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What Are Tuna Melts?

Angie Bates
Angie Bates

Tuna melts are a type of grilled or fried sandwich that includes tuna topped with melted cheese. Generally known as diner food in the United States, tuna melts can be simple or fancy and are often made at home. Good for lunches, these sandwiches are a favorite of adults and children alike.

Bread, tuna, and cheese are the only required ingredients in tuna melts. The tuna is always canned and prepared as a simple or complex tuna salad. Bread is most often white, but may be rye, sourdough, or wheat. American or cheddar cheese is frequently used, but almost any cheese, such as provolone or swiss, may be included instead.

Capers are sometimes added to tuna salad.
Capers are sometimes added to tuna salad.

The tuna salad used for these sandwiches is usually drained tuna mixed with mayonnaise and other flavorings. Mustard, relish, and lemon juice may be included. Diced onions, celery, or black olives are sometimes added as well. Salt and pepper may or may not be added to taste. Fancier sandwiches may even include capers in the tuna salad mix. Some tuna brands also have pre-made tuna salad or flavored tuna in pouches or cans which are suitable for use on tuna melts.

Melted cheddar cheese is often used to top tuna melts.
Melted cheddar cheese is often used to top tuna melts.

Mayonnaise is usually spread on the bread before the other ingredients are added. Usually, the tuna is placed on a slice and the cheese tops it, but the cheese may be placed first. Often sliced tomato is included in the sandwich as well. After all the ingredients are placed on one slice, another mayonnaise coated slice is placed on top to complete the sandwich. Tuna melts can also be open-faced sandwiches, meaning the second bread slice is omitted.

Using canned tuna is the easiest way to make a tuna melt.
Using canned tuna is the easiest way to make a tuna melt.

Once complete, the sandwich is placed in the oven and broiled until the bread is toasted. Some versions, particularly open-faced versions, may toast just the bread in this way first and then return the sandwich to the broiler only to melt the cheese. Alternatively, the sandwich may be placed into a buttered frying pan and grilled in that way. The tuna melt is flipped half way through cooking so both slices of bread can be toasted.

Mayonnaise is commonly mixed with tuna when making a tuna melt.
Mayonnaise is commonly mixed with tuna when making a tuna melt.

Canned tuna usually contains small amounts of mercury, which is generally harmless, but can cause problems for pregnant women and young children. Different types of tuna contain different amounts of mercury, and therefore, different amounts are safe to consume. Doctors suggest only 12 ounces (340 grams) of light tuna or 6 ounces (170 grams) of albacore be eaten per week by young children or pregnant women.

Discussion Comments

Hazali

I've always loved melts, and even more so, I've always loved tuna fish. In fact, this article reminds me of many years ago. When I was a little kid, my parents would make an "alternate" version of a tuna melt, for lunch. What they would do is put a slice of cheese on top of tuna fish, put it in the oven for around 20 minutes, and serve it. It wasn't a sandwich, per se, but it was more like half a melt, and I loved it. Great article, by the way.

Krunchyman

@Euroxati - While it is true that tuna fish has mercury, you generally shouldn't worry about it, especially if you don't eat it too often. Also, as the article states, different types of tuna have different amounts of mercury. Some are safer to eat than others, while others are more dangerous.

Euroxati

Nowadays, isn't it dangerous to eat tuna fish? After all, it does have a lot of mercury in it, right? I know it's not a major factor in the article, but I thought I'd bring it up anyway.

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    • Capers are sometimes added to tuna salad.
      Capers are sometimes added to tuna salad.
    • Melted cheddar cheese is often used to top tuna melts.
      By: Bert Folsom
      Melted cheddar cheese is often used to top tuna melts.
    • Using canned tuna is the easiest way to make a tuna melt.
      By: ivobalderi
      Using canned tuna is the easiest way to make a tuna melt.
    • Mayonnaise is commonly mixed with tuna when making a tuna melt.
      By: uckyo
      Mayonnaise is commonly mixed with tuna when making a tuna melt.
    • Onion is a common ingredient in tuna melts.
      By: Natika
      Onion is a common ingredient in tuna melts.