The BEST Tuna Melt Recipe
I will start by saying- I do not like tuna, not even a little bit. But for some reason I LOVE these tuna melts! This creamy, easy, tuna melt mix can be used as a delicious high protein snack, meal, or side dish! It is also easily customizable to your liking and can be served in many different ways!
Although this recipe is the only way I like canned tuna, (as of now- if you have other great tuna recipes you know of, let me know in the comments! I’d love to try more!) canned tuna is a great protein option as it has a long shelf life and is overall significantly cheaper than other meats.
So what are we waiting for?! Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 (5oz) Cans of Canned Tuna
- 1/3 Cup Mayo
- 2 Celery Stalks (finely chopped)
- 1/4 Red Onion (finely chopped)
- 5-6 Dill Pickles (finely chopped)
- 1 Tsp Lemon Juice
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Optional to Serve: Bread or Crackers
What You Need
- Bowl
- Fork for Mixing
- Pan (If frying)
Directions
1.) Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
That's It! It's Too Easy
Ways To Serve
Plain
That’s right! I have eaten this mix without adding anything else with it for a low carb, high protein meal or snack! It is delicious AS IS and doesn’t require any extra!
Paired With Crackers
This is my favorite way to eat it as a snack or appetizer! Put the tuna melt in a bowl, and use any crackers to dip! Please a crowd by placing the tuna melt mix in a bowl centered around a variety of different dipping crackers! Some great choices are:
- Wheat thins
- Multi-seed
- Triscuits
- Pita
- Club
As a Cold Sandwich
This tuna melt mix is perfect for an afternoon sandwich! Just put a generous amount in between two pieces of sandwich bread of your choosing and eat it just like that! This also makes for a delectable tea party sandwich.
English Muffin or Plain Bagel
This mix pairs wonderfully with the flavor of a classic English Muffin! Whether it’s toasted or cold, you will not be disappointed with the taste of this tuna melt over a muffin or bagel! You have to try it- you can thank me later!
As a Melt Sandwich
Is there anything that doesn’t taste better with butter? I think not! Similar to a grilled cheese, you’ll want to make your tuna melt sandwich by placing a generous amount of tuna mix between 2 slices of bread. Then generously butter the outer sides of the sandwich bread. Turn your stove burner to medium-low heat, and fry on both sides until both sides are golden brown (about 1-2 minutes).
This gives your tuna melt the ultimate buttery crunch to pair with your creamy tuna melt mixture! This is the best way to eat your tuna melt mix! Add cheese for some extra creamy cheesy goodness and you will never look at a can of tuna the same.
Of course this recipe is amazing as it is! However, if you don’t have all those ingredients or would like to jazz it up for something different, here are just a few ideas to mix things up!
Substitutes
Canned Tuna: Canned Chicken
This recipe can just as easily be made with canned chicken! This is a great option for people who don’t like the fish flavor.
Mayo: Mashed Avocado or Plain Greek Yogurt
Although a mashed avocado or Greek yogurt will provide the creaminess that the mayo gives, it will not offer the same flavor and tang that mayo brings to the table. However, if you are wanting to make this recipe healthier or don’t have mayo, avocados or yogurt can work well! You can also use a flavored mayo such as olive oil or garlic mayo- there are no rules here!
Celery: Almost any vegetable
Celery gives a nice light flavor as well as the perfect crunch to your melt! However, you can use another vegetable of your choosing to give it that famous crunch!
Red Onion: Yellow Onion, Green Onion, or Radishes
Red Onion is my favorite for this recipe, but using other onions or radishes will also produce the same effect.
Pickles: Dilly Beans, Banana peppers, or pickled asparagus
I would HIGHLY recommend sticking with pickles, but these alternatives can also work with this recipe.
Additions
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
A literal way to “spice it up”: sprinkle in some crushed red pepper for an added kick to this dish.
Freshly Chopped Parsley
I love picking fresh parsley from my garden and adding it to EVERYTHING! There is not a dish I make that doesn’t have some fresh parsley thrown into it. It goes especially well in this tuna melt recipe. If you don’t have fresh, you can throw in some dried parsley as well.
Freshly Chopped Dill
The taste of fresh dill always reminds me of summer and gives a lovely refreshing taste to this recipe. Like with parsley, if you don’t have fresh dill, you can always use dried.
Cheese
What is a tuna melt without beloved cheese? If you are turning your tuna melt mix into a hot tuna melt, I recommend using American cheese. Although it is a “low-quality” cheese, it’s low melting point makes it the perfect choice for a creamy cheesy tuna melt. However, you can also use other cheeses such as pepper jack or cheddar! I’ve even mixed shredded colby jack cheese right into the mixture.
Chopped Jalapenos
Another way to spice up this recipe is with some finely chopped jalapenos! Chopped jalapenos brings a nice kick as well as a pleasant new flavor which is more than what crushed red pepper flakes can do.
Sliced Tomato
Add to your sandwich a sweet juicy red tomato slice to blend with the tangy savory flavor of your tuna mix, and upgrade your sandwich to a whole new level.
Bacon
Everything is better with bacon. Need I say more?
Dijon Mustard
This will give your mix a bright new flavor while also adding some creaminess and color!
Cucumbers
Nothing shouts summer freshness like adding cucumber to any cold-salad dish! Cucumbers create the perfect summer time flavor to your mix. You can toss in some chopped cucumbers, thinly slice them to add to your sandwich or bagel, or cut them in thick slices to dip and scoop the tuna to eat just like that!
Banana Peppers
I LOVE banana peppers! They are a sweet pepper with a zesty “pickley” flavor. They very are similar to pepperoncini except less spicy. However, both would taste wonderful with this recipe!
Green or Sweet Peppers
Something I love about this recipe is that you can include so many vegetables to get your veggies in while making it taste better at the same time. Adding some sweet peppers will only enhance the flavor rather than take away from it! Finely chop some green, red, orange, or yellow peppers to stir in or thinly slice them to add to your sandwich or bagel, or to dip!
Garlic
Garlic goes into every dish I make, measured strictly by the heart. You can use minced garlic, but in this recipe I actually prefer to use powdered. Although I love using fresh minced garlic, it can come off too strong and give it a strange texture.
Cumin
Cumin will completely change the trajectory of your tuna melt mix flavor. It will give it a grounding earthy nutty flavor that will remind you of taco seasoning, which is where we most commonly see it used. This is a really great way to change it up since it effects the flavor so drastically. Ground cumin has a very strong flavor so I would suggest sprinkling it into you mix in very small amounts at a time until you’ve reached your desired flavor.
Cream Cheese
Elevate this recipe by smearing a layer of cream cheese on your bagel, crackers, or sandwich bread before adding the tuna mix!
Storage
This can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I would not recommend freezing this recipe.
Like I said earlier, when it comes to this recipe, there are no rules. You can add more or less of any of these ingredients, alternatives, or additions to make it exactly how you like it and create the BEST tuna melt masterpiece designed to your taste buds!
Make this Recipe? Let Me Know in the Comments!
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