Tuna Melt

Perfectly seasoned tuna mixed with mozzarella cheese and grilled to perfection make this classic tuna melt one for the ages!

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This delicious tried, and true tuna melt recipe is full of flavor from the seasoned tuna salad and flavorful mozzarella cheese, all toasted on your favorite bread. It tastes even better than the restaurant favorite and is perfect for lunch or dinner. Everyone will enjoy this ramped up version of a tuna sandwich.

Tuna Melt Ingredients 

You’ll need:

• 20 ounces tuna in water or oil, drained (four 5-ounce cans)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• ½ celery stalk, chopped (about ¼ cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon ready-minced garlic)
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ cup mozzarella, shredded
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 12 slices bread
• softened butter

Substitutions and Additions 

ONION:  A red onion or a sweet yellow onion would be good options. 

BREAD:  Any favorite variety of sturdy bread is best for tuna melts. Try sourdough, artisan, or rye.

MOZZARELLA:  Don’t worry if you don’t have any mozzarella on hand. Swiss or white cheddar are great substitutes.

RED PEPPER FLAKES: If you are someone who likes to spice things up a bit, sprinkle some red pepper flakes into the tuna mix during step three.

How to Make This Best Tuna Melt Recipe 

STEP ONE: Drain the water or oil from the tuna.

PRO TIP: Use a paper towel or kitchen towel to squeeze the water from the tuna until it is nice and dry.

STEP TWO: Place the tuna in a medium bowl and use a fork to loosen it.

STEP THREE: Add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and mozzarella cheese to the tuna bowl. Stir the ingredients to combine.

STEP FOUR: Add salt and pepper to taste and mix it again.

STEP FIVE: Place a non-stick skillet on the stove and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat your skillet over medium heat.

STEP SIX: Spread butter on one side of a piece of bread and carefully place that side down into the hot skillet. You can replace the butter with mayonnaise. 

PRO TIP: If your butter happens to be too hard to spread on the slices of bread, melt a generous dollop of butter in the skillet and place one slice of bread directly into the pan. Top with tuna mixture, cheese, and second slice of bread.

STEP SEVEN: Spoon about 3 heaping tablespoons of the tuna mixture on the bread, filling the slice of bread in the skillet. Add to or decrease tuna to your liking.

STEP EIGHT: Take another slice of bread and butter on one side. Place that side of the bread on top of the sandwich in the skillet with the butter side up.

STEP NINE: Be careful and watch for browning on the underside of the sandwich. Grill until it’s golden brown. Flip the sandwich over and brown the other side.

STEP TEN: Remove the sandwich from the skillet and place it on a paper towel-lined plate for one minute before eating.

How To Serve 

This incredible tuna melt is hearty enough to be a main dish. Dill pickles, potato chips and coleslaw are perfect compliments if you want to serve a larger meal.

If you want to try another easy and flavorful dish, you might like our https://usinthekitchen.com/sloppy-joes/. It’s just one more of our comfort food recipes that you can whip up in a pinch since you likely have everything you would need on hand.

Storage 

IN THE FRIDGE: After you have made your sandwich, it can be kept for up to 2 days in the fridge to enjoy later on.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing sandwiches that have mayonnaise, since it tends to separate when frozen.

Tuna Melts are an old-fashioned hot sandwich that has stood the test of time as a classic favorite. Once you try this easy-to-make version, it will be your go to for easy week night dinners, game day platters, or whenever the mood hits you.

FAQ:

Q? What type of tuna fish should I use?

A: You can choose any tuna based on your personal preference. Chunk light tuna or albacore tuna are both great choices.

Q? Can you eat a tuna melt cold?

A: Tuna melt could be eaten cold if you prefer, although we recommend heating it in the frying pan so that the cheese in the mixture melts and becomes nice and gooey.

Q? Why isn’t the cheese melting?

A: Don’t be in a hurry. Use medium heat, which will get that bread nice and toasty and give the cheese time to melt without burning the bread.

Tuna Melt

Perfectly seasoned tuna mixed with mozzarella cheese and grilled to perfection make this classic tuna melt one for the ages!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 20 ounces tuna in water or oil drained (four 5-ounce cans)
• 1 medium onion chopped (about ½ cup)
• ½ celery stalk chopped (about ¼ cup)
• 1 clove garlic minced (or ½ teaspoon ready minced garlic)
• 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
• 5 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoon olive oil divided into 2 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon
• ½ cup mozzarella shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12 slices bread
• softened butter

Instructions

 

• Drain the water or oil from the tuna.
• Place the tuna in a medium bowl and using a fork loosen it apart.
• To the tuna bowl add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and mix again.
• Place a nonstick skillet on the stove and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat over medium heat.
• Butter one side of a piece of bread and carefully place that slice butter side down into the now hot skillet.
• Now spoon about 3 heaping tablespoons of tuna filling onto the slice of bread in the skillet, more or less depending on how thick you like your sandwiches.
• Take another slice of bread and butter one side. Place that slice of buttered bread on top of the sandwich in the skillet with the butter side up.
• Watch for browning on the underside of the sandwich and grill until golden brown. Next flip the sandwich over and brown the other side.
• Remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Notes

You can place the tuna in a paper towel or a clean dish towel and wring out even more liquid, this makes for a less soggy sandwich.

If your butter is too hard to spread, place it in the center of the frying pan. When it has fully melted, spread it around a little and set your bread directly on top.

Keyword Tuna Melt Recipe