This Tuna Melt is an open-faced sandwich piled high with creamy tuna salad, fresh sun-ripened tomatoes, and tasty cheddar cheese. They are popped in the oven long enough to warm everything up and melt the cheese. I love to serve these with homemade French fries, potato chips, green salad, or carrot sticks.
This Tuna Melt sandwich is a true blast from the past and brings back such wonderful memories of my older sister making delicious lunches for us. I am pretty sure that she left off the tomatoes. Try tuna noodle casserole and tuna pasta salad if you like this recipe.
Kids don’t know what they are missing until their palates mature. Then they realize how good a sun-ripened tomato tastes. Please don’t leave off the tomato; it is integral to the final presentation and taste.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Tuna: I like albacore white tuna, but you can use any canned or vacuum-packed tuna
- Mayonnaise: My absolute favorite is Duke’s, but you can use your favorite brand. Or make it homemade.
- Mustard: I like the tangy flavor of Dijon, but regular yellow or spicy brown mustard also works well.
- Pickle relish: sweet or dill works depending on your flavor preference.
- Bread: any good, sturdy bread such as country white, rye, or pumpernickel.
How to make a Tuna Melt
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
First, flake some albacore canned tuna in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in the mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, pickle relish, parsley, dill weed, and black pepper. Toast each slice of bread until golden brown and lightly butter it. Spoon the tuna mixture evenly onto each bread slice. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes and shredded cheddar.
Now place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sandwich has warmed. These open-faced Tuna Melt sandwiches are best served promptly.
Preparations Tips
- Good sturdy bread is ideal for this sandwich. European White, whole wheat, Pumpernickel, Rye, and sourdough bread are great choices.
- Tuna is naturally salty, so additional salt is not needed in this recipe; however, a good helping of freshly ground pepper is always welcome.
- Are you always pressed for time? Make the tuna salad 1-2 days in advance, skip shredding the cheese, and use sliced instead.
- If you have access to homegrown tomatoes, use them. They are so flavorful and take this sandwich to the next level.
- Top the sandwiches with fresh herbs like parsley, chives, dill, or tarragon. Or add avocado slices dipped in lemon juice.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Pepper Jack: add finely minced jalapenos to the tuna salad and top the sandwiches with shredded pepper jack instead of cheddar.
- Bacon Swiss: top each sandwich with crispy cooked bacon and shredded Swiss in place of the cheddar.
- Pineapple Green Onion: replace the chopped red onion with snipped green onions and thin pineapple slices instead of the tomatoes.
Best Tuna Melt Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 (7 ounce cans) albacore tuna packed in water – drained
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
- 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 1 /2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 slices sourdough white, rye, whole wheat, or pumpernickel
- 12 thin slices tomato
- 1 1 /4 cup shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix together tuna, mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, pickle relish, and 1 tablespoon of parsley, dill, and black pepper.
- Lightly toast the bread. Divide the tuna evenly between the toast. Top each sandwich with 2 slices of tomato. Top evenly with shredded cheddar.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sandwich has warmed. Serve promptly.
Notes
- Good sturdy bread is ideal for this sandwich. European White, whole wheat, Pumpernickel, Rye, and sourdough bread are great choices.
- Tuna is naturally salty, so additional salt is not needed in this recipe; however, a good helping of freshly ground pepper is always welcome.
- Are you always pressed for time? Make the tuna salad 1-2 days in advance, skip shredding the cheese, and use sliced instead.
- If you have access to homegrown tomatoes, use them. They are so full of flavor, and it will take this sandwich over the top.
- Top the sandwiches with fresh herbs like parsley, chives, dill, or tarragon. Or try avocado slices dipped in lemon juice.
Nutrition
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Rachel Mouton
I’ve never made a tuna melt before. This recipe is perfect! We enjoyed it.
Lavanda
So yummy! We loved it! Such a comforting and versatile dish, perfect for pairing with homemade French fries, chips, salad, or veggies. Great for lunch or dinner.
Mary Lee
Such a great quick and easy recipe. It is nice to have easy recipes on hand, especially since I’m so burnt out from the school year 🙂
Jupiter Hadley
Tuna Melt reminds me a lot of American Diners! What a fun recipe.
Tammy
I love tuna melts! This open-faced sandwich is delicious…perfect for picnics and a nice light summer meal!
Tanya M
This tuna melt recipe was absolutely delicious! The combination of creamy tuna salad, fresh tomatoes, and melted cheddar cheese was perfect. I served it with some homemade French fries and it was a fantastic meal.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tanya! I am so glad that you liked it
ReeAnn
What a great sandwich. My older sister used to make these sandwiches for us and they were fabulous. Yours are just as good. I am so glad that I found the recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, ReeAnn! I am so glad that you liked the sandwich.
berlin
this is something i see myself as preparing this weekend. we love anything with tuna on it. healthy and easy to make. tasty too.
Tammy
This looks so good and I was looking for something not to cook. I could use my low-carb bread and fix everything else the same. Pinned!!
berlin
TUna melt. I always love TUna and making anything with tuna is but welcome in my kitchen. Thank you for the recipe.
Karen
This looks so so good!!! I love tuna Melt but I’ve never prepared it myself. I will do that over the weekend! I am soooo excited about it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Karen! Enjoy!
Natasha M
My teenage boys love Tuna, and love melted cheese, so I knew this would a hit! They loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Natasha! I am so glad that they liked it!
Samantha Donnelly
My daughter loves tuna and would love this, I know what to do for something different next time
Stephanie Anderson
Tuna melts are one of my fav sandwiches for lunch. This one was amazing with the gooey cheese and all the extra goodies added to the tuna salad. Even my picky kids loved the melts.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! I am so glad that you liked it!
Ben
A good tuna melt is a thing of beauty. My Beefsteaks are just starting to come in, and they are definitely going on these sandwiches.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ben! We love the tuna melts too!
Mary Ann
What a great open face sandwich! Reminded me of the delicious tuna melts my grandma made when I was a kid! Food can be so incredibly nostalgic. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Mary Ann!