Most people think a tuna melt is just fish and bread, but the secret to the Best Tuna Melt Recipe is actually the acid. I started adding a splash of red wine vinegar years ago, and it completely changed the game—it cuts right through the mayo and makes the whole sandwich pop.
The Best Tuna Melt Recipe
What You’ll Need for this Best Tuna Melt Recipe
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The Fish: 2 (5 oz) cans of tuna (drain them until they’re bone dry!)
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The Creaminess: ¼ cup mayo
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The Texture: ¼ cup celery (finely diced) & 1 ½ tbsp onion (finely diced)
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The Greenery: 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
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The Secret: ¾ tsp red wine vinegar
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Pantry Basics: A pinch of salt and cracked black pepper
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The Bread: 4 slices of seedless rye (nothing else compares)
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The Good Stuff: 8 slices of Swiss cheese & 8 slices of ripe tomato
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The Finish: A little shake of paprika
Cans of tuna
Seedless rye
Swiss cheese
How I Make It
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Mix the Salad: I start by flaking the tuna in a bowl. Fold in your mayo, celery, onion, parsley, and that vinegar. Don’t skip the vinegar—it’s what makes this the Best Tuna Melt Recipe in my book. Give it a taste and add your salt and pepper.
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The “Anti-Soggy” Toast: I always toast my rye bread first. If you put wet tuna on soft bread, it’s a disaster. Get them nice and golden.
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Build the Layers: Lay your toasted rye on a baking sheet. I do one slice of Swiss, a big mound of tuna, two tomatoes, and then another slice of Swiss to lock everything in.
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The Broil: I set my oven to broil and slide them in. You have to stay right there and watch—once that cheese starts bubbling and gets those little brown spots, it’s perfect.
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Garnish: I hit it with a bit of paprika right at the end. It adds a tiny bit of warmth and makes it look like it just came off a professional flat-top grill.
Quick Stats about this Best Tuna Melt Recipe
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My Prep Time: 10 mins
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Under the Broiler: 5 mins
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The Goods: 480 calories, 35g protein, 26g fat, 28g carbs.
A Few Tips (FAQ)
Can I swap the bread? You can, but rye is the soul of this sandwich. If you must, go with a thick sourdough, but the Best Tuna Melt Recipe really shines on rye.
How do I keep it crispy? Drying your tuna is huge. I actually press it into the strainer with a spoon to get every drop of water out.
Source: www.allrecipes.com
