13 Delicious Ways To Upgrade Your Tuna Melt
The tuna melt sandwich is a popular lunch item, found on menus across the country. An iconic sandwich, it's essentially a combination of a simple grilled cheese with a tinned fish salad. There aren't a lot of common fish and cheese pairings, but somehow, this blend of creamy melted cheese and tangy tuna on toasted bread is the perfect combination of flavors. Some restaurants serve open-faced tuna melts, and others serve them with two pieces of toasted bread for a filling lunch.
This famous sandwich has a humble origin story. Reportedly, it's the result of a happy accident when a busy lunch counter cook accidentally suffered a slip of the hand and dropped some tuna salad on a sizzling grilled cheese sandwich. This tale of the tuna melt explains how the unlikely duo of tuna fish and cheese came together, although whether it's fact or fiction is hard to determine. All the same, one thing we know for sure is that it became a sandwich staple. If you love a good tuna melt and you're looking for some delicious ways to upgrade your own, here are some excellent ideas to make these sandwichs even better.
1. Try different cheeses
Tuna melts are usually made with cheddar cheese, and while cheddar is a good choice because it melts well, it isn't the only cheese that works. Just as you can make a classic grilled cheese sandwich better by mixing and matching cheeses, the same applies to the tuna melt.
The key to choosing a cheese for your tuna melt sandwich is to select a mild-flavored cheese that melts into a gooey goodness. Cheese like mozzarella, Gruyère, gouda, provolone, Havarti, and Swiss are good choices. Other good options are spreadable cheeses like cream cheese, Brie, or soft goat cheese. Crumbly cheeses like Feta and strong-flavored cheeses like gorgonzola aren't the best choice for texture and flavor. If you prefer to stick with cheddar, try a smoked or extra sharp cheddar for a tasty twist.
Ideally, you should stick to slices rather than grated cheese; sliced cheese will melt nicely into the tuna salad. If you are using grated cheese, make sure to grate it yourself and avoid store-bought grated cheese because it often has fillers to keep it from clumping, and those fillers affect the melting properties and can leave unappetizing lumpy spots in your tuna melt.
2. Swap regular mayo for kewpie
While there are many ways to make tuna salad, most use mayonnaise to hold the tuna and other goodies together. But you don't have to use standard mayonnaise. You can upgrade your tuna melt with mayo's richer, thicker cousin, Kewpie mayonnaise. This is a Japanese mayonnaise that's become quite popular in recent years for its decadent take on the classic mayonnaise recipe. The squeezable mayo in the red and white bottle is made with only egg yolks, whereas regular mayonnaise uses both yolks and whites. And instead of white vinegar, Kewpie uses a mix of rice and apple cider vinegar to get that kicky flavor. The result is a mayonnaise with more texture and a full-bodied umami taste. When you combine tuna salad with Kewpie, you can taste the difference of this unmistakable tuna melt upgrade.
You might need to visit your local international market to find Kewpie mayo because many local supermarkets don't carry it. However, once you get a taste, you may want to stock up on this particular condiment.
3. Slather on flavored butter
Do you want to keep the classic tuna melt combination but add something extra? Try spreading flavored butter on your bread slices before throwing your tuna melt on the skillet. Flavored butter will crisp up the bread while giving some extra flavor to the tuna melt. Try flavored butter like garlic and herb, oregano and basil, or mix in horseradish or red pepper flakes for butter with a little heat and tang.
If you are new to making flavored butter, you will be happy to know that making flavored butter at home is easy, and the possible combinations are endless. All you need is a blender or electric mixer, time, and creativity. When choosing flavors for a flavored butter to add to a tuna melt, think about the different components of a tuna melt to find complementary combinations. Lemon and black pepper always work well with fish, and Italian herb blends play well with gooey cheese.
