This spicy tuna melt is loaded with creamy tuna salad, sharp cheddar cheese, and tangy jarred jalapeños, all toasted to golden perfection. An easy, flavorful lunch idea you can make in minutes!
Something about a solid tuna melt sandwich is nostalgic to me. We ate a lot of canned tuna fish growing up (hi, there were four kids and tuna is generally inexpensive and simple so that makes sense) and in my corporate days, it was an easy way to pack in protein for an easy lunch. Looking at you, Chickpea Tuna Salad and Tuna Tarragon Salad.
This hot tuna melt is my latest lunch obsession; an elevated tuna melt with pickled jalapeños from the jar, melty cheddar cheese scooped over a toasty piece of bread. It’s quick to make, super flavorful and elevated just a bit from your classic tuna and cheese melt.
ingredients in this spicy tuna melt
All things considered, this tuna melt sandwich is pretty standard with its ingredients, but elevated with fresh dill, crunchy pickles and jarred jalapeños. I added fresh jalapeno slices for garnish to get the point across that this is a spicy tuna salad sandwich, but that’s very optional on your end when making this melt.
The ingredient list below will make 4-open faced spicy tuna melts. If you’re batch prepping this for lunches, you can make the spicy tuna salad and store in the fridge and scoop over toast and top with cheese right before serving. If you’re watching your carbs or are gluten-free, you can omit the bread and just enjoy in a bowl as a tuna salad. Up to you!
- canned tuna: 2-cans. yellowfin or solid albacore suggested.
- jarred jalapeños: pickled and briny, these up your classic tuna melt recipe and make it just a tad spicy!
- pickles: diced. I like dill pickles. You can use sweet pickles or relish if you’d prefer.
- shallot: one small shallot for flavor and texture.
- celery: one stalk of celery for crunchy texture and fresh flavor.
- fresh dill: for aromatics. You can also use dried dill.
- spices: garlic powder, salt and pepper to season your tuna salad.
- mayonnaise: to make this a proper tuna salad! You can use Greek yogurt if you’d prefer.
- mustard: highly suggest stone ground mustard, but you can use Dijon as well.
- lemon juice: to thin out the mayo/mustard mixture and add a depth of flavor to the fresh pickles, dill and shallots with canned tuna.
- bread: sourdough or sprouted bread, or gluten-free. Omit bread if you’re low-carb.
- cheddar cheese: can’t have a tuna melt without the cheese! I like the Tillamook brand or Kraft Philadelphia creamy because they’re both on the thicker side and melt well. However, use any cheese you like.
Can I use fresh jalapeños instead of jarred?
Yes, fresh jalapeños can be used for a crisper bite and extra heat. However, jarred jalapeños add a tangy, pickled flavor that pairs well with the creamy tuna and melty cheddar. You can use up leftover jarred jalapeños for homemade Jalapeno Ranch Dip or to add to Walking Tacos.
What kind of bread works best for a tuna melt?
A sturdy bread like sourdough, rye or sprouted bread will hold up well to the melty cheese and tuna mixture without getting soggy.
storing leftovers
Store leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, I suggest waiting to assemble over toast and melting cheese right before serving.
more lunch-y salad ideas
spicy tuna melt made with pickled jalapeños
Ingredients
- 2 5-ounce cans tuna packed in water, drained - yellowfin or solid white albacore suggested.
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño slices, minced
- 1 tablespoon dill pickles, finely chopped - can sub with dill relish, if needed
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped - or 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (can sub with Greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon Stone Ground Mustard, or Dijon mustard
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup per tuna melt
- 4 slices bread, toasted - sourdough, rye, sprouted bread or gluten-free
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl, add drained tuna, minced jalapeños, chopped pickles (or relish), chopped shallot, chopped celery, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well and top with mayo, stone ground mustard and lemon juice and gently fold to combine.
- Toast your bread as you normally would (toaster, air fryer, etc), spoon spicy tuna salad over each slice and top with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Broil in the oven for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted into tuna salad to make your tuna melt. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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