Julie Clark
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Three Cheese Tuna Melt
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Looking for a quick lunch recipe? Try these 15 minute Three Cheese Tuna Melt Sandwiches. An easy tuna salad recipe with cheese on rye bread.
Lunchtime is always one of the craziest times in our house. One of the benefits of homeschooling is that the kids get to be creative in what they fix for lunch. The kitchen can tend to get a tad crazy. Freshly shredded cheese all over the counter. A frying pan (sometimes two) that needs scrubbed out from a quick stir-fry my son whipped up. I love the frenzy of the young chefs creating.
But there are days when I need a calmer lunch experience. Those are the days when I call out, “Hey kids…how about tuna melts for lunch?” I’m sneaky, you see, because I know they can’t resist the tuna melts. Especially the Three Cheese Tuna Melts.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Easy 5 minute prep.
- Packed with protein.
- Amazing flavor with a few key ingredients.
- Customizable to what your family loves.
What is on a tuna melt?
These Three Cheese Tuna Melt Sandwiches are filled with a tuna salad made with the special addition of shredded Parmesan cheese and unique spices. They’re topped with swiss cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. And the kids don’t even mind if I sneak in a slice of tomato and a few lettuce leaves.
What bread is best for tuna melt sandwiches? Rye. The thought of the savory rye, swiss, tuna and spice combination is unbeatable. It’s a taste-bud-dancing experience. The sandwich is good enough to eat cold, which would make it perfect for school or work lunches.
How to Make a Tuna Melt
Mix the tuna salad.
In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the tuna salad and mix well. Don’t skip the dash of curry. It adds a delicious flavor!
Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to make the sandwiches.
Build the sandwiches.
- Place 7 slices of rye bread on a baking sheet.
- Spoon the tuna salad evenly on the slices of bread.
- Top with a slice of swiss cheese, a tomato slice and a slice of cheddar cheese.
- Leave the sandwiches open-face, but place the remaining bread slices on the baking sheet to allow them to lightly toast.
Bake the sandwiches.
- Place the baking sheet in the hot oven and heat for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven.
- Add lettuce slices if desired and top with the toasted bread slices.
Serve the sandwiches immediately so that they are warm and the cheese is melted.
What to Serve with Tuna Melts
For a traditional tuna melt platter, we serve it with potato chips and a dill pickle spear. But if you’re looking to serve this for company, try one of these side dishes:
Three Cheese Tuna Melt
Looking for a quick lunch recipe? Try these 15 minute Three Cheese Tuna Melts. An easy tuna salad recipe with cheese on rye bread.
Servings 7 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the Tuna Salad:
- 12 ounces solid white albacore drained
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried onion
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon curry
- pinch of salt & pepper to taste
To Make the Sandwiches:
- 14 slices rye bread
- 7 slices swiss cheese
- 7 tomato slices
- 7 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- Lettuce pieces
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the tuna salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to make the sandwiches.
- Set the oven on low broil.
- Place 7 slices of rye bread on a baking sheet.
- Spoon the tuna salad evenly on the slices of bread.
- Top with a slice of swiss cheese, a tomato slice and a slice of cheddar cheese.
- Leave the sandwiches open-face, but place the remaining bread slices on the baking sheet to allow them to lightly toast.
- Place the baking sheet in the hot oven and heat for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven.
- Add lettuce slices if desired and top with the toasted bread slices.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
*To toast both sides of the bread, use a baking screen. This will allow air to circulate under the bread and toast it lightly. If you’d like toasted bread and don’t have a baking screen, simply toast the bread in a toaster before putting the sandwiches together. Then warm in the oven as described above.
*The exact number of sandwiches will depend on how big your bread slices are. If the bread is large, we recommend 7 slices and cutting them in half.
Nutrition
Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 880IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 566mg | Iron: 3mg
I can’t stand Tuna. Neither can my wife!
BUT somehow my daughter stinkin’ loves it. I don’t know how that happened. Anyway, I never know what to do with it for her besides slab some mayo on some bread. She is going to be stoked that Dad learned something new to try for her. Thank you!