The Tuna Melt is one of those timeless comfort foods, likely born by accident, as often happens with the best recipes. Its origins date back to the 1950s in the United States, when a cook at a diner in South Carolina supposedly added melted cheese to a classic tuna sandwich by mistake. The result? An absolute hit that has delighted generations ever since.
My version of the Tuna Melt is reimagined to make this indulgent sandwich lighter, as I’ve completely removed butter and made it more diabetes-friendly by using homemade wholegrain gluten-free sandwich bread — a recipe I’ll be sharing with you soon. I also simplified the sandwich by using only two slices of bread instead of three, avoiding the double filling. After all, it’s hard to stop at just one sandwich, so I opted for smaller portions!
The combination of savoury tuna and gooey melted cheese is simply irresistible — perfect for a casual dinner, just like the one we treated ourselves to!
If you’re a sandwich lover, don’t miss my Stuffed picnic baguettes.
Tuna Melt
17.71g carbohydrates per 100g
Ingredients for 4 sandwiches
- 250g non-smoked scamorza cheese or other melting cheese
- 8 slices of sandwich bread** (about 240 g)
- 200g drained tuna in oil
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise*
- 2 teaspoons of mustard*
- 1 celery stalk
- 20g honey
- 10g lemon juice
**Ingredients specific for celiacs
*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)
Preparation
- Mix the tuna with the mayonnaise until you get a smooth cream. Finely chop the celery and add it to the tuna. Stir in the mustard, honey, and lemon juice, mixing well. Taste the mixture and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
- Place slices of scamorza cheese between two slices of sandwich bread. Toast the sandwiches in the oven or on a flat toaster until the bread turns golden and crispy, and the cheese is melted.
- Complete the sandwich by spreading the tuna mixture on top of the melted cheese, then close the sandwich.
- Serve the sandwich whole or cut it in half.
