These Open Face Tuna Melts are healthy, a little spicy, cheesy, have no mayonnaise, and are loaded with flavor! It's fast (under 20 minutes), easy, and makes a great quick weeknight dinner or lunch recipe. And if you are following the Weight Watchers program, they are also WW friendly.
Tuna Melts (no mayo) are not only an easy and comforting lunch or dinner, but they are also economical and healthy, and make for a quick lunch. If you're racing home from work and out the door to soccer, baseball, dance, hockey, or whatever, another 30 - 60 minutes later, they are a great way to get a quick meal. You can even make the mix the night ahead for a super quick dinner! These are a recreation of a tuna melt I had at my husband's aunt's house. It was truly the best tuna melt I had ever had
🍒Reader Review
"Was trying to find a recipe for an open-faced tuna melt my mother used to make. Used this one. What a scrumptious delight. Nothing like mom's, she did the mayo, slice of cheese thing. She would have loved this. (Minus the peppers) thank you so much!"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jump to:
- 🍒Reader Review
- 🥘Ingredients Notes
- 📖Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪How to Make Tuna Melts without Mayo
- ⏲️ Baking time
- Expert Recipe Tips
- Equipment
- 🥫 Is canned Tuna Healthy?
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- 🥗What to serve with Open-faced Tuna Melts
- 🌡️Storing Tuna Melts
- Recipe FAQ's
- 🍽️More Tuna Fish Recipes
- 📋 Open Face Tuna Melt Recipe (no mayo)
Unfortunately, I never got to ask her for the recipe because she passed away. But I've tried to recreate it from taste, and I think I did a great job!
If you love tuna melts, you need to try these Tuna Burgers! They made a tuna lover out of my tuna-hating son. Yes, they're that good!
🥘Ingredients Notes
- Canned Tuna – Drain it well, and chop up the big chunks if using chunk light tuna instead of flaked.
- Jalapenos – Give these tuna melts a welcome kick! But I use tamed jalapenos (you can buy them in jars). You control the spice - put as little or as much as you like, or skip them altogether! ***Note: I used Mezzetta Tamed Jalapenos, as they have a little less heat. You can get them at pretty much any grocery store.
- Onion – I use both red and green onions because they both add a unique taste and texture.
- "Special sauce" – pickle juice and Worcestershire sauce add tanginess and eliminate the need for lemon juice/
- Cream cheese – mayonnaise is not necessary. The cream cheese adds a nice tang.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Spicy- you can increase the spiciness by adding regular jalapenos, or skip them altogether if you don't like spicy.
- Onions- you could use white onions instead of green or red.
- Buns- I use Kaiser buns, but I'll use whatever type of bread slices I have on hand, including white bread, rye bread, whole wheat bread, hamburger buns, homemade bread, or English muffins.
- Cream Cheese - You can use fat-free or light to keep the fat content lower, or use regular if you prefer.
- Cheddar Cheese - I prefer to use low-fat sharp/old cheddar cheese, but you can use full-fat cheddar cheese
🔪How to Make Tuna Melts without Mayo
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/205 degrees C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Step 2: Mix all ingredients (except buns) together in a medium bowl.
- Step 3: Kaiser buns in half and top each half with tuna mixture, dividing equally among all 4 bun halves.
- Step 4: Divide ½ cup of garnish cheddar cheese into 4 and sprinkle on top of each half bun, dividing evenly between all 4. *I put a little more cheese on these ones
⏲️ Baking time
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn up to broil (500 degrees F/260 degrees C) for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbly.
*If you are using low-fat cheese, watch it carefully as it burns easily!
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use toasted bread for better texture. Lightly toasting the bread before adding the tuna mixture helps prevent it from becoming soggy and gives the sandwich a crisp base.
- Drain the tuna thoroughly. Removing as much moisture as possible from the canned tuna ensures the filling isn’t watery and helps the flavors bind more effectively.
- Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature. Softened cream cheese blends more smoothly with the tuna, preventing lumps and making it easier to spread evenly on the bread.
