Simplicity At Its Finest
Whenever I come up with new recipe ideas, I love taking staple recipes and adding on a twist. Whether it’s incorporating new ingredients or combining it with new flavors, I enjoy sprucing them up. However, there are some recipes that are classics for a reason and should not be messed with. One of those foods, in my opinion, is a tuna melt. I’ve tried making a tuna melt many times but something about them has never hit the spot.
One day, I tried a tuna melt at Leora’s which is a popular cafe in West Hollywood. I was blown away by how good it was, and the shocker was that there honestly wasn’t anything special about it. It was simple, basic, and the best tuna melt I’ve ever had. That got me thinking — instead of adding ingredients maybe I should take away some. And that’s how I created my Classic Tuna Melt. It’s a no-frills recipe that’s mainly comprised of sourdough, cheddar cheese, and tuna. Don’t mistake its simplicity for lack of flavor because this recipe is perfection!
Mixed With Mayo
We’ll start by making the tuna salad. Add the drained tuna, celery, red onion, chives, ⅓ cup Mayo, old bay seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper into a bowl. I like to make sure the tuna is drained well so that there isn’t any excess moisture in the mixture. Gently mix everything together until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of mayo onto the outsides of the sourdough slices. Flip the sourdough slices over and spread the tuna mixture onto 2 of the slices. Add 2 slices of the cheddar cheese onto the tuna. Sandwich the remaining slice on top with the mayo coated side facing up. The mayo will help brown the sourdough to golden brown perfection!
The Perfect Tuna Melt
Heat a large pan over medium low heat. I like using a lower heat to ensure that the cheese melts properly. Often times the bread will be toasted before the cheese even begins to melt, so the lower heat allows time for both. Add the sandwiches into the pan and cook for about 3 minutes until the bottom is toasted to a golden brown color. Flip the sandwiches over onto the other side and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for another 3 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted. The steam should ensure that the cheese is gooey and melted. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and slice them in half.
My Classic Tuna Melt took a while to nail, but all the trials and tribulations were worth it. This is such a simple recipe but hits all the marks of what you want in a tuna melt. The bread is perfectly toasted, the tuna salad is creamy, and the cheese adheres to the tuna creating a melty filling. This is also a great recipe because you probably have most of the ingredients at home, so lit’s a lunch you can easily whip up. Try this recipe out and let me know if it hit the mark for you for your ideal tuna melt!
Classic Tuna Melt
Ingredients
- 10 oz Canned Tuna in Olive Oil (drained)
- 1 Celery Stalk (finely chopped)
- 3 tbsp Red Onion (finely chopped)
- 3 tbsp Chives (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp Mayo
- ¼ tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 4 Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices
- 4 Large/Long Slices of Sourdough (see notes)
- 2 tbsp Mayo
Instructions
- Add the drained tuna, celery, red onion, chives, ⅓ cup Mayo, old bay seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper into a bowl. Gently mix everything together until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Spread the remaining 2 tbsp of mayo onto the outsides of the sourdough slices. Flip the sourdough slices over and spread the tuna mixture onto 2 of the slices. Add 2 slices of the cheddar cheese onto the tuna. Sandwich the remaining slice on top with the mayo coated side facing up.
- Heat a large pan over medium low heat. Add the sandwiches into the pan and cook for about 3 minutes until the bottom is toasted to a golden brown color. Flip the sandwiches over onto the other side and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for another 3 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and slice them in half. Enjoy!