4. Experiment with different types of bread
Whether you prefer an open-faced tuna melt or a stacked tuna melt with two slices of bread, you should try mixing it up with different types of bread. Most diners and lunch spots serve a tuna melt on classic white bread, but a tuna melt can take on new life with a bread upgrade, and sourdough bread is a particularly good choice. Thick slices of sourdough bread are often used to make grilled cheese and can be perfect for a tuna melt, too. If you prefer healthier bread, try some whole wheat slices with nuts and seeds. Not only does a hearty grainy bread like this add texture, but it also gives your gooey tuna melt some added vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Trading sliced bread for bagels can also turn up a tuna melt. Try an onion or jalapeno bagel, or if you can't decide, don't and choose an everything bagel for your tuna melt. Similarly, English muffin tuna melts are a great choice, especially if you like an open-faced tuna melt.
5. Give it some texture with crunchy add-ins
Tuna melts have a bold taste, and one way to match that bold taste is to add texture to balance it out. Some classic tuna salad recipes add cut grapes for a sweet burst of chewiness, but crunchy add-ins are even better. Chopped celery is the most obvious choice. It adds crunch and can bulk up a tuna melt. However, raw celery isn't the most popular flavor, and this stringy, fibrous vegetable doesn't have a big fan club. Luckily, chopped celery isn't the only choice.
Sunflower seeds are a good option, too. Choose roasted or raw, and sprinkle them into the tuna salad, or just sprinkle on a layer between the tuna salad and the cheese. Not only do sunflower seeds add texture, but they also turn your toasted tuna melt into a healthy food — sunflower seeds are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, as well as lots of immune-boosting antioxidants.
6. Swap mayo for creamy avocado
If you don't like mayo or are just looking for a healthier way to make a tuna melt, try smashing up some avocados. They're rich in healthy fats and fiber, and are a great source of vitamins and minerals. The best way to add fresh avocados to a tuna melt is to mix mashed avocado with the tuna and then add the cheese and toast. Another option is to mix part of the mashed avocado with the tuna and slather the other part on the bread for an avocado toast, tuna melt combo.
Avocados are widely available. When choosing one, the outside color should be dark, and the fruit should be a little soft when you squeeze it. Timing when an avocado is ripe can be tricky, and many supermarkets sell unripe avocados. If you find yourself with an unripe avocado, try the food hack of placing it in a paper bag with an apple or banana to ripen it faster.
7. Throw in some veggies
Chopped vegetables can upgrade your tuna melt in both taste and nutritional value. You can mix raw chopped onions directly into the tuna salad for more flavor. Or try layering in caramelized onions. If you are adding raw onion, opt for red onions because they have a mild taste and are best to use in salads. On the other hand, if you want to caramelize your onions, try sweet onion varieties like Vidalia or Maui.
Another great veggie that's easy to add to tuna salad is shredded zucchini. Just make sure to squeeze out any excess moisture before adding it to the tuna salad mix, because that extra water can lead to soggy bread and a tuna melt like a damp sponge. If you want to add a bit of color to your tuna melt, add in grated carrots. Carrots offer many health benefits and can bulk up your tuna melt. Thin slices of radish, cucumber, or bell pepper are a nice addition, too. If you don't mind a slightly pink tuna melt, you can add in thin slices of steamed beets. Beets are packed with vitamins and minerals, and nestling them between layers of tuna salad, melted cheese, and toasted bread is an excellent way to add them to your diet. As a final option, you can keep it simple and just add a handful of spinach leaves to give your tuna melt extra iron and plant protein.
8. Layer in some savory bacon
Turn your tuna melt into a decadent meal with one single upgrade: Bacon. Salty, smoky strips of bacon layered on your tuna melt are going to add an extra rich flavor and crunchy texture. A seasoned veteran on the sandwich scene, bacon is a key player in a B.L.T., stacked club sandwich, and a fried egg breakfast sandwich. It makes sense that it would add something special to a tuna melt. You can make it crispy or cook it to chewy perfection; whichever way you prefer it, bacon is good laid on a bed of tuna salad and combined with toasted bread and melted cheese.
You can choose your classic American breakfast bacon or branch out and explore other types of bacon for your tuna melt. Slices of fried Canadian bacon are a good choice. Or try one of bacon's Italian cousins, like guanciale or Tyrolean speck, to give your tuna melt some European flavor.
