Name: Air Fryer Tuna Melt
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 185/ 5oz can tuna (in springwater), drained; 1/4 cup carrots, diced; 1/4 cup celery, diced; 2 tablespoons red onion, diced; 1/4 cup greek yoghurt; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; salt + pepper, to taste; 2 wholemeal bread rolls cut in half or 2-4 slices sourdough; 3-4 slices cheddar cheese

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This air fryer tuna melt is made with carrots, celery and yoghurt for a lightened up version of the comfort food classic. Served open faced, it’s a fast and delicious meal you can air fry in just 10 minutes!

Tuna melts on plate with chili fakes on top.

You really can’t beat a classic open faced tuna melt. They are fast, easy and beyond comforting to eat. Bread filled with the most delicious tuna salad and topped with melted cheese, hot out of the air fryer. Hot DAMN! Best part about this recipe is that you don’t have to stand over the stove waiting for it to cook.

That’s why I’m all over air fryer sandwiches. I know the exact temperature, cooking time, and I get perfect results with every sandwich.

This is one of those meals you can make when you don’t have too much food in the house and want fast meal. Add your favourite hot sauce or even some mashed avocado and voila!

It’s incredibly easy to make with canned tuna and a few pantry staples. So if you want a fast meal, having this simple recipe up your sleeve will definitely come in handy.

One tuna melt cut in half to see inside.

Ingredients you’ll need:

This air fryer tuna melt recipe is relatively easy and customisable! Here’s what we’ve got:

Canned Tuna: I like a good quality tuna in springwater, but any variety works.
Celery + carrot: For that fresh crunch with every bite.
Red onion: provides the perfect savoury balance.
Greek yoghurt: my secret weapon instead of mayo! This is your creamy binder. You can use mayonnaise if you prefer.
Parsley: a few tablespoons of fresh herbs really make this tuna salad recipe the best. Basil works lovely too.
Dijon Mustard: for a little spice
Fresh lemon: a brighter flavour.
Salt + pepper: to taste
Cheddar cheese or cheese of choice
Bread of choice: I like using wholemeal bread rolls (like here) or sourdough.

How do you make Tuna Melt in the air fryer?

This is a simple recipe that just takes a couple specific steps to get right! The key is to make sure you put the bread in the air fryer the correct way. I’ll explain later!

Tuna salad: in a mixing bowl add the drained tuna, chopped carrot, celery, onion, yoghurt ,parsley, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir all of the ingredients together until well combined.

Bread: Add a scoop of tuna salad to each piece of bread and use a spoon to push it out to each edge of the bread.

Cheese: Once it looks good, take your cheese slices and press on top. Make sure you press the cheese down to ensure it doesn’t fly off in the air fryer. Put a toothpick in each corner of the bread, so it stays put.

Air fry: Now, your open faced tuna melt sandwich is ready for air fryer. Shut the air fryer basket and set it to air fry at 380F for 8 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure the cheese is still in tact.

It’s done when you see melty cheese and golden brown edges to your preference!

Tuna melts in air fryer basket before being air fried.

Tuna salad variations

Not a fan of yoghurt or want a bolder flavour? Here are some ways you can customize this recipe:

Replace greek yogurt with mayonnaise for a more classic version.
Add broccoli rice or cauliflower rice to increase the veggies.
Add dried fruits such as raisins, or freshly diced apples.
Make it extra crunchy by tossing in diced up cucumbers or shredded cabbage.
Spice it up with some curry powder, other spice mixes, or chopped herbs.
Add some fresh sliced tomato to your tuna melt!

Side shoot of tuna melts on plate with chili fakes on top.

Tips

The trick to getting stuff to stay put during the cooking process, especially the cheese is a toothpick. I either push the cheese down really well or put a toothpick in each corner of the bread, so it stays put. Sometimes the air inside the machine can cause the cheese to fly off!

Tuna melts on plate with cucumber slices non side.

FAQ’s

How do you meal prep these open faced Tuna Melt sandwiches?

Prepare the tuna salad recipe ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days max. If you already have some tuna salad ready, these tuna melt sandwiches only take 10 minutes!

How to store leftover open faced tuna melts?

Place air fried tuna melts on a plate, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat by placing in the air fryer for 3 minutes to warm through and re melt the cheese.

What should you serve with Air Fryer Tuna Melts?

I like to serve tuna melts with something light or even simply eat them on their own. A simple green salad, cup of soup or even chopped up cucumbers are really nice!

Other air fryer recipes to try

Gluten Free Air Fryer Pizza Rolls

Air Fryer Broccoli & Cauliflower Parmesan

Air Fryer Broccolini Salad

If you try this Air Fryer Tuna Melt recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.