My Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwich is a delicious tuna salad lunchtime treat with melty cheese and fresh tomato!
When I think of a tuna salad sandwich, I think of a cold sandwich in two slices of bread. It’s tasty, but not exactly company-worthy.
A tuna melt sandwich, on the other hand, is the same creamy delicious tuna salad all dressed up for company.
For instance, my tuna melt open faced sandwich is piled onto a piece of toasted garlic bread and dripping with a blend of melted Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s topped off with a thin slice of gorgeous garden tomato, some coarse salt, cracked pepper and minced parsley. Absolute heaven!
I’d definitely serve this to a girlfriend over for lunch!
And you only need 15 – 20 minutes to make it. You can’t beat an easy, 5-ingredient and scrumptious recipe that’s perfect for quick lunches or busy weeknights! Is there such a thing as “Winner! Winner! Tuna dinner!”?
The Ingredients
- Texas Toast or thick sliced bread of your choice
- Tuna Salad: (Use a creamy, mayonnaise-based tuna salad for the best flavor and for moisture.) My recipe is simple and I’ll put it in the notes section of the recipe card. But, use the tuna salad you love most. If you have a favorite recipe, that’s the one you’ll love in a Tuna Melt.
- Freshly Grated Cheese: I blend extra sharp Cheddar Cheese and Monterey Jack Cheese. You can use any flavor cheese that makes you happy. Grated cheese melts more easily than slices. And, remember to grate your own to avoid fillers and anti-clumping agents.
- Thinly Sliced Tomato: Use a nice ripe slicing variety and cut the slices super thin (1/8-inch).
- Garlic Herb Butter: Any garlic butter you like should work, but my Garlic Herb Butter is the bomb! It takes this yummy Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwich to a new flavor stratosphere!
What to Serve With Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwiches
Any of your favorite vegetable side dishes or salads would be a delicious complement to this easy tuna melt recipe. A simple green salad is always a hit, but Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is a spectacular side dish with your tuna sandwich.
Make these delicious Air Fryer Green Beans with Garlic Butter Sauce and your simple Tuna Melt lunch menu will be a hit with everyone lucky enough to share it. My easy Bean Salad and Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad are also great options for sides.
FAQs About Canned Tuna
Yes. The canning process fully cooks the tuna. It also vacuum seals it which keeps out bacteria and preserves flavor.
Tuna variety is really a matter of flavor and texture preference. I use white albacore tuna in my homemade tuna salad and tuna melt open face sandwiches. Yellow fin tuna is another good (and meaty) option, though. I have also used skipjack tuna with good results.
Again, this is really a matter of preference and budget. Use the best tuna you can afford.
I like wild caught, and preferably pole caught tuna. And I like the fillets, slices or chunks better than the minced tuna.
But, I totally get that those options are pricier. Use the tuna that your family likes and that fits your budget. My favorite brand is Natural Catch and I also like Wild Planet.
Tips for Making your Tuna Melt
- Every oven, toaster oven and air fryer cooks differently. Whichever appliance you use, heat it to 425° and then watch closely as your bread toasts. Flip the bread when the top is done so both sides toast evenly.
- The amount of time it will take depends on your specific appliance and how close your food is to the heat source. Air fryers use convection heat and will cook things somewhat faster.
- If using a conventional oven, I recommend using the convection setting if it has one. This speeds up the cooking and toasts the bread more evenly.
- In an oven or toaster oven, use the most central rack to avoid over browning.
How to Make a Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwich
- Preheat your oven, toaster oven or air fryer to 425°.
- Butter both sides of each slice of bread with Garlic Herb Butter. Place the buttered bread on the rack in a broiler pan or on a rack in a baking sheet.
- Toast the bread on one side, then flip the bread and toast it on the other side. Use the device that works best for you.
- Remove toast from oven and add 1/2 cup tuna salad to each slice. Spread the tuna salad to the edges of your Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwiches.
- Next pile 1/4 to 1/3 cup of grated cheese over the tuna on each tuna melt.
- Place the tuna melt open face sandwiches back in the oven, toaster oven or air fryer. Continue cooking at 425° until the cheese is melted and drippy.
- Remove the tuna sandwiches from the oven and place a thin slice of tomato on top of the melting cheese.
- Garnish with minced parsley, coarse or flaked salt and fresh ground black pepper.
The Recipe
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Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwich
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
Description
My tuna melt open faced sandwich is piled onto a piece of toasted garlic bread and dripping with a blend of melted Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s topped off with a thin slice of gorgeous garden tomato, some coarse salt, cracked pepper and minced parsley. Absolute heaven!
