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This is my favorite classic tuna melt recipe with plenty of crunch, juicy tomatoes, and melty cheese between two golden, crispy bread slices. It’s a quick and easy meal no matter the time of day!
Still hungry? Try a croque monsieur or chicken parmesan sandwich for another deliciously cheesy, quick lunch idea. I also love this creamy avocado chicken salad, and this fun copycat Meximelt!
Table of Contents
Call it a guilty pleasure, but a tuna melt is one of my favorite comfort foods. Especially this one, which is my all-time favorite recipe. This homemade tuna melt has some crunch from the veggies, juicy tomato slices, and lots of melty cheese. The combination is top tier. I’ll make it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and it never fails to satisfy.
What Makes This the Best Tuna Melt Recipe
- Ready in 20 minutes. This is a quick recipe that takes just 20 minutes from start to finish. That includes the time it takes to make the tuna salad and toast the sandwich!
- Delicious textures. A tuna melt is all about the contrasting textures and flavors between the salty tuna, fresh veggies, crispy bread, and gooey, melty cheese. This one has it all.
- Simple ingredients. I keep the ingredients list short and sweet, giving each ingredient the chance to shine. Everything you need can be found easily in most fridges and pantries.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The key to the ultimate tuna melt is in the tuna salad. Say it with me: No bland tuna salad! I load mine up with crunchy celery, onions, and bright lemon juice.
Below are some notes on what you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for the printable ingredients list and full recipe details.
- Tuna – Common types are yellowfin and Albacore tuna. You’ll find tuna that comes canned in water or oil. Use whichever you prefer (I’m partial to water as I find the tuna less greasy). Drain the tuna well before you use it to avoid a watery tuna salad.
- Mayonnaise – Choose your favorite brand of mayo, like Hellmann’s. Or, take the extra step to make homemade mayo!
- Celery and Onion – Chopped celery and sweet or red onion, for crunch. You could also use spring onions or chives.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed lemon has the best flavor. Since there’s only a spoonful in this recipe, bottled lemon juice also works.
- Bread Slices – Any kind you’d like, whether that’s white, whole wheat, rye, etc. You can also make a tuna melt with ciabatta, French bread, or sandwich rolls.
- Tomato – Thinly sliced. I love making tuna melts when fresh garden tomatoes are in season!
- Cheese – Sliced cheddar cheese, or another well-melting cheese (see below).
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
Any mild, melty cheese works well with tuna. Good options are cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, gouda, and mozzarella. I prefer these over American cheese or similar high-processed options, though those will work, too, in a pinch. Any meltable cheese that doesn’t overpower the tuna fish is fine to use.
Just like a classic tuna salad or chicken salad, there are plenty of ways to amp up the flavor of the tuna in this sandwich melt! Try adding diced cucumbers, shallots, cabbage, apples (for sweetness), capers, pickles, or fresh chopped herbs like fennel, dill, parsley, cilantro, and chives. You could also make it spicy by stirring in Old Bay seasoning, chili crunch, or crushed chili flakes.
How to Make a Tuna Melt
This homemade tuna melt couldn’t be easier to make. Follow the steps below, and scroll down to the recipe card afterward for the printable recipe directions.
- Make the tuna salad. Start by mixing the drained tuna with mayo, diced celery, and onion. Squeeze in some lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix again until that’s well combined.
- Assemble the sandwich. Next, butter the bread slices. Add half the tuna mixture to the first slice of bread (butter side down), then layer on the tomato slices and cheese. Close the sandwich with a second bread slice, buttered side facing up. Repeat with the next sandwich.
- Grill. Now, grill the sandwiches on a hot griddle or skillet, the same as you’d cook a grilled cheese. Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the bread is nicely browned and the cheese inside has melted. Slice in half, and serve!
Air Fryer Method
Yes, you can make a tuna melt in your air fryer if you have one! To make an air fryer tuna melt, simply prepare the sandwich as written, and follow the cooking directions for my air fryer grilled cheese. It usually takes about the same amount of time as the stovetop, about 4 minutes per side at 360ºF.
Tips for Success
- Swap butter with mayo. For extra flavor, spread the outside of the bread slices with mayonnaise instead of butter.
- Chop the ingredients up finely. Make sure to finely dice the onions and celery so that there aren’t huge chunks throughout the tuna mixture. It makes for a much better texture that still has plenty of crunch.
- For a less creamy texture, you can replace the mayo in this recipe with olive oil to taste, or reserve the oil from the can of tuna to stir in instead.
- Vegetarian. Replace the tuna with canned chickpeas or make this melt with my chickpea chicken salad for a vegetarian version.
Serving Suggestions
This classic tuna melt makes a wonderful quick lunch or easy late-night meal. It’s delicious on its own, or you can pair it with a bowl of soup or salad. I like this creamy tomato soup or carrot and ginger soup, and a simple tossed salad or BLT salad. Meanwhile, my kids always loved this tuna melt with a side of potato chips or crispy air fryer French fries. For a sweet treat afterward, try a congo bar for dessert.
Storing Leftovers
This tuna melt is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftover tuna salad, you can store it airtight in the fridge for 3-4 days. Use it in future tuna melts or in a tuna salad sandwich or lettuce wrap.
More Sandwich Recipes
Tuna Melt
Ingredients
- 7 oz can tuna, drained
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 Tablespoons chopped celery
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 slices bread
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together tuna, mayo, celery, onion, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.7 oz can tuna, 1/3 cup mayo, 2 Tablespoons chopped celery, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, Salt & Pepper
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Divide the tuna mixture in half, spread onto the unbuttered side, of 2 of the slices of bread. Top with sliced tomato and cheddar cheese. Place the 2nd slice of bread, buttered side out onto the tuna.4 slices bread, 1 tomato, 2 Tablespoons butter, 2 slices cheddar cheese
- Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat. Place the sandwiches, buttered side down into a hot skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until browned and the cheese is melted.
- Remove and cut in half to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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