Tuna Melt Recipe

Article by Emily Saladino

Anyone with a can opener can haphazardly throw together a tuna fish sandwich, but the experts in Food Network Kitchen mastered every detail of this tuna melt recipe so it has balanced flavors and textures that are sure to satisfy. Here, our recipe developers share how they achieve tuna melt perfection.

How to Make A Tuna Melt Like A Pro

This tuna melt recipe has a few crackerjack tips that take it from good to great.

Use sturdy, crusty bread. Split English muffins, sourdough, rye or whole wheat bread are excellent choices to support a hefty helping of mayo-laden tuna fish.

Toast the bread in the broiler. By spreading the slices onto a baking sheet and toasting beneath the broiler, you can prepare several sandwiches simultaneously.

Soak the red onion. Briefly soaking the red onion in cold water softens its bite and keeps it from overpowering all the other ingredients in your tuna fish salad.

Drain the tuna well. Excess water prevents mayonnaise and mustard from binding, so drain your canned tuna fish thoroughly.

Mince the celery and onion. Cut the celery and onion into evenly sized pieces so the tuna fish salad recipe turns out velvety and oh-so-satisfying. Our recipe developers find that 1/8- to 1/16-inch-pieces work best.

The secret to the best melting cheese. The water and fat contents of various cheeses make them melt differently: it’s why Brie gets gooey in the oven, but Parmesan does not. Our recipe developers like the way that sharp cheddar complements the flavor of this tuna melt recipe, but cheddar doesn't melt as quickly as milder mozzarella or American cheese. That’s why they use shredded cheddar. Shredded cheese has more surface area than slices, so it melts evenly to enrobe the sandwich.

Tuna Melt Ingredients and Substitutions

Try different breads. Our recipe developers opt for English muffins, sourdough, rye or whole wheat bread in this tuna melt recipe because all remain sturdy beneath the creamy tuna fish salad and melted cheese. If you prefer white bread, be sure it’s evenly toasted before you add the tuna fish salad, so it doesn’t get soggy or crack.

Make tuna salad using Greek yogurt. To make tuna salad without mayo, substitute an equal amount of full fat Greek yogurt. It will be creamier and might need a touch more salt and pepper.

Add avocado. Put thinly sliced avocado on top of the tuna fish salad before you add cheese or use mashed avocado in place of some of the mayonnaise.

Swap in other herbs. Use finely chopped dill, cilantro, tarragon or chives instead of some or all the parsley.

Other Ideas for Tuna Sandwiches

We love this tuna melt recipe, but it’s not the only tuna fish sandwich that Food Network Kitchen has perfected. Here are some of our other favorites.

Mediterranean tuna melts. Peppery arugula, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes and creamy muenster or halloumi cheese provide sun-kissed flavors to this Mediterranean tuna melt.

Provencal tuna sandwiches. Pillowy French or Italian bread cradles a tender mix of oil-packed tuna, red pepper slices and more in these elegant Provencal tuna sandwiches.

Parisian tuna sandwiches. Swap the mayo for olive oil and red wine vinegar and add hard-boiled eggs and crisp radish slices for this Paris-inspired take on tuna.

Breadless tuna salad sandwiches. Crunchy cucumber slices surround the savory tuna salad in these breadless tuna sandwiches that are especially refreshing on hot days.