuna melt sandwich. Plus, they require no skillet, no extra butter, and you can pump out many all at the same time.
Really toast the bread. No matter what bread you use, it must be very well toasted before applying the layer of tuna salad. I like mine almost burnt so that when the wet tuna salad gets piled on top, it still stays crunchy.
Grated vs. cheese slices. Both will work, of course. But grated cheese melts faster than slices which means the tuna salad underneath will not heat up as much (this is a good thing). In addition, when the grated cheese melts, it creates little pockets of air that make it feel lighter.
Break up the tuna. Breaking up the chunks of tuna really well with a fork before adding the mayo is key to a great tuna salad mixture. Particularly if using solid tuna (which I recommend), this allows the mayo to really incorporate into the tuna and make it moist.
Easy on the mayo. Be generous enough to make the tuna salad creamy, but don’t let it get too “wet”. Large amounts of mayo will also overwhelm the other flavors, or worse, make the melt taste greasy.
Season well. The tuna and briny ingredients may already be salty, but a pinch more sodium usually does wonders in preventing the salad from tasting flat. Ditto for a few grinds of black pepper.
How To Make The Best Tuna Melt
This easy recipe makes a perfect tuna melt that will take less than 20 minutes to prepare. Here is the step-by-step:
STEP 1: Prepare the tuna. Start by draining all the liquid from the tuna. I like to do this by pressing the lid against the tuna tightly while tilting the can so the liquid drains out over the sink. Once drained, scoop out the tuna into a medium bowl. Using a fork, break up the tuna into smaller flakes. If you used tuna in olive oil, or tuna that was packaged in chunks, you may not need to flake it much.
STEP 2: Make the tuna salad. Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion, mustard, pickles and dill to the tuna bowl. Mix until the ingredients are combined and the tuna is well-saturated. Season with salt and pepper. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate the tuna salad for up to 4 days.
STEP 3: Toast the bread. Toast the bread slices in a toaster or toaster oven (or under the broiler). Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and let them cool for a few minutes so they get even crispier.
Step 4: Prepare the tuna melts. Spread about 1/2 cup of the tuna mixture evenly on each piece of toast so it covers the entire slice. Top with cheese, doing your best to cover the tuna completely.
Broil just until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it carefully so the cheese doesn’t burn! Sprinkle with a little more freshly ground black pepper and fresh dill, if desired. Serve immediately.
***Make sure to scroll all the way down to the recipe card to get the full ingredient list and written recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
At its core, a tuna melt consists of pre-sliced bread, flaked canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and some other flavoring elements, and of course cheese. Tuna melts are super easy to make and use mostly pantry ingredients.
I prefer to use a white flavourful cheese that has really good melting qualities. Swiss cheese is a great option, but my favourite cheese to use in a tuna melt is a melty cheddar cheese such as Balderson. Gruyere, Emmenthal, Fontina, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Colby, would all be great options. I would try not to use mozzarella becasue it has very little, if any, flavor.
If your budget allows, look for a “pole-and-line-caught” tuna. I like Wild Planet, Tonino, or Raincoast but these could be pricey. Costco sells a 6-pack of Ocean’s solid white tuna for a decent price.
Don’t overdo it with the mayo. If you made the tuna salad ahead of time, consider draining any liquid that pooled in the bowl. Be sure to toast the bread really well and serve the tuna melts as soon as you have finished broiling it.
Yes! Just store the leftover toasted tuna melts in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I love it cold, straight from the fridge but you can reheat them if you wish.
Absolutely. In fact, freezing the tuna salad is a very convenient option to use at a later date. The mayo may release some moisture so you might have to drain it once thawed.
Tuna salad should not be left at room temperature for any longer than one hour. Stored properly in the refrigerator, tuna salad will last for up to 4 days.
What To Serve With Tuna Melts?
These tuna melts are satisfying enough all on their own with perhaps some pickle spears or giardiniera on the side. If looking for some more substantial sides, here are some suggestions:
- Gazpacho: Cheesy tuna melts and gazpacho make a notoriously delicious combo. The perfect meal for hot summer days!
- Tomato soup: Ditto for tuna melts with tomato soup.
- Corn on the cob: When corn is in season, serve the tuna melts alongside some buttery corn on the cob – yum!
- Salad: The tuna melt will be delicious alongside any leafy green salad, or even this watermelon salad.
- Potato chips: Kids (and adults) love tuna melts with chips.
Make Ahead And Storage Tips
- Make ahead: You can make the tuna salad up to 4 days ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
- Store: Any leftover tuna melts can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. The bread will soften but it will still be delicious.
- Reheat: To reheat the tuna melts, place them on a sheet pan and broil for 2 minutes.
🌟TIP FOR LEFTOVER TUNA SALAD🌟
Turn leftover tuna salad into a great dip for your favorite veggies!
More Quick And Easy Meals To Love
If you give this Tuna Melt recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!
Tuna Melt
Ingredients
- 2 (6-8 ounce) cans water-packed tuna, drained well
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (see notes)
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery (preferably the tender center ribs and hearts)
- 2 dill pickles finely chopped (can use about 8-10 gherkins)
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard (or use Dijon)
- 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped dill
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices sandwich bread I like sourdough or rye
- 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (see notes)
Instructions
- Place the drained tuna in a medium bowl. Use a fork to break up the tuna into smaller flakes. If you used tuna in olive oil, or tuna that was packaged in chunks, you may not need to flake it much.
- Add the mayonnaise, celery, pickles, onion, mustard, and dill to the tuna bowl. Mix until the ingredients are combined and the tuna is well-saturated. Season with salt and pepper and stir again. Taste and add a little more salt and pepper, if needed. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate the tuna salad for up to 4 days.
- Toast the bread slices in a toaster or toaster oven (or under the broiler). Let them cool for a few minutes on a sheet pan in a single layer so they get even crispier.
- Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and turn on the broiler.
- Spread about 1/2 cup of the tuna mixture evenly on each piece of toast so it covers the entire slice. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the slices, doing your best to cover the tuna completely. Broil just until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it carefully so the cheese doesn't burn!
- Sprinkle with a little more freshly ground black pepper and fresh dill, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
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- Make ahead: You can make the tuna salad up to 4 days ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
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- Store: Any leftover tuna melts can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. The bread will soften but it will still be delicious.
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- Reheat: To reheat the tuna melts, place them on a sheet pan and broil for 2 minutes.
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