With crispy, golden brown bread, and that crave-able tuna filling, this Tuna Melt will be your favorite way to eat the canned fish. It’s quick and easy, and so reliably good that everyone you make it for will LOVE it too.

This sandwich is a hearty diner favorite that you can enjoy all year long. It’s great on a warm summer day. Just serve it with chips and soft drink. How classic is that? But I tend to like a good tuna melt even on a cool fall day. It’s kind of nostalgic…
It’s classic comfort food, kind of like these flavor beef meatballs or tater tot casserole.
By the way, if your for some more comforting recipes, try our easy kielbasa and broccoli bowls. It’s a new spin on classic beef and broccoli.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe…
- Don’t settle for dry tuna and crackers when you can have a deliciously, quick and easy meal with just a little more effort. They’re ready in minutes with just a few pantry staples you likely already have.
- Perhaps the best part about this tuna melt is the cheesy, melty, goodness. It’s not hard to imagine bubbly cheese wrapping that flavorful tuna salad on buttery, golden brown bread. Mmmm, comfort food at it’s best.
- Variety! Variety! Variety! One of my favorite parts about tuna melts is that you can customize them and make them your own. So, add some sliced tomato, jalapenos, avocado or even a dash of Italian seasoning.
- Some meals like Swedish meatballs are better for dinner. While others, like BLTs are better for lunch. Then there’s others, like tuna melts, truly works well for both lunch or dinner or even a snack.
Ingredients
- Tuna – we like chunk light tuna in water. You could also buy the kind stored in oil. Either way, drain well.
- Mayo – for the tuna salad and for spreading on the bread.
- Bread – choose a bread that you like for toast. Our personal favorite is sourdough.
- Cheese – we like American cheese because it melts so well. But cheddar, provolone, or even a mixture that includes mozzarella are also good.
- Celery – adds to that classic tuna salad flavor.
- Egg – boiled eggs are a hearty addition.
- Dill – adds an herby freshness.
- Onion – red onion adds a little bite.
- Salt – we like kosher salt.
- Pepper – freshly cracked black pepper.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
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Using a tack, poke a hole at the bottom of each egg. Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs and bring it to a boil.
Then, turn off the heat and cover. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Once cool, gently peel the eggs under running water. Then, dice and set aside.
Add the drained tuna, dill, red onion, celery, mayo, and boiled eggs. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread butter on one side of each bread slice. Place 4 slices on a baking sheet, with the buttered side down.
Top each slice of bread with ¼ of the tuna salad and 2 slices of the American cheese. Top with the other slices of bread with the buttered side up.
Bake the sandwiches for 10 minutes until the brea is golden and the cheese is melted. There’s no need to flip the sandwiches.
If you like more browning on the top, you can switch to broil for about 1 minute. But watch carefully, the bread can burn quickly.
Remove the top slice of bread and add the lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Top Tip
Use a little mayo on the outside of the bread before toasting for that golden, diner-style finish. We’ve tried it with butter but it doesn’t work quite as well.
Also, make sure you serve them hot. 🙂
Equipment
You can make this recipe in the oven or in the air fryer. We’ve had our Instant Pot Air Fryer for years and it is AMAZING for recipes like this.
Storage
Got leftovers? They’ll last for about 2 days. Wrap them in plastic wrap, foil, or put them in a food storage container. Of course, you’ll want them to cool first. Reheat them in them in the oven at 350 degrees until the bread is crunchy and the cheese is melty.
FAQ
American cheese is my favorite for this recipe. It’s so melty and gooey, but if you like, cheddar, provolone, and Monterey jack are also good options.
Sure! This recipe is a wonderful meal prep option. Simply make the tuna up to 3 days in advance. Then assemble and bake when you are ready to serve.
Tuna Melt Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 Oz Canned Tuna Drained
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Dill
- 2 Tbsp Red Onion Diced
- 2 Tbsp Celery Diced
- ¼ Cup Mayo
- 2 Large Hard Boiled Eggs Diced
- 8 American Cheese Slices
- 8 White Bread Slices
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Pickles Recipe
- Butter Room Temperature
Instructions
Hard Boiled Eggs
- Using a tack, poke a hole at the bottom of each egg. Fill a pot with enough water to cover the eggs and bring it to a boil.
- Turn off the heat and cover. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Immediately transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Once cool, gently peel the eggs under running water. Dice and set aside.
Tuna Salad
- Add the drained tuna, dill, red onion, celery, mayo, and boiled eggs. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices on a baking sheet with the buttered side facing down.
- Spread some tuna salad on each slice of bread, and add 2 slices of American cheese on top. Then, lay the top slice of bread butter-side down on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.
- Add lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Then add the top slice of bread.
- Slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- You don’t want to add the top slice of bread while baking, making it easier to add your toppings without messing with the melted cheese.
- This sandwich will also go well with cheddar cheese.
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