Tuna Melt

Grilled to golden perfection, this open-face tuna melt is a sandwich that you won’t soon forget. Chewy sourdough, tender chunks of tuna, sharp onion, creamy mayo, zingy wholegrain mustard and ooey-gooey goodness of melted cheddar cheese – this is the BEST tuna cheese melt recipe you’ll make!  PS. Low-carb/keto tuna melt alternative included.

In This Post: ℹ️ Recipe Overview | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 🥗 Low-Carb Version | 🥣 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Go To Full Recipe | More Recipes With Canned Tuna

What Is A Tuna Melt? 

A tuna melt is a type of sandwich that typically consists of tuna salad and melted cheese on bread, which is then grilled or toasted. The tuna salad is usually made by mixing canned tuna with mayonnaise, chopped celery, and sometimes other ingredients like pickles or onions.

The sandwich can be made on any type of bread but is often served on sliced bread, a bagel, or an English muffin. The cheese used for the melt can vary, but Cheddar cheese is a popular choice. Tuna melts are a popular lunch or dinner option and are often served with a side of salad or chips.

Tuna Melt Open-Face Style

I love making a grilled tuna melt for lunch (or a quick, lazy dinner) and this particular recipe is my most cooked and loved.

It is a grilled, open-faced tuna melt made with sourdough bread, which is a much healthier option in my opinion. You can also use gluten-free or paleo-friendly bread.

I mix the tuna with creamy mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard and sharp onion, which give it a lot of flavor and tanginess. I will typically use grated Cheddar or Tasty cheese (similar to mild Cheddar) but you can also use Swiss, Mozzarella and so on. 

My biggest tip for an incredible tuna melt is a little sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper after it’s cooked. That little bit of extra salt accentuates all of the flavors in the melt sandwich.

With plenty of carbs and fibre, plus high-protein tuna and cheese, this meal is satiating and provides a balance of nutrients. Enjoy!

What You’ll Need

Here is a rundown on ingredients you will need. For all of the measurements I used, check out the recipe card below.

• Bread: Sourdough bread is the healthiest and tastiest in my opinion, but you can use regular sliced bread, just make sure the slices are thick.
• Tuna fish: Drained from the can and ready to go! I probably don’t have to tell you that the better quality tuna you get, the better this will taste.
• Mayonnaise: Make the tuna mixture rich and creamy.
• Onion: Chopped very finely, this adds sharpness and a little crunch to the tuna melt.
• Wholegrain Mustard: This has so much flavor and adds tanginess and a little creaminess as well.
• Cheese: I love grating cheese so it evenly melts over the sandwich but you can use slices as well. Cheddar, Tasty, Greyer or a mix are my favorites. Mozzarella doesn’t have as much flavor but you can use it. If you have any leftover cheese, you can use it to make my cheesy garlic chicken wraps.
• Salt and pepper: Add just a pinch to the mixture and then a few speckles of each on top of the tuna melt after baking for that extra flavor pop.

How To Make Tuna Melt (Open-Faced) 

Jump to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients, instructions and nutritional breakdown. Here are some visual steps for how to make tuna melt.

I make my tuna melt as an open-faced grilled sandwich using the Grill/Broil setting of the oven. It is possible to make this in an air fryer as well. You can also use the creamy tuna mixture and cheese to make a toastie /grilled cheese sandwich in a frying pan or a skillet.

• Step 1. Pre-toast the bread on the lowest setting in a toaster. This will keep it crunchy on the bottom.
• Step 2. Arrange a piece of parchment paper on a flat baking tray. Preheat the oven on the Grill setting while you’re making the tuna melt toppings.
• Step 3. Combine strained canned tuna with finely diced white onions, mayonnaise and mustard and mash well with a fork. This is your tuna salad component of the melt. Grate the cheese and set aside.

• Step 4. Spread a few tablespoons of the tuna salad mix on each piece of the sourdough toast. Top generously with grated cheese. 
• Step 5. Pop the tray under a hot grill (medium-high) but make sure it’s not too close to the grill or the edges of the toast will burn before the cheese melts properly. Grill until the cheese has melted and formed a golden crust. It only takes a few minutes.
• Step 6. Remove and cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with a few pinches of ground black pepper and sea salt. 

Watch The Video

Low-Carb & Keto Version

For my readers avoiding carbs or bread, here is an idea for a low-carb or keto tuna melt alternative, which is kind of like a cheesy tuna omelette or frittata.

Prepare the creamy tuna mixture as per this recipe and grated the cheese. Whisk 4 eggs with a little salt in a bowl. Heat an oven-proof skillet or pan on the stove and melt a little butter. Add the whisked eggs and when they just start to cook, remove them from the heat. Spread the tuna mixture on top of the eggs and sprinkle with cheese. Pop under a hot grill for a few minutes for the cheese to melt to golden crust. The egg will finish cooking under the grill.

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