Tuna lovers! Meet your ultimate sandwich: Best-Ever Tuna Melt. With just the right amount of crunch, melty cheddar cheese, and a couple good slices of tomato, you might even convert a tuna hater. The key to this sandwich is that the tuna salad is not your bog-standard, bland tuna salad. We packed this sandwhich full of celery, pickles, red onion and pepper flakes to make a flavorful salad that eats just as good by itself as it does in this sandwich.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1/3 c. mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 (6-oz.) cans tuna
1 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 dill pickles, finely chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 slices bread, such as sourdough
2 tbsp. butter
1 tomato, sliced
8 slices cheddar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using).
Drain tuna then add to mayonnaise mixture. Use a fork to break up tuna into flakes. Add celery, pickles, red onion, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter one side of each bread slice. Top an unbuttered side with approximately 1/2 cup of tuna salad, 2 to 3 slices tomato, and 2 slices of cheese. Top with another slice of bread, buttered side facing up. Repeat with remaining ingredients and place on a large baking sheet. Bake until cheese is melty, 5 to 8 minutes.
[Maybe use panini press]
