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    Home » Recipes » Seafood

    Creamy Open-Faced Tuna Melt Sandwich

    UPDATED Mar 5, 2020 · PUBLISHED Mar 6, 2018 BY Marjory Pilley · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Creamy Open Faced Tuna Melt Pin

    Creamy Open-Faced Tuna Melts transform cheesy tuna dip made with cream cheese into an ultimate comfort dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes. Slather it on bread, top with fresh tomato slices and cheddar cheese and broil it in the oven. 

    Don't rule this out because you think there are too many carbs! We figured out bases for low-carb diets and every occasion!

    open faced tuna melt on a plate

    If you're a fan of cheesy dips, then this sandwich is for you.

    Confession time. I'm not in the hater camp, but I'm not a really big fan of tuna. My hubby and darling daughter are. They could go for weeks eating tuna fish sandwiches for lunch. I shy away from even opening and draining a can.

    The difference between their sandwiches and this creamy hot sandwich (which I truly DO enjoy) is the addition of cream cheese, fresh tomato slices, and cheddar cheese. It's an upgrade to a basic tuna melt that tastes extra special. And delicious.

    Serving it open-face is a way to cut out some carbs and calories. Plus, it's pretty! Or, you can forgo the bread altogether because it started out as a dip, much like Warm Artichoke Dip.

    This recipe is perfect for nights when you need dinner in a flash and you don't have a plan. Start to finish, you're looking at about 20-25 minutes, which is why it's in our Healthy 30 Minutes Meals collection.

    Jump to:
    • Steps
    • Low-carb bread options
    • Variations
    • 📋 Recipe

    Steps

    The first step is to make a warm tuna dip by softening celery and onion in a skillet and then blending together cream cheese and mayonnaise, followed by tuna fish.

    Don't stop there and sit down for a taste! Is it just me? I could sit down with some chips and vegetable dippers and call it a night!

    uncooked tuna melt sandwiches on baking sheet

    The next step is to spread the hot tuna melt dip over your favorite bread, top it with sliced tomato and more cheese and then broil! That's it!

    Low-carb bread options

    You can make this low-carb if you make a good choice for the bottom layer!  Find your "bread." It could be:

    • Thin-sliced whole grain bread
    • Little to no-carb bread available at many grocery stores or on Amazon these days!
    • Very low-carb flour tortillas 
    • Whole grain flatbread
    • Cloud bread.

    And if all else fails, pick a vegetable dipper or low-carb cracker and dig in! After all, it started out as a dip.

    Variations

    There are endless ways to serve open-face tuna melt sandwiches:

    • Serve on an English muffin or in a croissant, traditional and a bit fancy.
    • Leave off the parsley garnish (a.k.a the green stuff) if you have picky eaters in the house.
    • Definitely add the parsley garnish if serving a more sophisticated palate because it adds to the presentation. (Dried parsley is a staple at our house.)
    • Green onions are an alternative to white onion.
    • Top with cooked bacon and then broil.
    • If the bread is sliced thin, then toast it lightly first so it's firm enough to hold the tuna mixture.
    • Shave a little time off the total cooking time by using tuna that comes in pouches. It makes the prep even easier - just tear open the package. No draining involved.

    Two Open-Face Tuna Melt Sandwiches with spatula under one of them

    Please rate this recipe and let us know what you use as the bottom layer on your open-face tuna melt. If you make it, tag @DinnerMom or #DinnerMom on social media. We love to see and SHARE what you are cooking up.

    📋 Recipe

    open faced tuna melt on a plate

    Creamy Open-Faced Tuna Melt Sandwiches

    Creamy, cheesy tuna "dip" is slathered on whole grain bread and topped with fresh tomatoes and cheese. It's a quick and easy comfort dish!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 332kcal
    Author: Marjory Pilley

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • ½ cup celery diced
    • ½ cup onion diced
    • 4 ounces Cream cheese cut into cubes
    • ¼ cup Mayonnaise
    • Dash of garlic powder
    • 10 ounces Solid White Albacore Tuna packed in water drained
    • 6 slices Carb-free bread Or other bread of choice
    • 1 tomato sliced
    • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
    • Optional parsley garnish

    Instructions

    • Set oven to broil.
    • Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
    • Add celery and onion to pan and saute for about 3-5 minutes or until softened.
    • Add cream cheese, mayonnaise and garlic powder to pan. Stir to melt and combine ingredients.
    • Stir in tuna and remove from heat.
    • To assemble sandwiches, divide tuna mixture between slices of bread and spread in an even layer.
    • Place tomato slices on top of the tuna.
    • Sprinkle cheese over the top of the tomato.
    • Place sandwiches on a broiler pan and place in the oven for about 2 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt.
    • Garnish with parsley, if desired.

