Tuna Melt Recipe

Prepare tuna

Open and drain the canned albacore tuna well. Transfer tuna to a medium mixing bowl and use a fork to flake into small chunks.

Add mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, chopped capers, minced red onion, and diced celery (if using) to the bowl with tuna. Stir gently to combine until evenly coated.

Season with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more lemon for brightness or more mayo for creaminess. Set the tuna salad aside.

Butter one side of each rye slice evenly. The buttered sides will be the outside of the sandwich to crisp and brown when grilled.

Place two slices of rye butter-side down on a work surface. Divide the prepared tuna salad between them, spreading it evenly to cover the bread but leaving a 1/4" border to prevent overflow.

Top the tuna on each slice with 2 oz (about half) of sharp cheddar, either sliced or shredded, distributing evenly. Place the remaining two rye slices on top, butter-side up, to form sandwiches.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. If desired, add 1 tsp olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat; this helps with even browning. Place sandwiches in the hot pan.

Grill the sandwiches 3–4 minutes on the first side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and grill another 3–4 minutes until the second side is golden and cheese is fully melted. If the bread is browning too quickly before the cheese melts, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan for 1–2 minutes to trap heat and melt the cheese.

Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute, then cut each sandwich in half diagonally.

If using, place a leaf of lettuce and a couple of tomato slices on the bottom half of each sandwich before closing, or serve tomato and lettuce on the side. Serve immediately while hot and melty.