Healthy Tuna Melt recipe with canned tuna, a bit of cream cheese and no mayo, served on a slice of whole grain bread. Easy 10 minute lunch or dinner!
We love tuna recipes like this healthy tuna salad recipe, chickpea tuna salad and tuna zucchini fritters.
Table of Contents
In the past years, I realized every healthy dinner can’t be a restaurant meal. But it still can be made with real food, take this healthy tuna melt recipe. It came out so good, my boys were all over it!
Just toast some whole grain bread, gluten-free bread, or protein bagel, top with canned tuna, cheese and broil until melted. Dinner is served and everyone is happy!
To save on numerous grocery trips, stock your freezer with shredded cheese and variety of breads. Keep a few cans of fish in the pantry. That’s it.
Ingredients You Will Need
To make healthy tuna melt you will need just a few simple ingredients.
- Canned tuna: I used light tuna, which is skipjack tuna packed in water. You can use any tuna like albacore tuna etc.
- Bread: A few slices of your favorite whole grain bread or gluten-free bread. Whole grain English muffin like Ezekiel brand or protein bagel will be great too!
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese or marble cheese. You want flavorful cheese blend.
- Cream cheese: I also prefer to add cream cheese instead of mayonnaise, so the taste of fish is not overpowered. Not to mention it is twice less calories.
- Tomato: A classic tuna melt addition.
- Spices: Garlic powder, salt and pepper for a bit of flavor.
How to Make Healthy Tuna Melt
Here’s a quick overview how to make healthy tuna melt. Full recipe card is located below.
- Toast the bread: Pretty straightforward step. Just place a slice of bread in a toaster until it’s golden.
- Make tuna mixture: I na small bowl, combine drained canned tuna, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
- Assemble the melt: Place a slice or two of tomato on a toast, top with tuna mixture in a shape of a small mountain and sprinkle with cheese.
- Broil it: Broil tuna melts on a baking sheet on top shelf of the oven or toaster oven until cheese has melted.
Tips for Best Results and Variations
- Use your favorite bread: I love a slice of sprouted whole grain with not too much sugar or sourdough bread. Use gluten-free bread, whole-wheat bread, rye bread, bagels or English muffins. Just use the one you like for best flavor.
- Add celery or pickles: Chop up some celery or pickles and add to the tuna mixture to make it taste more like tuna salad.
- Use different cheese: Swiss cheese, havarti cheese or gouda cheese would go well with tuna.
- Add sliced cheese: Instead of grated cheese, buy sliced cheddar cheese. Just be sure it is not processed cheese.
What to Serve with Tuna Melt?
We like to serve healthy tuna melt sandwich with sliced fresh vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes or with cucumber bell pepper salad. It makes it a complete meal.
You can also serve it with my super easy healthy tomato soup or sun dried tomato soup.
FAQs
The best canned tuna to make tuna melt with is any tuna packed in water. Light tuna, albacore tuna or skipjack tuna. Tuna packed in oil will add extra calories and costs more. Albacore tuna is more pricey than light tuna and contains more mercury but might have less fishy taste.
Yes, canned salmon or canned crab would be great in this recipe!
Tuna melts is a dish you prepare right before serving. Good thing it takes only 10 minutes. If you have any leftovers, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat in a microwave or under the broiler.
Yes, you can prepare tuna mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
More Healthy Tuna Recipes to Try
Add this to your repertoire of healthy lunch ideas or easy dinners!
Healthy Tuna Melt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces can tuna, packed in water and drained
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 2 slices whole grain bread, English muffins or bagels
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add tuna, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
- Toast your bread slices and place them on a baking sheet. Top with tomato slices and divide the tuna mixture on top between the 2 toasts. Helps to shape it into small mounds. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Broil tuna melts on High for 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Serve immediately with soup, salad or vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum! Had these for supper tonight. Quick, easy, and delicious! Thank you!
You are very welcome Tammy!
So glad I stumbled on your website! Practical, easy and healthy, too- what more could you ask for?! Plus I love your sense of humor. This will be my go-to website for dinner!
Awe, so happy to hear, Joan! So happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes! Please don’t be shy to leave me a comment with a star review once you make any recipe. Have a great week!
I was skeptical of the cream cheese at first but it’s DELICIOUS. I added a little lemon juice.
Glad you liked it Jade!
Love tuna, but hate to cook. Super easy and really good!! I’ve lost 40 lbs, and have completely changed the way I eat. Recipes like this are perfect for a single guy who doesn’t have a lot of time to cook. Thank you, Lance
Glad you are finding my recipes to be healthy and easy (a winning combination)! Best of luck on your quest for health!
Easy peasy. I had grated cheese from the bag in the refrigerator, so I threw a handful on each and broiled on high for 2 minutes. Fabulous!
Wow, what a great alternative to my “typical” tuna salad recipe. This was delicious and we didn’t miss the mayo.
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lindsay.
Made this for my kids for lunch. They loved it!
Yum these look good. I have never thought about added cream cheese rather than mayonnaise into my tuna melts, – this is a great tip that I will remember for later.