    Notes

    The nutritional estimate is based upon no-carb bread. But, there are many options including traditional ones:
    Other low carb and/or SBD Phase 1 bases:
    • Thin-sliced whole grain bread. 
    • Little to no-carb bread available at the grocery store or on Amazon these days!
    • Very low-carb flour tortillas 
    • Whole grain flatbread
    • Cloud bread.
    Traditional breads include English muffins, croissants and thick crusty baguettes and breads.
    Grab 5 Low-Carb Saucesand get more easy, healthy recipes! JOIN HERE

    Nutrition

    Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 661IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 1mg
    Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

     

     

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Erin {Delightful E Made}

      August 28, 2014 at 8:11 am

      These look fantastic! Can't wait to try for lunch or dinner. Love it!

      Reply
    2. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)

      August 28, 2014 at 9:56 am

      I'm a big, BIG fan of tuna sandwiches. A creamy open faced one sounds absolutely divine!

      Reply
    3. Ginny McMeans

      August 28, 2014 at 11:52 am

      Good job! Live your ingredients and photography!

      Reply
    4. Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes

      August 28, 2014 at 12:33 pm

      I love tuna melts and so cool that you did them open faced!

      Reply
    5. [email protected] Mom

      August 28, 2014 at 1:03 pm

      That looks delicious! I love BumbleBee tuna!

      Reply
      • Marjory

        September 02, 2014 at 8:53 pm

        Thanks Brenda! Love the pouches!

        Reply
    6. Lauren @ Healthy Delicious

      August 28, 2014 at 2:39 pm

      We're big fans of the tuna in pouches - it's so much better than the canned stuff! I also love to bring it to work with me to throw on top of salad.

      Reply
      • Marjory

        September 02, 2014 at 8:53 pm

        It makes things verrry easy!

        Reply
    7. Stephanie @ Back For Seconds

      August 28, 2014 at 4:08 pm

      I love a good tuna melt - it's been way too long since I've had one. I love your photos and the open face presentation!

      Reply
      • Marjory

        September 02, 2014 at 8:52 pm

        Thanks so much Stephanie!

        Reply
    8. christine

      August 28, 2014 at 5:19 pm

      This looks like a satisfying lunch

      Reply
    9. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

      August 28, 2014 at 7:09 pm

      I love a good tuna melt! Looks yummy!

      Reply
    10. Nancy [email protected]

      August 28, 2014 at 9:46 pm

      Love this! Easy and simple! Doesn't get much better than that!

      Reply
    11. Rebecca {foodiewithfamily}

      August 29, 2014 at 8:36 am

      Tuna melts are one of my all time best loved comfort foods. These look so good!!

      Reply
    12. Angie | Big Bears Wife

      August 29, 2014 at 9:39 am

      I'll be making these for my husband soon!

      Reply
    13. Kim Beaulieu

      August 29, 2014 at 2:23 pm

      These are absolutely incredible. My hubby would love these. Now you've got me wondering if I could do something like this with salmon.

      Reply
      • Marjory

        September 02, 2014 at 8:52 pm

        Absolutely! And with crab too!

        Reply
    14. Angela {Mind Over Batter}

      September 04, 2014 at 11:10 pm

      I am aaaaaalll over these! I love tuna melts! Your open face sandwich photos are fantastic!

      Reply
    15. Linda Chase

      October 16, 2017 at 5:49 am

      Does the calorie count include the whole wheat bread? Is a low calorie wheat bread?

      Reply
      • Marjory

        October 16, 2017 at 8:17 am

        Hi! The nutritional estimate includes whole wheat bread.

        Reply
    16. Samma

      February 11, 2018 at 7:41 am

      5 stars
      I'm not a huge fan of tuna, but had a can in the pantry and made this. It's really good, like a dip, but on bread. The family loved it.

      Reply
    17. Sunny

      March 09, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      Do you toast the bread first to avoid soggy bread?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        March 10, 2020 at 6:54 am

        It is helpful to toast the bread first, especially if it is very soft!

        Reply

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