There’s nothing like a tuna melt eaten outside on a warm Summer day. I used to eat these all the time as a kid because they were so easy to make and one of my Dad’s favorite weekend lunches. It’s a speedy, no fuss recipe that can really feed a crowd if you double or triple the recipe. Plus you can scoop that tuna salad onto a bed of greens or a bowl of rice to repurpose the next day. This tuna melt skips the mayo and instead uses a bright tangy vinaigrette and crunchy, acidic pickles (a key ingredient!), making it a lot more refreshing and balanced. We always ate them open-faced using a knife and fork, but feel free to turn it into a sandwich!
Ingredient Highlight
Tuna! Wild tuna is an excellent source of protein, omega-3 fats, vitamin B12, selenium, iron, and potassium. Tuna does contain mercury, so it’s important to not go overboard with it. Skipjack tuna is lower in mercury than albacore, if you can find it.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 2 minutes Ingredients
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 5 oz cans wild tuna packed in oil, drained
- ½ cup finely chopped dill pickles (about 1 large pickle)
- ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)*
- 4-8 slices bread toasted**
- 1 large or 2 small tomatoes, sliced (4 large slices or 8 small)(optional)
- 4-8 slices swiss or cheddar cheese
- *or use 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced or finely chopped about ¾ cup worth
- **This depends on how large/thick your bread is. I usually have two open faced tuna melts as a meal!
Instructions
- Turn your oven to broil on high.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the tuna, pickles, herbs, and bell pepper and toss to coat.
- Scoop the tuna onto your toasted bread and top with 1-2 tomato slices (if using) and then a slice (or two) of cheese.
- Place them on a baking sheet (don’t use parchment) and broil for about 2 minutes (keep an eye on it!), or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- I believe tuna melts are best eaten with a knife and fork, but you could put a piece of toast on top to make it a sandwich. Enjoy!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Finely chop ½ cup dill pickles
- Chop ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro)
- Finely chop 1 red bell pepper (about ¾ cup)
- Make the tuna salad
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute the tuna with 3 (15 oz) cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas. Just mash them up a bit with a fork before mixing everything together and be sure to taste because it will likely need some more salt and maybe more vinegar.
- To make vegan, see above and use vegan cheese.
- To make gluten-free, use gluten-free toast.
- Celery or any other crunchy veggie you have lying around in place of the bell pepper.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Make another tuna melt!
- Scoop leftover tuna salad on top of a green salad with some roasted veggies, avocado, cheese.
- Make a tuna salad bowl using rice and chopped up crunchy veg or roasted veg and avocado.
leave your comments!