5-Ingredient Open-Face Tuna Melt Ready in 15 Minutes
Cheesy, melty, ready in 15 min. This is the tuna melt you actually make tonight.
It's a weeknight, you're tired, and you need something that feels like real food without a pile of dishes. This open-face tuna melt is exactly that. Two cans of tuna, mayo, cheddar, and bread — broiled until golden and bubbling. No fancy technique, no long ingredient list, no reason to order takeout. The broiler does most of the work in under five minutes. Expect crispy edges, gooey cheese, and the kind of satisfying bite that makes you wonder why you don't make this every week. Honest heads-up: eat it right away — it doesn't reheat well.
Ingredients
- 2 unit canned tuna in water — 5 oz cans, drained well
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 unit slices of bread — sourdough, sandwich bread, or whatever you have
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese — shredded or sliced thin
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt and black pepper — adjust to taste
Method
- 1 Move your oven rack to the top position and set the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- 2 Drain the tuna thoroughly and add it to a medium bowl. Break up any large chunks with a fork.
- 3 Add the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to the tuna and stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 4 Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes until lightly toasted on top. Watch closely — broilers vary.
- 5 Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Divide the tuna mixture evenly among the toast slices and spread it to the edges.
- 6 Top each slice with an even layer of shredded or sliced cheddar, covering the tuna completely.
- 7 Return the baking sheet to the broiler and cook for 2–4 minutes until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- 8 Slide onto plates and serve immediately while the cheese is still molten.
Variations
- Vegetarian Swap — Replace the tuna with a drained and mashed can of white beans mixed with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of smoked paprika. The creamy, savory base melts just as well under the cheddar.
- Faster Version — Skip toasting the bread first — just top raw bread slices with the tuna mixture and cheese and broil the whole thing for 3–5 minutes. The bottom won't be as crisp, but it cuts a step.
- Add a Kick — Stir a teaspoon of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne into the tuna mayo mixture before spreading. It cuts through the richness and adds just enough heat.
Notes
Drain the tuna as thoroughly as possible — pressing it with a paper towel helps — or the mixture will be watery and the toast will get soggy. If your broiler runs hot, check at the 2-minute mark. Sourdough gives the best crunch but any sturdy bread works. Avoid thin sandwich bread if you can; it can get too soft under the tuna.
Equipment that helps
- Rimmed baking sheet — Keeps the bread flat under the broiler so the cheese melts evenly without sliding off.
- Broiler-safe oven rack — Positioning the rack at the top gets the cheese bubbling and browned in under 4 minutes without drying out the tuna.
Find more dinners like this
More like this
