Tuna Melt Recipe

Open and drain the canned tuna thoroughly. Transfer tuna to a medium bowl and flake with a fork until mostly broken up but still a little chunky.

Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, minced red onion, diced celery, lemon juice, and chopped parsley to the tuna. Stir to combine until evenly coated.

Season the mixture with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Set the tuna salad aside while you prepare the other components.

Cook the applewood smoked bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then halve each slice if desired.

Slice the ripe avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh. Slice the avocado thinly. Sprinkle the avocado with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and gently toss or layer to distribute seasoning.

Lay out the 4 slices of marble rye. Spread a thin layer of softened butter on the outside face of each slice (the side that will contact the griddle). This ensures golden, crispy bread when grilled.

On the unbuttered side of two bread slices (these will be the insides), place a slice of Swiss cheese, then spread half of the prepared tuna salad evenly over the cheese. Top the tuna with 3 slices of crisp bacon and half the sliced avocado. Finish with another slice of Swiss cheese on top of the fillings (this helps the melt).

Top each assembled sandwich with the remaining bread slice, buttered side facing out.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and press gently with a spatula or a heavy skillet for even contact. Cook 3–4 minutes per side, checking after 3 minutes: you want the bread to be golden brown and the cheese melted. If the bread is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid for 1–2 minutes to trap heat and help melting.

When both sides are golden and the cheese is melted, transfer sandwiches to a cutting board. Let rest 1 minute, then cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve warm.