When I was a teenager, one of my earliest jobs was a hostess at a diner around the corner from my parent's house. It's a restaurant owned by two brothers and they have some seriously yummy food! One of my favorite things on their menu is their Tuna Melt. It's so delicious that it became my benchmark for all future Tuna Melts and as they say in Wicked, I have been changed for good (I know, I'm a terrible musical theatre geek!).
There are a few key things that I keep in mind when making a Tuna Melt or any sandwich that involves deliciously-melty cheese:
- Butter the outside of the bread in addition to the pan. You can also use mayonnaise on the bread, which also adds a beautiful golden brown crust. But make sure you use butter in the pan because it provides such delicious flavor.
- Don't use heat that is too high. You want your cheese to have a chance to melt but if the heat is too high your bread will burn and your sandwich will be ruined (unless you like the burned flavor, in which case carry on).
- Cover the pan. While we're on the topic of melty cheese, covering your pan also helps to get the cheese all gooey and amazing. When I worked at restaurants, I've actually seen the cooks squirt a bit of water under the cover to create more steam, but I've never actually tried that myself. So no guarantees if you try that.
This sandwich is totally versatile. You can really go in any direction you want with the toppings. I personally prefer mozzarella or a good quality cheddar for maximum melty-awesomeness. I also prefer some thinly sliced tomato on the sandwich and when I'm feeling really crazy I'll sometimes can throw some nice, crispy bacon on it as well (though I usually leave the bacon out because I'm terribly lazy). My preferred bread is sour dough but I often prepare this with regular white bread because it's what's usually available in my kitchen.
So go ahead and make this extra-tasty sandwich for lunch. Maybe serve it with some Tomato Soup to up the comfort factor. It's quick, it's easy and it tastes fantastic!
Tuna Cheese Melt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can Tuna fish well drained
- 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon sweet relish
- 1 rib celery diced
- 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tomato thinly sliced
- 6 pieces Bacon fried crisp
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a small container, mix drained tuna, mayonnaise, relish and celery until well combined.
- Melt half the butter in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Toast one side of the bread until golden brown and remove from the pan.
- Melt the remaining butter and place the bread slices back into the pan, un-toasted side down.
- Split tuna salad between both slices of bread and top with bacon, tomato and cheese. Reduce heat to medium.
- Cook for 3 minutes and then cover the pan. Cook another 3 minutes until the sandwich is heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Butter the outside of the bread and the pan itself. The butter in the pan adds incredible flavor, and buttering the bread itself gives you a gorgeous golden crust.
- Don't use too high of heat. You want the cheese to have time to melt! Too low, and the bread will burn before the cheese gets gooey. I turn it down once the sandwich is assembled in the pan.
- Cover the pan. This traps steam and helps the cheese melt evenly without burning the bread underneath.
- Pat the tomato slices dry before adding them. Excess moisture from the tomato can make the sandwich soggy.
- Make it your own. Thinly sliced avocado, crispy bacon, or a handful of arugula all make great additions. You can easily swap the cheese, change the bread, or raid the fridge for whatever sounds good.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Mix the tuna salad and fry the bacon.
- Leftovers and storage- This is best eaten right away, but leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
alison says
Jessy says