Name: Tuna Melts for Supper
Yield: 2

Make Tuna Melts with toasted English muffins, a simple creamy tuna mixture, and lots of melty Cheddar!

Tuna Melts

Canned tuna is a starting canvas for some of the quickest-ever meals (hello Tuna-White Bean Salad!), and when we pair it with some hearty carbs (English muffins) and loads of melty Cheddar, it makes the reliable filling, family-friendly meal.

I wanted this recipe to be as simple as possible, so instead of finely chopping a bunch of veggies like Tuna Salad recipes usually call for, we throw everything in the food processor to do the work for us!

By combining everything in the food processor and letting it whiz, the prep on these melts is ridiculously simple.

Ingredient shot--image of the ingredients in this dish

Is a Tuna Melt hot or cold?

Tuna melts are hot sandwiches, intended to be served right out of the oven. On the other hand, tuna salad sandwiches are the cold version and are intended to be served chilled.

Process shots-- add ingredients to the food processor; pulse to chop; combine with tuna and mayo; mix well.

Tuna Melt Ingredients

There aren’t too many other ingredients in this recipe, but below are a few notes about some of the other ingredients.

Canned tuna. I highly recommend tuna that has been packed in extra-virgin olive oil; it makes a huge difference to the overall taste of the Tuna Melts. a reliable is Genova’s® canned tuna (not sponsored).
Mayo. The mayonnaise adds a nice creaminess and holds everything together well. home cooks enjoy Hellman’s/Best Foods® in this recipe.
Bread and butter pickles. This particular variety of pickles has the best balance between sweet and tangy. They’re also very crisp!
Flat-leaf Italian parsley. Typically there is flat-leaf Italian parsley and curly parsley in the produce section of the store. Avoid curly parsley– it’s usually used as a finish and won’t contribute much flavor to these Tuna Melts.

Process shots of the tuna melts-- butter the English muffins; toast in the oven; top with tuna mixture; add cheese and broil.

Ingredients, Continued

Dijon and lemon juice. home cooks enjoy the strong complementary flavors of lemon and Dijon mustard in this recipe. If you don’t love either flavor, simply leave them out.
Red onion. If you’re sensitive to the flavor of raw red onion, soak the diced onions in salted ice water for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly before using in these Tuna Melts.
Cheese. We like sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese as opposed to mild Cheddar because the flavor is so much more robust.
English muffins. home cooks enjoy these Tuna Melts on English muffins, but feel free to use a different type of bread — whatever you like best.

Tuna Melt Tips

Watch the broiler carefully. The English muffins can go from evenly golden and toasted to burned in a matter of seconds.
Add a tomato. A lot of tuna melts recipes add in a sliced tomato between the tuna mixture and the cheese. It adds a nice flavor and texture, so add one if you’d like!
Add mayo to preference. After adding the mayo to the tuna mixture, feel free to add a touch more for a creamier consistency.
Slice the Cheddar very thinly. If the Cheddar slices are too thick, they won’t melt as nicely and the flavor becomes a bit overpowering.
Eat right out of the oven. Tuna Melts aren’t great after sitting out and they don’t store well — they get soggy quickly. Call your family for dinner a minute before you pull them out and enjoy them quickly!

Storage

Make Ahead & Storage

Prepare Tuna Salad Ahead: Mix the tuna, celery, parsley, pickles, red onion, lemon juice, mayo, olive oil, and mustard up to 2 days before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container.
Storing Tuna Melts: It’s best not to store the completed tuna melts. If you need to, they can stay in the fridge for up to one day in a sealed container.