Best Tuna Melts (Easy, Crispy & Cheesy)

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This recipe is light on mayo but big on flavor with plenty of ways to substitute ingredients based on what you like and have on hand.

Yield: 2 servings (recipe easy to double or triple)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

1 (5-ounce) can tuna, drained (I use water-packed)
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 tablespoon minced green onion (in a pinch omit or sub yellow/red onion, shallot, or chives)
1 scant tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained (optional)
1 teaspoon (5ml) Dijon mustard (can use equal amount sriracha for a different twist)
2 tablespoons (26g) mayonnaise
¼ cup (1oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste (I use a pinch or two of salt and several hearty grinds of the pepper mill)
2 large, thick slices sourdough or multi-grain bread of choice—or use 2 English muffins (4 halves) or favorite GF bread
¼ cup (1oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Make the tuna salad: Place the drained tuna in a mixing bowl and break apart with a fork. Add the green onion, celery, capers, Dijon, and mayonnaise. (This isn’t a lot of mayonnaise, and while you may certainly add more to taste, the small amount works quite well.) Fold in the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Make ahead tip: The tuna salad may be refrigerated until needed.
When ready to eat, turn on the broiler, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Alternatively, you may use a toaster oven or air fryer if preferred.
Crisp the bread: Broil the bread until golden brown on top, watching closely, as this doesn’t take more than a minute or two. Flip the bread to toast the other side to your liking.(If using a toaster or air fryer, simply toast until the bread is crisp.)
Top the bread: Remove from the oven and spread the tuna salad over the bread, pressing down lightly and covering the slices all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly over each piece of bread.
The finish + a few tips: Place the sandwiches under the broiler and cook until the cheese is bubbling and lightly golden in spots. This may take just a minute if the melts are on the top rack (about 5 inches from the element). I’ve taken to placing the melts a little lower, especially if I've made the tuna ahead and refrigerated, so they warm slightly throughout as the cheese melts. Feel free to broil on whichever rack you prefer, just watch closely to avoid burning.

A few more things...

Before broiling the melts, you may dust the tops with cayenne pepper or regular or smoked paprika.
I sometimes combine the cheeses for a blend of mozzarella and cheddar in the tuna mixture and the topping (rather than one variety as a topping and the other mixed in).
Feel free to experiment with your favorite cheeses, from Italian blends to Gruyere and Monterrey Jack. Swiss is delicious in place of the cheddar when using rye bread.
My son often took these to school for lunch. In this case, to prevent soggy bread, I would spread an extra layer of cheese under the tuna to create a barrier between the bread and the tuna. I also cooled the melts thoroughly before wrapping and refrigerating so the steam didn’t make the bread soggy.