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black spatula lifting half a tuna melt up with cheese pull

A Tuna Melt sent from heaven

Here I'll show you some tips and tricks to making the best Tuna Melt in the world!
5 from 2 votes
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Course: lunch
Cuisine: American, British
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings (click & slide): 3 sandwiches
Calories per serving: 794kcal
Author: Chris
Cost per serving: £2.50 / $3

Equipment

  • Small Pot (for mayo)
  • Small/Medium Mixing Bowl (for tuna mayo)
  • Non-Stick Pan & Spatula/Turner
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients

Tuna Melt

  • 2x 5oz/145g cans of Tuna Chunks, drained
  • 1/3 cup / 80g Mayonnaise
  • 1 heaped tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley
  • 1 Spring Onion, finely diced
  • 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1/4 tsp EACH: Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder (or to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper, optional (or to taste)

Sandwich

  • 6 slices of Bread (something firm like a Sourdough)
  • 4 1/2 square slices of Cheddar or as needed to neatly fit in bread
  • 4 1/2 square slices of Mozzarella or as needed to neatly fit in bread
  • 2 Beef Steak Tomatoes, sliced into thin rounds & patted dry (2-3 per sandwich)
  • Bread & Butter Pickles, to preference & patted dry (see notes)
  • Butter, as needed

Instructions

  • In a small pot combine mayo, mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional).
  • Add drained tuna to a mixing bowl then add in parsley, spring onion and your mayo mix. Use a fork to mix everything then place to one side.
  • Spread one side of each of your slices of bread with butter. Place 2-3 of them butter-side-down in a pan with the heat OFF. Add cheddar, followed by tuna, topped with tomato, then pickles and finish with mozzarella. Top with bread butter-side-up then turn heat to a low-medium and fry both sides until golden, with the cheese nice and gooey.
  • If you can only fit in 2 sandwiches, prep the third to one side as you fry the others. Slice in half, serve up and enjoy!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Pickles - In the UK you're looking for Gherkins. You can dice these up and incorporate them with the tuna mayo if you prefer, around 1 tbsp finely diced works nicely. Alternatively you can leave them out if you don't like pickles.
b) Extras/Subs: Here are variations I have tried and liked - 
  • Sub Pickles for Avocado slices or even BACON!
  • Sub Mozzarella for more Cheddar or Swiss.
  • Sub the Spring Onion for finely diced Red Onion for more texture and a more intense flavour.
  • Add finely diced Celery for more texture.
  • Sub Cayenne Pepper for Chilli Flakes or omit for no spice.
c) Make Ahead - I don't recommend making the whole sandwich ahead of time, but you can make the tuna mix and tightly cover in the fridge for 2-3days. Just give it a stir before you stacked in as it'll turn slightly watery as it rests.
d) Calories - per sandwich assuming 2 tsp butter and 1/3 cup pickles:

Your Private Notes:

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts
A Tuna Melt sent from heaven
Amount Per Serving
Calories 794 Calories from Fat 471
% Daily Value*
Fat 52.28g80%
Saturated Fat 21.982g137%
Trans Fat 0.864g
Polyunsaturated Fat 13.099g
Monounsaturated Fat 12.828g
Cholesterol 143mg48%
Sodium 1663mg72%
Potassium 580mg17%
Carbohydrates 36.99g12%
Fiber 2.8g12%
Sugar 15.09g17%
Protein 44.65g89%
Vitamin A 2265IU45%
Vitamin C 15.6mg19%
Calcium 640mg64%
Iron 3.96mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
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