Tuna melts in the air fryer are so easy to make! This air fryer tuna melt is made with a delicious homemade tuna salad and then topped with tomatoes and extra cheese.
I mean, who doesn't love a tuna melt? I do. I love tuna salad and I love melted cheese.
And when I can make them easily in my air fryer? Such a quick and easy lunch.
The tuna salad is perfectly seasoned. The tomatoes ripe and juicy. And the cheese gets all melty in the air fryer.
A quick and easy lunch that can be ready in less than 15 minutes! 10 if you're really fast!
Ingredients
- Bread
- Canned tuna
- Mayo
- Green onions
- Celery Salt
- Salt
- Pepper
- Tomato (roma, campari, or another tomato that is good for slicing)
- Cheese (I used sharp cheddar, but you can use monterrey jack or cheddar jack)
What is a tuna melt?
A tuna melt is simply a tuna sandwich that has cheese on it, hence the "melt" language.
Sometimes they are regular tuna salad sandwiches that just have the addition of cheese, and some people do them as open faced sandwiches without the top layer of bread.
In my version, I did a mix, where I used two slices of bread, but then also topped with tomato and extra cheese!
How to customize
Even though I did two slices of bread, you can instead leave off the top slice of bread and top with cheese and tomato slices.
Want it spicier? Either spice up your tuna salad with some harissa, calabrian chili paste, or red pepper flakes!
Customize by adding avocado or cooked bacon to really load up your tuna melt with delicious flavors and textures!
I used a sharp white cheddar cheese for my tuna melt, but many other cheeses would be delicious! Pepper jack or Monterrey jack are great options, as is mozzarella.
What to serve with the tuna melt
I love serving tuna melts with a delicious side dish! If serving with a salad, I love a simple arugula salad or this Tuscan kale salad.
If serving with an air fryer vegetable, my favorites are air fryer lemon zucchini, air fryer lemon asparagus, air fryer lemon potatoes, or air fryer fennel.
Recipe notes
- All air fryers cook differently. Please adjust cooking times as needed.
- To make this recipe even easier, you can use a store-bought tuna salad. I love making my own though! It's so easy.
How to make a tuna melt in the air fryer
First, make your tuna salad to put in the tuna melt. This can be your favorite tuna salad, but if you're following along with this recipe, I added canned tuna, mayo, celery salt, green onions, salt, and pepper to a bowl.
Mash together until combined.
Take two slices of bread and on one side of each, spread with mayo (or butter). On the opposite side of one of the slices, add your tuna salad.
Top with shredded cheese.
Place the other slice of bread on the sandwich (mayo side up), and then add tomato slices and more cheese. Place in your air fryer basket.
Air fry at 380 degrees F for 5-7 minutes.
Remove from the air fryer, slice, and enjoy!
Recipes to love
Air Fryer Tuna Melt
Equipment
Ingredients
For the tuna salad
- 5 oz canned tuna
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons green onions sliced
- ⅛ teaspoon celery salt
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
For the sandwich
- 2 slices bread
- 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise (or butter)
- 1 tomato roma, campari, or other small slicing tomato
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Drain the can of tuna. Add it to a bowl with the mayo, green onions, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine to create the tuna salad.
- Butter each slice of bread with either mayo or butter (this will be the outside of the sandwich). Then to the sandwich add the tuna salad, and most of the cheese. Place the other slice of bread on top (butter/mayo side up), and then add a few slices of tomato. Top with additional cheese.
- Place sandwich in the air fryer. Air fry at 380 degrees F for 5-7 minutes.
- Slice in half and enjoy!
Notes
- All air fryers cook differently. Please adjust cooking times as needed.
- To make this recipe even easier, you can use a store-bought tuna salad. I love making my own though! It's so easy.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
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