Nothing beats a cheesy, open-faced classic like this Sun-Dried Tomato Tuna Melt. This Italian-inspired tuna salad is bursting with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, celery, lemon, and provolone cheese. Whether you serve it on English muffins, toasted bread, or a bagel, it's a quick lunch recipe that comes together in minutes.
If you're like me, I find prepared tuna fish just meh. I mean, I grew up on mushy canned tuna that was drowning in mayo, stuffed between 2 slices of boring white bread. Too fishy for me. This Mediterranean-style tuna I can eat. It's all grown up, a little fancy, and downright delicious.
And let's be honest, when you add melty cheese to any sandwich, doesn't it just make it better?
You can make this sun-dried tomato tuna salad melt the classic way, just like you would with any sandwich, but I prefer it open-faced. This way, that warm, gooey cheese hits your taste buds first, and that's always a good thing in my book.
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The best tuna for a tuna melt
All those canned tuna labels can be confusing! Luckily, none of it matters for making a tasty tuna melt. It just comes down to preference. I look for tuna that says white, albacore, solid, and packed in water.
- Light Tuna- Tan to pink in color. Has a softer texture and a stronger flavor (more fishy) than albacore.
- White or albacore- White to pink in color. Firmer in texture and with a milder flavor (less fishy).
- Solid- Larger, whole pieces of tuna.
- Chunk- Smaller pieces of tuna, looks shredded.
- Water or oil packed- I prefer water packed, mainly so I can adjust the oil myself if using.
What you'll need
Bursting with Mediterranean flavors, you can find all the ingredients easily in the grocery store or in your pantry.
- Canned tuna- Canned, pouched, or in a tin. I buy tuna packed in water so I can add the flavors myself.
- Sun-dried tomatoes- Look for them in oil for the best flavor. If you have plain sun-dried tomatoes, you can rehydrate them by soaking the tomatoes in hot water for about 10 minutes until they are nice and plump.
- Capers
- Celery
- Lemon
- Dijon mustard
- Olive oil
- Fresh herbs such as parsley, chives and oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Provolone cheese- You can also use Swiss.
- Bagels, English muffins, or your favorite bread
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
This Italian-style tuna melt is super easy to make. Prepare the salad ahead, then broil the cheese when you're ready to eat. If making the tuna melts on bagels, place an extra slice of cheese over the bagel half before adding the tuna (so the tuna doesn't escape).
Step 1. Mix all the ingredients for the tuna salad in a bowl.
Step 2. Add the tuna to a bagel (or bread of choice).
Step 3. Top each one with a slice of cheese.
Step 4. Broil in the oven on high until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
*These are abbreviated instructions. For the full list of directions, see the recipe card below.
👩🍳Expert tip
Keep an eye on that broiler. I like to keep the oven light on and watch it closely. Cheese can go from golden brown to burnt in a matter of seconds. Three to five minutes is all you need to get the cheese perfectly melty.
How to customize your tuna melt
Feel free to adjust the ingredients to your liking. Want more crunch? Add more celery! Hate capers? Just leave them out. Here are some other great ideas.
- Use shredded chicken in place of the tuna. It's a great way to use up leftover chicken if you don't like tuna.
- Play around with the herbs. Try scallions, rosemary, or thyme.
- Experiment with other cheeses. Just choose one that will melt well, such as Gruyère.
- If not using bagels or muffins, try a toasty sourdough. Just be sure to use something substantial for bread so that the tuna doesn't soak through.
- Wanna skip the bread? Serve this sun-dried tomato tuna salad plain with a side salad for a light meal.
- Skip the melt, and make a classic tuna sandwich.
What to serve with an open-faced tuna melt
Choose your favorite side dishes!
- Pickles
- Chips or crispy potatoes
- Soup
- Salad
- Fruit
Storage
Tuna salad can be made ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge for up to five days. When ready to eat, add it to the bread and melt the cheese under the broiler.
FAQ
It's all about the bread. Choose a good sturdy bread such as a bagel, sourdough slices, or a hearty roll such as a ciabatta.
More melty sandwiches
Made this recipe? I'd love to hear about it. Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below the recipe. Snapped a photo? Tag @brunchandbatter on Instagram so I can see your creation!
📖Recipe
Sun-Dried Tomato Tuna Melt
Equipment
- large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce (9-ounce dry weight) canned tuna fish in water, drained (or about 1¼ cups canned tuna, drained)
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil; chopped
- 3 tablespoon diced celery (from about 2 celery stalks)
- 2 teaspoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more if needed)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon fresh or dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 plain bagels sliced in half (will have 6 halves) can use English muffins or bread of your choice
- 12 slices provolone or Swiss cheese
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, celery, capers, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more oil if dry. (This will depend on how much liquid you drained from the tuna, as well as how much oil was in your sun-dried tomatoes). Set aside.1 12-ounce (9-ounce dry weight) canned tuna fish in water, drained, ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil; chopped, 3 tablespoon diced celery (from about 2 celery stalks), 2 teaspoon capers, rinsed and drained, 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more if needed), 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon fresh or dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the oven broiler to high. Have a baking sheet ready. Lay out your bread on the baking sheet. Place a slice of cheese on each piece of bread. Add about ⅓ cup of tuna to each bread slice. Top with an additional slice of cheese.3 plain bagels sliced in half (will have 6 halves), 12 slices provolone or Swiss cheese
- Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted, golden brown, and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For best results, use tuna packed in water.
- If using bagels for the tuna melts, add a slice of cheese to the bottom of the bagel first, before adding the tuna and the additional cheese. This prevents the tuna from escaping through the hole.
- Watch the broiler closely. Cheese can burn quickly!
- The tuna salad can be made in advance, and the recipe can easily be doubled.
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Actual values may vary based on ingredients, measurements, and substitutions.
Brenda says
So delicious! i forgot to take a picture before digging in!! i’m on the side of hate capers but a delicious twist for tuna for us no mayo folks as well..a rare concoction easy yummy and healthy 😊