This Is How to Make a Tuna Melt, According to Stanley Tucci

Tuna is having a moment right now. It started with Matthew McConaughey’s tuna salad recipe, and now, Stanley Tucci has entered the chat—and we are here for it. He shared a tuna melt recipe on Instagram and suddenly, this ’60s sandwich is back in the spotlight.

What we love most about Stanley Tucci, aside from his sense of humor and exquisite style, is that his recipes tend to be simple. His tuna melt is no exception. He uses from-scratch tuna salad made with canned tuna, red onion, celery, mayo, salt and pepper. Then, he piles it high on a slice of bread topped with a few generous slices of Emmenthaler cheese before slathering both sides in butter and toasting it on a panini press.

It’s classic, unfussy, made with a short list of ingredients and involves plenty of melty cheese—everything we want from a tuna melt.

Ingredients

Lauren Habermehl for Taste Recipes

Tucci didn’t share exact amounts, so this is our best estimate. This recipe makes 2 tuna melts.

• 2 cans albacore tuna packed in water, drained
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 slices multi-grain or sourdough bread
• 4 slices of Emmenthaler cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Step 1: Make the tuna salad

Combine the canned tuna, celery, onion, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

Editor’s Tip: Either proceed to make the sandwiches right now or cover the tuna salad and let the flavors meld together for several hours in the fridge. Tuna salad is one of those recipes that taste better the next day.

Step 2: Assemble the sandwiches

Place half of the tuna salad on one slice of bread and gently pat it down into an even layer. Top with two slices of Emmenthaler cheese and a second slice of bread. Butter both sides generously. Repeat to make a second sandwich.

Step 3: Cook

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches. Cook for two to three minutes until deeply golden, then flip. Toast the second side for two to three minutes, or until golden and the cheese is melted. Transfer the sandwiches to plates and enjoy warm.

Editor’s Tip: In his video, Tucci cooks his tuna melts on a panini press. If you have one of these wonderful kitchen tools, feel free to use it instead. Otherwise, a skillet or griddle will work.

What is Stanley Tucci’s secret ingredient for a tuna melt?

Lauren Habermehl for Taste Recipes

What first stood out to us about this tuna melt was Stanley’s choice of cheese. Many tuna melts typically use a yellow cheese like cheddar or American, but we loved the twist of using Emmenthaler cheese. Emmenthaler (sometimes labeled Emmental) is a specific type of aged Swiss cheese from the Emmental region of Switzerland. It has a lovely pungent taste and aroma that pairs well with the tuna. If you don’t have access to Emmenthaler, a good-quality Swiss cheese will also work fine.

The other trick to this tuna melt is to source quality ingredients. Like Stanley Tucci’s favorite sandwich, this tuna melt does not contain many ingredients, so sourcing the best quality possible for each will make a huge difference. Choose one of our top tuna brands as a starting point—Tucci suggests selecting “the whitest tuna you can find” for this recipe. Then, grab one of our top-rated mayonnaise brands, a good quality artisan-style bread and finish with a flavorful, high-quality butter to toast your tuna melt.