- Use a broiler-safe baking sheet or rack. Placing the sandwiches on a wire rack set over a baking sheet allows for even heat circulation and helps the bottoms stay crisp while the tops brown.
- Grate your own cheese for better melt and flavor. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that affect melt quality. Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly and tastes fresher.
- Customize with a flavor punch. Add a touch of Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a few dashes of hot sauce to brighten and balance the creamy richness of the filling.
- Don’t overload the bread. Spread a moderate amount of the tuna mixture to avoid overwhelming the bread or making it too heavy to crisp properly.
- Finish with a quick broil. After baking, broil the sandwiches for 1–2 minutes to achieve a bubbly, golden-brown cheese topping—just keep a close eye to avoid burning.
- Let them cool slightly before serving. Allowing the melts to sit for 1–2 minutes after baking makes them easier to handle and prevents burning your mouth on the hot cheese.
Equipment
You'll need a sharp knife, a cutting board, a cheese grater, and a large baking sheet to make this open-faced sandwich. *See recipe card for recommended equipment links
I like to use parchment paper for easy cleanup and to avoid sticking or burning on the bottom of the buns.
You could also make this in a toaster oven or an air fryer. Before I had an air fryer, and it was really hot, I made this with my regular toaster and microwave.
While I enjoy plain tuna sandwiches, I will take a hot sandwich over a cold one any day! Try my other hot sandwiches: Mediterranean Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe, No Cook Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (with rotisserie chicken), or my Turkey Reuben Panini Recipe.
🥫 Is canned Tuna Healthy?
Canned tuna is healthy, but you need to understand the differences between the types of canned tuna. If you are most concerned about mercury content and eat tuna more than a couple of times a month, then you will likely want to stick with SKIPJACK (CANNED LIGHT TUNA). If getting an OMEGA-3 powerhouse meal is your priority and you don't eat tuna that often, then ALBACORE (CANNED WHITE TUNA) may be a good option for you. You can read more about the benefits and downsides of canned tuna HERE.
And if you're looking for more canned tuna recipes and love tuna melts, then check out my Two Cheese Tuna Mexi Melts (pictured below) for another unique take on Tuna Melts.
But there's just something about tuna melts in the oven, with warmed cream cheese, onion, and melty cheese, that makes you feel so cozy. Tuna melts really are the ultimate comfort food!
👪 Serving Size
This tuna melt sandwich recipe makes 4 servings, but you can double or triple the recipe by simply clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This healthy tuna melt recipe is also WW friendly @ 4 WW points.*Note: You can use fat-free cream cheese and/or a lower-point bread or bun to further bring down the WW points
🥗What to serve with Open-faced Tuna Melts
This classic tuna melt sandwich goes well with tomato slices, salads, such as my Strawberry Pecan Spinach Salad, and vegetarian soups like my Healthy Minestrone Soup. I also love to serve it with vegetables in the form of Air Fryer Carrot Fries (shown), or a Quick Cucumber Kimchi.
🌡️Storing Tuna Melts
You can store these open face tuna melts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. *I don't recommend more than 2 days, as tuna tends to get a bit too 'fishy' tasting after a couple of days. The ingredients do not stand up well to freezing.
Reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Recipe FAQ's
You can use cream cheese, sour cream, avocado, or Greek yogurt.
You can assemble the melts ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 375 °F/190°C oven for 8–10 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melted. Just note that the bread may soften slightly.
Yes! You can mix the tuna filling up to 24 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Just give it a quick stir before spreading on your bread. This makes dinner prep even faster
Use sturdy, thicker-sliced bread (like Kaiser or sourdough). Lightly toasting it beforehand gives extra structure. Also, avoid overloading the tuna—use a moderate layer so the bread remains crisp.
So if you're looking for a delicious lunch, you'll love this open faced tuna melt recipe!
🍽️More Tuna Fish Recipes
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📋 Open Face Tuna Melt Recipe (no mayo)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fat free cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup low-fat (sharp) old cheddar grated
- 184 gram can of tuna, flaked
- ⅓ cup green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon pickle juice
- 1 large dill pickle, finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon tamed jalapenos finely chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ¾ teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 kaiser buns, split in half
garnish
- ½ cup low-fat sharp (old) cheddar cheese grated
- black pepper and salt, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix all ingredients (except buns) together in medium bowl.
