This recipe for an Easy Tuna Melt Sandwich will be a lifesaver on busy evenings. It’s quick and easy. Enjoy fish without much hassle at all.
Years ago when I taught high school, my friend and fellow teacher, Tami and I would swap recipes and cooking notes all the time. We both loved to cook and eat so much, it made for the perfect friendship.
The second year we decided to do a lunch co-op. We both wanted to eat healthily but we knew it was hard to pack a lunch every day. Our lunch co-op meant that I would bring lunch for us one week while she brought lunch for us both the next week. We alternated like this for a whole year until I retired from teaching.
Occasionally there would be a weird/busy day when the girl on lunch duty either forgot or didn’t have time. She was responsible for buying lunch that day. Luckily, our school had a food service/restaurant class. The students learned to cook some great food and served it in a cafe for staff or deliver it to the room.
One day I found out that Tami had ordered Tuna Melts. I just about died. Sure, I liked grilled cheese sandwiches. I liked tuna salad sandwiches. But, I’d never had them together and the idea intimidated me. I wasn’t a huge fan of fish to begin with.
Lucky for me I was hungry that day!
How Do You Make A Tuna Melt?
It unveiled a new taste combination that has become a favorite of mine ever since. Tuna Melts have become one of my go-to, quick-fix meals. If you’ve not yet tried them, make today the day!
They are super quick and easy. You need three basic things: good sandwich bread, your favorite tuna salad, and sliced cheese. That’s the most basic version, but it’s super tasty to tuck in some spinach leaves and tomato slices also.
Here is how you make this classic sandwich:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, scallions, dill, salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne. Adjust seasonings.
2. On a Panini press, lay out two slices of bread. Divide half the tuna mixture over the two slices of bread, reserving the other half of the tuna mixture for the other two sandwiches.
3. Cover the tuna on the sandwiches with cheese slices. Cover the two sandwiches each with another slice of bread.
4. Cook in the Panini press until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
5. Repeat with the remaining 4 slices of bread, tuna salad, and cheese slices. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.
What type of cheese is used for this sandwich?
I used cheddar cheese for my tuna melts. But let your imagination go wild by mixing in different cheeses or adding different mix-ins like pickles, hot peppers, or whatever you dream up.
How do you toast a tuna melt?
This is a layered grilled fish sandwich. I used a panini press for this tuna melt recipe since I don’t have to flip the sandwich and risk losing any of the yummy filling.
But, you can grill the tuna melt sandwich in a skillet or on a griddle if you like. In that case, butter the bread so it gets all toasty, buttery. Yum!
Do you put mayo on a tuna melt?
Yes, the mayonnaise is added to the tuna salad. There’s no need to add any extra to the bread!
Tools I use for this tuna melt recipe:
- Ergo Chef chef’s knife
- panini press
- Pyrex storage bowl with lid
- food processor (for making homemade mayonnaise)
- 2 7-ounce cans albacore tuna drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise or more to taste
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped celery chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 8 slices sourdough bread or other favorite bread
- 4 to 8 slices cheddar cheese
In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, scallions, dill, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Adjust seasonings.
On a Panini press, lay out two slices of bread. Divide half the tuna mixture over the two slices of bread, reserving the other half of the tuna mixture for the other two sandwiches
Cover the tuna on the sandwiches with cheese slices. Cover the two sandwiches each with another slice of bread.
Repeat with the remaining 4 slices of bread, tuna salad, and cheese slices. Cut sandwiches in half and serve
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I love tuna melts; I have for years. I have always served them open-faced with a slice of tomato on top. I just put them in the oven for a few minutes till hot. But, having seen your way, I like that way better and I happen to have a Panini press. Today I will be planning next week’s menu and on Monday night, we will be having these. Thanks for the idea. I haven’t made these in a long time.
When we were growing up, we always had fish on Friday, being Catholic. One of my mother’s go to meals was a Tuna Melt that she made with cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup. I no longer have the recipe but I’m sure it was just an easy fix. I think she diced a little onion into the mix. She put the tuna on hamburger buns and toasted them in the oven. We loved them when we were children, though I recall picking out the onions. She served them with potato chips I’m sure, and the year would have been late 1950s. If you have a recipe like that I’d like to try it. This recipe sounds pretty good too.
I enjoy your blog and I love your book. It is just me and my husband now, he’s 70. But I freeze all our extra servings for future meals and it helps us eat well on a retirement income. Thank you!
What a wonderful story! I don’t have a recipe like that, but it almost sounds similar to a tuna casserole filling, without the noodles. Thanks so much for your kind words about the book! I’m so glad to know it works for all seasons of life. 🙂
Hope you see this. Here’s your recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/old-fashion-hot-tuna-melts-127292
Thank you! How nice!
A good recipe especially for those who don’t have much time to prepare a delicious meal. I love tuna melts! I like the idea of mixing different kinds of cheese. I will surely make one.
I love these too especially with a side of french fries in a diner! 🙂 Love your idea of the panini maker for them! Love your blog/website too – you seem to have my exact ideas and tastes in your recipes and menus – thanks so much – I just discovered this today and am reading everything! I love it!