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Open face tuna melts on a plate with forks.

Easy Open Face Tuna Melt

This easy open-face tuna melt features creamy tuna salad piled onto toasted sourdough, topped with melted cheese and fresh tomatoes. It’s a quick, comforting meal made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in just 25 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 481 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces tuna, drained
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
  • 2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 thick slices sourdough bread
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated
  • 1 cup sliced cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (can substitute finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes or confit tomatoes)
  • dried parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Flake the tuna into a mixing bowl and break it up with a fork.
  • Add the red onion, celery, dill pickles, dill pickle juice, salt, and black pepper, then stir until the vegetables are evenly mixed in.
  • Add the mayo and Dijon mustard, then stir just until the tuna salad is combined.
  • Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat.
  • Spread butter on one side of each bread slice, then place the slices of butter side up on a baking sheet.
  • Broil until the bread is lightly toasted. Flip the bread slices so the toasted side faces down.
  • Spread the tuna salad evenly over the bread, then sprinkle the cheddar and Monterey Jack over the top.
  • Broil until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling, then remove the baking sheet from the oven.
  • Spoon the tomatoes over the melted cheese and season lightly with salt and black pepper.
  • Optional: garnish with dried parsley

Notes

Drain the tuna until it looks dry, since extra liquid can make the tuna salad runny and the toast soggy.
Chop the onion, celery, and pickles into small pieces; larger pieces can make the tuna salad hard to spread.
Watch the bread closely under the broiler, since it can go from toasted to burned fast.
Grate the cheese yourself if you can, since pre-shredded cheese often melts less smoothly.
Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes add a bright finish and are added after broiling to prevent soggy toast.

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 24gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1219mgPotassium: 303mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 849IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 265mgIron: 4mg
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