9. Top with healthy fermented foods
Fermented foods might not be the first thing you think of when looking for ways to upgrade your tuna melt, but these foods shouldn't be overlooked. Kimchi, the star or Korean cuisine, is a great choice. Add some as a layer between the tuna salad and the bread, or tuck it between the tuna salad and cheese. Kimchi is sour and spicy at the same time and pairs well with fish. Kimchi is easy to find in most supermarkets; however, if you're sensitive to spice, choose one that isn't too hot.
Sauerkraut is another popular fermented food and plays a prominent role in the classic Reuben sandwich. It's crunchy and tangy and will add a nice kick to a tuna melt. Whether you choose kimchi or sauerkraut, make sure to squeeze them a little to remove some of the moisture. If you're new to eating fermented foods, though, be careful about adding too much too soon. Healthline explains that some people may have side effects like bloating, gas, or headaches when they first start including these items in their diets.
10. Layer in fresh tomato slices
Fresh slices of tomato are often added to a grilled cheese, and they're just as good included in a tuna melt. For the freshest, tastiest tomato, skip the supermarket and instead hit up your local farmers market. Look for large beefsteak tomatoes or heirloom varieties that are loaded with flavor. You should slice them and lay them on a paper towel to absorb some excess moisture, then layer them between the tuna salad and the cheese to keep the tomato juice inside the sandwich and away from the bread.
Green tomatoes are a good choice, too. You can fry them and add fried green tomato slices to your tuna melt or skip the batter and add them directly to the sandwich. Sometimes flavorful, fresh tomatoes aren't available, so instead of bland, watery, out-of-season tomatoes on your tuna melt, try adding some salsa for a bright burst of tomato. A pico de gallo or restaurant-style blend salsa are both excellent choices to give your tuna melt a makeover.
11. Add in some tanginess
Is it really tuna salad if there aren't pickles? That depends on who you ask. Pickles are a divisive food. Some people love them, and others hate them. If you happen to be on team pickle, then you know just how good they can be chopped and added to tuna salad. Dill, sour, bread and butter, or cornichon pickles all add a delicious amount of tang, and can complete a tuna melt.
If you aren't on team pickle, you can still get that tanginess from other pickled foods like pickled red onions. They're best added as a layer to your tuna melt rather than into the tuna salad mixture, because a little goes a long way. Briny little capers are another good choice and can be mixed into the tuna salad mixture for a milder effect.
Meanwhile, Giardiniera relish is perfect for those who are on the fence about pickles. It's made with a mix of pickled vegetables and is a staple on Chicago-style hotdogs. Spread a little on the bread before you toast your tuna melt for a satisfying addition.
12. Make it spicy with peppers
Tuna melts are not known for being spicy, but if you love spicy food, then you know that every dish has a hot version. The easiest way to add some heat is to add some drops of your favorite hot sauce or sprinkle in crushed red pepper. Fresh slivers of jalapeños can add some heat and some crunch, while tinned chipotle chiles in adobo can be chopped and mixed into tuna salad, and you can also spread some spicy adobo sauce directly on the bread.
When you add some spice to your tuna melt, it doesn't just add mouth-burning heat but also offers some health benefits. According to Healthline, adding more spicy foods to your diet can help activate a sluggish metabolism, aiding slightly in weight loss. Regularly eating spicy foods can help with inflammation, and some spices contain antioxidants that help boost the immune system. So, if you like the heat, don't shy away from adding some to your tuna melt for a jazzed-up version. As well as hot peppers, this can include other spices too.
13. Play with different herbs and spices
The most common herb in the classic tuna salad used in a tuna melt is tarragon, but you can easily swap that out and look for other herbs and spices to add to your tuna salad mixture. Classic fresh green herbs like oregano and basil are good choices, while herbs like parsley and dill are often paired with fish. With tuna being an oily, meaty fish, robust herbs like sage and rosemary can add some richer, heavier notes.
Meanwhile, if you enjoy more complex and spicy flavors, cilantro and cumin can give your tuna melt some south-of-the-border flair. The warming Indian spice mix garam masala might seem like an unusual choice, but its combination of sharp tastes like cloves, nutmeg, and peppercorns adds layers of flavor to a tuna melt. Curry powder is another not-so-obvious choice that may surprise you with how good it is in a tuna melt.