How to Make a Tuna Sandwich

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4 Recipe Ratings | Success Stories

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: August 28, 2024 Approved

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During World War I, canned tuna became a popular source of protein for Allied soldiers and has increased in popularity among Western countries ever since, particularly in the form of the tuna fish sandwich.^{[1]
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Research source} The tender and mild flavor of tuna makes it ideal for use in salads and sandwiches, and, as tuna fish sandwiches have risen in popularity, a number of new and innovative variations on the classic tuna fish sandwich, including the tuna melt, the open-faced tuna sandwich, and even the tuna boat sandwich.^{[2]
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Research source} See the recipes that follow to find the variation you like best.

Total time (Classic Tuna Sandwich): 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

Classic Tuna Fish Sandwich

Serves 4

2 6-oz cans of tuna
1/2 cup celery
1/4 cup onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or light
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 slices sandwich bread

Deli-Style Tuna Fish Sandwich

Serves 2

1 5-oz can of tuna
3 tablespoons celery, diced
3 tablespoons yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, regular or light
1 tablespoon sweet relish
Salt and pepper as desired
Sandwich bread (or roll or croissant for variation)
Lettuce, sprouts, cucumber slices, mild sweet peppers, pickles, avocado slices, and/or tomato slices for toppings as desired
Mustard (optional)
4 slices sandwich bread

Tuna Egg-Salad Sandwich

Serves 2
1 6-oz can tuna
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tablespoon mayonnaise, regular or light
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices sandwich bread

Open-Face Tuna Fish Sandwich

Serves 4
2 5-oz cans of tuna
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, regular or light
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of hot sauce
Pepper to taste
4 slices sandwich bread
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices sandwich bread

Tuna Melt

Serves 4
2 6-oz cans of tuna
1/4 cup mayonnaise, regular or light
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons red or yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/2 tablespoon basil, chopped (optional)
1/2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped (optional)
3/4 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
Pinch of salt and pepper
4 slices seedless rye bread or pita bread
8 slices tomato
8 slices Swiss cheese or 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
8 slices sandwich bread

Tuna Boat

Serves 4
2 5-oz cans tuna
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup lettuce, shredded
4 strips cooked bacon (optional)
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
4 French or submarine rolls

Mayo-less Tuna Fish Sandwich

Serves 4
2 5-oz cans tuna
1/2 of a ripe avocado
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt or 1 teaspoon mustard combined with 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) sour cream
2 tablespoons onion, minced
1 tablespoon dill relish
1 celery stalk, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
Dash cayenne pepper (optional)
8 slices sandwich bread

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

Classic Tuna Fish Sandwich

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1
Drain and rinse the tuna. How many times you drain and rinse is up to you, but draining and rinsing it at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, but don’t remove the lid yet.
- Holding the lid in place, flip the can over and hold it over the sink to drain the liquid.
- Pull off the top of the can, and be careful not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
2
Combine the ingredients. Place the rinsed tuna in a medium-sized bowl. Add the celery, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
- Mix the ingredients to combine.
- Be sure to thoroughly combine the ingredients so all of the elements are distributed evenly.
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3
Assemble the sandwiches. Distribute the tuna mix evenly across 4 slices of bread and top each with another slice of bread to make 4 sandwiches.
- You have the option of toasting the bread before spreading the tuna mix over it for a warmer, crunchier version.
- You can also substitute a roll or a croissant in place of the sandwich bread for taste and texture variation.
- Or you can avoid bread altogether and use the tuna mix over a salad for a lower-carb alternative.

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

Deli-Style Tuna Fish Sandwich

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1
Drain and rinse the tuna. How many times you drain and rinse is up to your discretion, but draining and rinsing at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, initially leaving the top in place.
- Hold on to the top and flip the can over and hold it over the sink to drain the liquid.
- Pull off the top of the can, being careful not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
2
Combine the ingredients. Place the tuna in a medium-sized bowl. Add the celery, onion, mayonnaise, and sweet relish.
- Stir to combine.
- Instead of yellow onion, you can substitute in the same amount of green onion.
- In place of relish, you can substitute in 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles.
- Be sure to thoroughly combine the ingredients so all of the elements are distributed evenly.
3
Assemble the toppings. Spread about half the tuna mix onto two slices of bread, then top each with your accoutrements of choice and mustard, if desired.
- You can easily convert this into a tuna BLT at this point by adding 2-3 strips of cooked bacon.
4
Assemble the sandwiches. After adding the fixings of your choice, top each sandwich with another slice of bread.
- At this point you also have the option of toasting the bread before spreading the tuna mix over it for a warmer, crunchier alternative.
- You can also substitute a roll or a croissant in place of the sandwich bread for varying taste and texture.
- You can also avoid bread altogether and use the tuna mix over a salad for a lower-carb choice.

Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

Tuna Egg-Salad Sandwich

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1
Drain and rinse the tuna. The number of times you drain and rinse it is up to you, but draining and rinsing it at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, but don’t remove the lid.
- Holding the lid in place, flip the can over and hold it over the sink until all the liquid has drained.
- Remove the top of the can, and be careful not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
2
Combine the ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, eggs, celery, and mayonnaise.
- Stir to combine.
- Be sure to mix thoroughly so that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
3
Assemble the sandwiches. Divide the mixture evenly between two slices of bread, then top each with the remaining slices of bread to make two sandwiches.
- For a crunchy, warm variation, toast the slices of bread before assembling the sandwiches.
- You can also substitute a roll or a croissant in place of the sandwich bread for taste and texture variation.
- Or you can avoid bread altogether and use the tuna mix over a salad for a lower-carb choice.

