Open Face Tuna Melt
Shake up your lunch routine with this super fresh and healthy open face tuna melt packed with fresh avocados, celery, onions and tons of bright seasonings.
How to make your tuna melt healthy-
- Start by preparing your tuna properly- use solid white tuna (no net tuna of course), drain well and flake the tuna with a fork. this will enable more toppings and additions to distribute well throughout the sandwich.
- Use a low-glycemic bread like Dave’s Killer Bread, sprouted grain bread, rye, whole wheat (not multi-grain) or pumpernickel. Check for low or no added sugar or high fructose corn sugar. If the slices are large- consider cutting in half.
- Add in tons of veggies and fermented foods.
I love adding in a chopped dill pickle- not sweet gherkins or pickles cubes which are loaded with sugar. I also add in chopped purple onion, sprouts and chopped celery. Consider adding in fermented carrots, like the ones by Farmented Foods, pickled beets or even chopped cabbage.
More healthy tips:
4. Hold the mayo! I add sliced avocado to this open face tuna melt recipe so you still get that creamy textured but healthy fats and not saturated fats found in mayonnaise.
5. Shake, shake shake for flavor. In lots of my recipes I use “Everything but the bagel” season blend. It is loaded with so much flavor. Consider adding sea salt and lots of cracked black pepper.
6. Herbs! Chopped dill and flat leaf parsley make this sandwich even more yummy. Chopping a few herbs and tossing into the bowl with the tuna mixture elevates the salad, adds more vitamins, healthy greens and bright fresh flavors.
7. Choose the cheese carefully- a slice of lacey Swiss is a great way to add in the gooey melty yumminess that makes this sandwich taste so decadent, but does not add too many calories. Crumbled feta or goat cheese or even part-skim mozzarella is a great way to go as well. Avoid cheddar or American cheese. Ask the deli counter to slice the cheese thinly to save even more calories.
Other seafood-centric lunch ideas:
- Dairy-free No Mayo Tuna Salad
- Summer Salmon Salad
- Protein Packed Green Apple, Lentil and Salmon Salad
- Roasted Shrimp Salad
- Salmon Niçoise Salad
Variations to this recipe:
- add in 1/8 cup of dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness.
- sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds over the tuna for a bit of healthy crunch
- serve the tuna in iceberg lettuce cups for a diabetic-friendly and low carb option
- chopped hard boiled eggs provide even more protein
- substitute canned salmon instead of tuna
- top with a slice of tomato
My favorite canned tuna brands:
Ingredients
- 2 cans solid white tuna packed in water
- 1 stalk celery- chopped fine with leaves
- 1 large crunchy dill pickle chopped fine
- ⅛ cup chopped purple onion
- 1 tsp Everything but the Bagel seasoning plus more for topping.
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 TBSP mayo
- 4 unit thin slices lacey Swiss cheese
- 1 medium avocado sliced
- 4 slices sprouted grain bread
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place 4 slices on bread on a rimmed baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, flake the tuna with a fork- stir in the celery, pickle, onion, mayo and seasonings. Mix well. Place the tuna mixture on each slice of bread. Top with the avocado and a dash or two of the Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Top with a slice of cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted and the tuna has warmed through- about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve open faced. Enjoy!