Ingredients
- 4 slices Texas Toast
- 4 Tablespoons garlic butter
- 2 cups tuna salad
- 1 1/3 cups grated cheese (I mix extra sharp Cheddar & Monterey Jack.)
- 1 large tomato, sliced into 8 thin slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven, toaster oven or air fryer to 425°.
- Butter both sides of each slice of bread with Garlic Herb Butter. Place the buttered bread on the rack in a broiler pan or on a rack in a baking sheet.
- Toast the bread on one side, then flip the bread and toast it on the other side. Use the device that works best for you.
- Remove toast from oven and add 1/2 cup tuna salad to each slice. Spread the tuna salad to the edges of your Tuna Melt Open Face Sandwiches.
- Next pile 1/4 to 1/3 cup of grated cheese over the tuna on each tuna melt.
- Place the tuna melt open face sandwiches back in the oven, toaster oven or air fryer. Continue cooking at 425° until the cheese is melted and drippy.
- Remove the tuna sandwiches from the oven and place a thin slice of tomato on top of the melting cheese.
- Garnish with minced parsley, coarse or flaked salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Notes
My favorite TUNA SALAD RECIPE
- 3 cans tuna, drained
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup celery, minced
- 2/3 cup sweet gherkins, minced with 1 Tablespoon juice from jar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup red onion, minced
Mix everything together in a bowl. Makes about 2 1/2 cups of tuna salad.
My favorite GARLIC HERB BUTTER RECIPE
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Best All Purpose Seasoning
Mix everything together and store in a covered container in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Sandwich, Lunch, Main Dish
- Method: baked or air fryed
- Cuisine: American
More Easy Recipes to Try
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich on Ciabatta Rolls
About Glenda
I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...
It has been so long since I had a tuna melt. I loved this sandwich and it totally hit the spot! Thanks for an easy and delicious lunch!
My pleasure, Traci! Happy the recipe is serving you well!
I had this for a simple dinner tonight as I had an open can of tuna and some homemade bread. It was perfect and easy – just what I needed!
Ksenia, you’re making my mouth water thinking about having it on homemade bread! Yum!
We loved the addition of garlic butter! Will for sure make this recipe again – delish!
Thanks, Sandy! Isn’t it funny how something that simple can really amp up the flavor of an entire dish?
This one is the best sandwich I’ve ever made and will definitely make it again!
Thank you, Cam! I’m happy you enjoyed it. It’s one of my favorites, too!
My family loves to have this with lots of cheese! A new family favorite. Would love to have this tuna melt open face sandwich again.
We love it that way too, Sharina!
The garlic butter for browning the tuna melt sandwich was a great touch. Yum!
Thank you, Scarlet! Glad you enjoyed it.
This is my new favorite work lunch! I didn’t think this sandwich could be improved upon but then you said garlic butter. Sooo delicious!
Thanks, Genevieve! Isn’t it funny how one simple ingredient can change the flavor profile of an entire recipe?
I am always looking for great recipes that I can serve my family during the Lenten season. Your Open Faced Tuna Melt sandwich recipe is so easy to make and tastes amazing!! After trying it out on my family, they asked me to make it again and again.
That’s awesome, Sherry! Thank you so much!
I love tuna! This is a yummy sandwich recipe, thanks!
Thanks, Natalie! I appreciate it.
Yum! This is how I want to eat tuna. Your recipe is easy to make and perfect for a light meal.
That makes my day, Jere! so glad you enjoyed it.
A classic sandwich made so good!! This is my new go to lunch!
Lynn, I’m so glad! I’ve been making it for lunch this week, too. It’s just such a quick and easy, delicious option.
So easy, so tasty! Will definitely make again!
Glad to hear it, Kris. Thank you!
This was the perfect light lunch! We served it with a tossed salad and even my husband approved!
That’s definitely the sign of a winning recipe at my house! Glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Phoebe.
:Love this quick and easy lunch or dinner idea. Tasty and simple to make.
Thanks, Raquel. They’re really terrific!
Tuna toasties (as we called them) were a regular lunch, and often dinner, when I was at university. They were cheap, quick and easy. And they needed very little equipment, which was good as our dorm kitchen was sadly lacking in stuff 😉
But I hadn’t had them for years, then I saw this grown up version and had to give it a go. It had all the flavor that I remember but looked far more elegant!
Definitely going to have this for lunch more often!
I’m glad they brought back good memories, Claire! And you’re right. This grown-up version has such mouthwatering eye appeal.
delicious. I replace the tomato with cucumber and onion since I don’t eat tomato. It’s really good.
Oh yum! Roxie, that’s a great idea for people who can’t eat nightshades. Thanks for the tip!