Tuna sandwich with celery (tuna melt) Recipe
Tuna melt is one of the most famous American diner sandwiches: a creamy tuna salad baked under a layer of melted cheese. This version with crunchy celery and dill pickle gives a pleasant contrast of textures. It’s something between a toastie and a warm open-faced sandwich, perfect for a quick lunch.
Tuna melt is a classic of American diners, served straight off the griddle, still sizzling from the melted cheese. The creamy tuna mixture contrasts with crunchy celery and dill pickle, all enclosed in buttery, golden toast. It tastes like a mini casserole, but comes together in the time it takes to make a simple toastie.
Chef's tips
The most important thing is to drain the tuna very thoroughly – if there’s too much liquid left, the mixture will become runny and leak out of the sandwich while frying. Heat the pan well, but don’t overdo the heat: the bread should brown slowly so the cheese has time to melt. After taking the sandwiches off the pan, wait a minute before cutting; otherwise the hot cheese will ooze out and the sandwich will fall apart.
How to serve
A tuna melt is perfect as a quick, satisfying lunch at your desk or a warm dinner after getting home late from work. Serve it with a simple salad of romaine lettuce and tomato or with a small bowl of potato chips, just like in American bars. To drink, serve iced tea with lemon or classic cola with ice.
Ingredients
- tuna - 160 g
- toast bread - 4 slices
- yellow cheese - 4 piece
- mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
- plain yogurt - 1 tablespoon
- celery stalk - 1 stalk
- dill pickle - 1 piece
- red onion - 0.25 piece
- mustard - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- butter - 10 g
Preparation
- Drain the tuna very thoroughly, pressing it with a spoon in a sieve so the mixture doesn’t turn watery.
- Finely chop the celery into small cubes. Also chop the dill pickle and red onion very finely.
- In a bowl, mix the tuna with mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, celery, pickle, and onion. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Lightly spread one side of each bread slice with a thin layer of butter.
- On the unbuttered side of two slices, spread the tuna mixture, smoothing it with a spoon. Place 2 slices of cheese on top of each.
- Cover with the other bread slices, buttered side facing out, to form two sandwiches.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, gently pressing with a spatula, until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese inside is fully melted.
- Transfer the sandwiches to a board, wait a minute, then cut diagonally into triangles and serve immediately.
Storage
Najlepiej przygotować i zjeść kanapki od razu po usmażeniu, bo chleb mięknie. Pastę z tuńczyka możesz jednak przechowywać osobno w lodówce do 1 dnia i zrobić świeże kanapki tuż przed jedzeniem.