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

Open-Face Tuna Fish Sandwich

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1
Pre-heat the broiler. It’s important to let the broiler warm up for several minutes before you toast the bread, otherwise it may cook unevenly.
- You can find the “broil” setting on the far end of the oven-temperature dial on most ovens.
2
Drain and rinse the tuna. The number of times you drain and rinse it is up to you, but draining and rinsing it at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, but don’t remove the lid.
- Holding the lid in place, flip the can over and hold it over the sink until all the liquid has drained.
- Remove the top of the can, and be careful not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
3
Combine the ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, shallot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt, hot sauce, and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Stir thoroughly so that all ingredients are evenly distributed.
4
Assemble the sandwiches. Spread 1/4 of the tuna mix onto each of 4 bread slices. Top with cheese and tomato.
- You can substitute in any variety of sandwich bread, or you may use a roll or croissant in the place of sandwich bread.
5
Broil the sandwiches. Place the slices of bread and tuna mix onto a baking sheet and broil in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. or until cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven, turn off the broiler, and serve.

Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

Tuna Melt

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1
Pre-heat the broiler. You need to let the broiler warm up for several minutes before you toast the bread, otherwise it may not cook evenly.
- You can find the “broil” setting on the far end of the oven-temperature dial on most ovens.
2
Drain and rinse the tuna. How many times you drain and rinse is up to you, but draining and rinsing it at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, but don’t remove the lid yet.
- Holding the lid in place, flip the can over and hold it over the sink to drain the liquid.
- Pull off the top of the can, and be careful not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
3
Combine the ingredients. Using a medium-sized bowl. combine the tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice (if using), celery, onion, parsley, basil (if using), cilantro (if using), and vinegar.
- Stir to combine.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Be sure to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients so that they’re distributed evenly throughout the mix.
4
Prepare the bread. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Broil in the oven for 1 minute or until the bread is toasted.
- Be careful not to burn the bread; don’t broil it for too long.
- Remove from heat but leave the broiler on.
5
Assemble the sandwiches. Spread the tuna mix over 4 slices of the toasted bread, or, if using pita, place the mix inside each of the pita pockets.
- Place one slice of cheese or a layer of Feta over the tuna spread.
- Place a tomato slice on top of the cheese slice, then place a second slice or layer of cheese over the tomato.
6
Broil again. Place the assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil again for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Keep a close eye on the sandwiches to ensure they don’t char or burn.
- Remove from heat, turn off the broiler, and serve.

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

Tuna Boat

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1
Pre-heat the broiler. It’s important to let the broiler warm up for several minutes before you toast the bread, otherwise you may have an unevenly toasted sandwich.
- You can find the “broil” setting on the far end of the oven-temperature dial on most ovens.
2
Drain and rinse the tuna. The number of times you drain and rinse it is up to you, but draining and rinsing it at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, but don’t remove the lid.
- Holding the lid in place, flip the can over and hold it over the sink until all the liquid has drained.
- Remove the top of the can, and be careful not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
3
Combine the ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, lemon juice, tomato, celery, green onion, and sour cream.
- Stir to combine.
- Be sure to mix thoroughly so that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
4
Prepare the bread. Scoop out the top of each roll, leaving a hollowed out portion so that the rolls resemble small boats.
- Line the bottom of the boats with shredded lettuce.
5
Assemble the sandwiches. Fill each boat with 1/4 of the tuna mixture.
- Top with tomato, bacon (if using), and cheese.
6
Heat the sandwiches. Place each of the rolls on a cookie sheet.
- Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Remove from heat, turn off the broiler, and serve.

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

Mayo-less Tuna Fish Sandwich

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1
Drain and rinse the tuna. You may choose how many times you prefer to rinse the tuna, but draining and rinsing it at least once is recommended.
- Use a can opener to open the can, but don’t remove the lid yet.
- Holding the lid in place, flip the can over and hold it over the sink to drain the liquid.
- Pull off the top of the can, being cautious not to cut yourself.
- Take the tuna out of the can and place it in a strainer or colander.
- Rinse the tuna thoroughly with water, then press the water out using a clean hand or a paper towel.
2
Combine the ingredients. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado together with the greek yogurt until smooth.
- Stir in the tuna, onion, relish, celery, salt and pepper. lemon if using, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
3
Assemble the sandwiches. Distribute the tuna mix evenly across 4 slices of bread and top each with another slice of bread to make 4 sandwiches.
- For a warm, crunchy variation, toast the bread before spreading the tuna mix on.
- You can also substitute a roll or a croissant in place of the sandwich bread.
- Or you can skip the bread and use the tuna mix over a salad for a lower-carb version.

Community Q&A

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Question

How long can I store unused tuna mix in the fridge?

Community Answer

You should only store tuna salad in the fridge for 3 to 5 days at most. It tends to spoil after that, because it has mayo in it.

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Question

Can this be made without some of the ingredients?

Community Answer

Of course! Feel free to customize the ingredients to suit your taste. Try adding fresh or dried dill.

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Question

Is there a vegan option?

Community Answer

Use vegan tuna, vegan bread, and vegan ingredients.

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Tips

Upgrade your tuna by using medium- or premium-grade albacore. It costs more, but pays off in improved taste and texture.^{[3]
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Elevate your sandwich by toasting the bread. The crispy toast plays quite nicely with the soft texture of tuna.

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When purchasing tuna, look for sustainable varieties (like “chunk light” and albacore “solid white”) that have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.

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