This tuna melt, made with a creamy tuna mixture, sliced tomato, and melted Cheddar on sourdough is a quick, inexpensive meal, that will please kids and adults alike.
Sure, to some, a tuna melt is a tuna melt is a tuna melt. But when I was growing up back in Swansea, MA, it was my personal manna. During seventh and eighth grades, we were on double sessions, so all of us kids were on our own for lunch.
My best friend Bobby Ledoux and I ate tuna melts about three days a week, before heading off to school. I gussied them up with all kinds of fold-ins: mustard, onions, relish, olives, and just about every spice in the cabinet.
Eventually my tuna-melt phase petered out, only to be replaced by my pizza-loving extravaganza in high school. Nowadays, when I’m rooting around the pantry for something to eat, I delight myself all over again when I realize I’m just a few ingredients away from feeling like 13 again.–David Leite
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Tuna Melt FAQs
How can I customize my tuna melt?
The sky is the limit here. Don’t have sourdough? Try rye bread or split English muffins. Want something a little fancier than plain old Cheddar? Reach for Swiss cheese or Pepper Jack.
What’s the best type of tuna to use in a tuna melt?
We prefer oil-packed tuna, as it adds extra richness and flavor to the tuna melt. But, by all means, grab whatever canned tuna you have in your pantry. To fancy up tuna packed in water, drain it and stir in a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
In this recipe
Tuna Melt
Ingredients
- Two (5-ounce) cans tuna preferably oil-packed, drained and flaked
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced or finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow or red onion
- Up to 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- Up to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices artisanal white or sourdough bread lightly toasted
- 8 slices tomato
- 4 slices Cheddar cheese
Directions
- Start by preheating the broiler.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, celery, onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and oregano until well combined. Taste and add a little more of any particular ingredient that you deem fit. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Spread 1/4 of the tuna salad onto each slice and top each with 2 tomato slices and 1 slice of cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling and you simply can't resist it any longer, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Serve the tuna melts piping hot.
Show Nutrition
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is a great tuna melt recipe. Not spectacular as far as tuna salad goes, but the lemon juice, zest, and oregano were great little additions that elevated this normally homey humble dish. As I am a texture person, I used the celery for some crunch.
The juicy fresh tomato slices and Cheddar cheese made for a substantial lunch. I rather quite enjoyed it and will definitely be making it again. Although the yellow onion was good, I might try red onion next time for a bit of sweetness.
I looked over the simple steps and simple ingredients to this sandwich. I had everything in my kitchen and several house guests, so I decided why not try it for lunch! The tuna melt was delicious!
The hint of lemon zest, juice, and oregano was perfect. I didn’t know tuna salad could be so good. I made half of the melts on rye bread and half on sourdough bread—both were very good. So fast to assemble and a perfect little sandwich for my recipe file!
Originally published October 12, 2010
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Tuna melt is great BUT – down yonder in New Orleans we ate either tuna po’boys dressed, or jammed an entire pack of potato chips between the tuna and the bread and SMASH! Tuna Delight!!
Yes, we did the same thing!
Gotta say, it’s different!
This post makes me recall my own tuna melt phase in high school. I wasn’t cooking then, but I ate lots of them at an ice cream shop called Swensons. It was usually followed by a chocolate shake. Thanks for the post!
So, everyone, what memories do you have about tuna melts? What is your favorite combo that lurks on a raft of melted cheese? ‘Fess up.
Ah, the glorious tuna melt! If I could build a temple to it, I would. It is the ultimate comfort food and can solve myriad problems. I’ve just finished writing a novel and the main character is obsessed with tuna melts—she can eat anything, anywhere in the world, but her favorite is always a tuna melt.
My take would be to eliminate the celery and add preserved ginger slices (as comes with sushi). Believe me—its to die for. Tuna melts forever!