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Tuna Melt

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sandwiches•american•contains fish, contains dairy, contains gluten
25 minutes•4 sandwiches•

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces canned solid white tuna – drained and flaked
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup celery – finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion – finely chopped (~0.5 medium red onions)
  • 2 tbsp dill pickle – finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 8 slices rye bread
  • 8 slices cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter – softened
Tuna Melt

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Place the canned solid white tuna in a medium bowl and flake it with a fork.

  2. 2.

    Add the mayonnaise, celery, red onion, dill pickle, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper to the bowl; stir until evenly combined to make the tuna mixture.

  3. 3.

    Lay out the rye bread and spread the unsalted butter on one side of each slice.

  4. 4.

    Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.

  5. 5.

    Build 4 sandwiches: set 4 slices of bread buttered-side down in the skillet, divide the cheddar cheese between the sandwiches above and below the tuna mixture, then cap with the remaining bread, buttered-side up.

  6. 6.

    Cook until the first side is deep golden and the cheese is beginning to melt, 3–4 minutes; flip carefully and cook the second side until golden and the cheese is fully melted and the filling is warmed through, 3–4 minutes more. Reduce heat if browning too quickly and cover for the last minute if needed to finish melting.

  7. 7.

    Let rest 1 minute on a board, then cut and serve hot.

A tuna melt is a beloved American diner sandwich that marries creamy tuna salad with oozy melted cheese on crisp, griddled bread. The contrast of textures—buttery crust, warm savory filling, and gentle crunch from aromatics—makes it deeply satisfying. It’s hearty yet unfussy, equally at home as a quick lunch or a comforting dinner with a cup of soup.

The sandwich grew from early 20th‑century tuna salad, which rose in popularity alongside widely available canned tuna. Melts gained traction in mid‑century luncheonettes and delis, where flat‑top griddles turned simple fillings into hot sandwiches. Today, regional preferences vary—rye or sourdough, cheddar or Swiss—but the core idea remains a hot, griddled tuna‑and‑cheese sandwich with a mayonnaise‑based salad.