- Slice Kaiser buns in half and top each half with tuna mixture, dividing equally among all 4 buns halves.
- Divide ½ cup of garnish cheddar cheese in 4 and sprinkle on top of each half bun, dividing evenly between all 4.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then turn up to broil (500) for 2 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve warm with raw veggies or soup.
Notes
Drain the tuna thoroughly.
Removing as much moisture as possible from the canned tuna ensures the filling isn’t watery and helps the flavors bind more effectively.
Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature.
Softened cream cheese blends more smoothly with the tuna, preventing lumps and making it easier to spread evenly on the bread.
Use a broiler-safe baking sheet or rack.
Placing the sandwiches on a wire rack set over a baking sheet allows for even heat circulation and helps the bottoms stay crisp while the tops brown.
Grate your own cheese for better melt and flavor.
Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that affect melt quality. Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly and tastes fresher.
Customize with a flavor punch.
Add a touch of Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a few dashes of hot sauce to brighten and balance the creamy richness of the filling.
Don’t overload the bread.
Spread a moderate amount of the tuna mixture to avoid overwhelming the bread or making it too heavy to crisp properly.
Finish with a quick broil.
After baking, broil the sandwiches for 1–2 minutes to achieve a bubbly, golden-brown cheese topping—just keep a close eye to avoid burning.
Let them cool slightly before serving.
Allowing the melts to sit for 1–2 minutes after baking makes them easier to handle and prevents burning your mouth on the hot cheese.
Ken R.
Was trying to find a recipe for an open faced tuna melt my mother used to make. Used this one. What a scrumptious delight. Nothing like mom's, she did the mayo, slice of cheese thing. She would have loved this. (Minus the peppers) thank you so much.
Terri Gilson
Hi Ken,
I'm so glad that you loved it! And I'm happy to hear that your Mom would have approved. Thanks so much for taking the time to share .
Terri
Sabrina
What a delicious twist on a classic. I love the tanginess of the cream cheese and dill pickles! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe and memory of Aunt Joan <3
Micki
I love that this is a no mayo recipe - so many of my family don't like mayo that it can be hard to find a tuna melt without it!
Terri Gilson
Great- hope you enjoy it, Micki!
Melanie @ Non Appét'Eat
This looks so delicious! Do you deliver I don't have my lunch today at work ?!
Terri Gilson
Haha... thanks - I actually made some for work today! Are you close to downtown Calgary?
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
Canned tuna is a staple in our house. Tuna sandwiches are always great in a pinch, and I love adding tuna to salads too. It's been such a long time since I had a tuna melt, and I've stopped eating mayo, so this recipe is perfect for me!
Terri Gilson
I know, tuna is such a great delicious and economical option. Hope you enjoy it!
Claudia Lamascolo
what a delicious brunch I think I may just have to try these this morning we love tuna!
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Claudia - hope you enjoy them!
Emily
Omg I love everything about these, perfect comfort food for me!
Terri Gilson
Hi Emily, thanks and yes, they really are sooo comforting!
Beth
I haven't thought of a tuna melt in years and this recipe brought back to some warm, tasty memories of my dad making these for us kiddos on his day to cook! I'm excited to try this without mayo ( I love mayo but some of my household - not so much) .
Terri Gilson
So glad that it brought back warm memories, Beth! You are lucky because on my Dad's day to cook it was always a concoction we referred to as "hamburger surprise"!
Jere Cassidy
Your Aunt Joan sound like my Aunt Barbara. Tuna melts are actually one of my favorite comfort foods. This is a must try recipe making this with cream cheese. What a good idea.
Terri Gilson
Yes, Jere, the cream cheese makes all the difference (as do the jalapenos, if you like that kick)!
Natalie
I love tuna melt! Looks so delicious and perfect for a comforting dinner!
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Natalie!