This Mediterranean Tuna Melt sandwich recipe is a savory mess of tuna with marinated cherry tomatoes and avocado on a toasted baguette with melted Havarti cheese. I love everything about this open faced sandwich! It’s undeniably satisfying and exceptionally easy to make!

tray of tuna open faced sandwiches

If you need to feed a hungry crowd, you can’t go wrong by serving up this big open-face sandwich that’s sure to be a hit. They’re easy to make and rich with Mediterranean flavors.

baguette, can of tuna, cheese slices and bowl of tomatoes

This pretty open-faced sandwich makes any casual get together more special. Just stand back and watch it vanish!  

Mediterranean Tuna Melt Sandwich Ingredients

I could eat this gorgeous open faced sandwich every day!!! It’s one of favorite tuna melt sandwiches!

  • Baguette
  • Canned tuna
  • Mayonnaise
  • Dijon mustard
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Lemon juice
  • Baguette
  • Havarti cheese
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Salad dressing – I use this Greek Salad Dressing (because it is so flavorful with the added kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and Parmesan cheese in it), but this Italian Dressing (or your personal favorite Italian salad dressings) will work.

Variations

  • Add some sliced pepperoncini to the top of the sandwich
  • Toss in some kalamata olives (if there aren’t any in your salad dressing already)
  • Chop up some parsley if you have some on hand and sprinkle on top of the sandwich
  • Finely chop some basil and sprinkle on top
  • Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top

How to Make Tuna Melt Recipe

  • Marinate Tomatoes – Add sliced tomatoes to a small bowl. Drizzle Greek salad dressing (or your favorite Italian dressing) over the tomatoes.
  • Make Tuna DressingIn a small bowl, mix Mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, olive oil and lemon juice. Flake tuna in a small bowl and stir in the mayonnaise mixture and blend.
  • Toast Baguette – Put the baguettes on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Brush the tops of your baguette with olive oil. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each piece of baguette.Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove from oven.
  • Assemble Tuna Melts – Spoon the tuna mixture over the toasted cheese baguette. Toss the avocado and tomatoes in the Greek Dressing and spoon over the tuna mixture.
  • Enjoy – Enjoy this savory mess with your hands or use a fork and knife.

tray of tuna melt open faced sandwiches

Best Bread for this Open Faced Sandwich

Use whatever bread you prefer, but you’ll want to make sure its sturdy enough to hold the tuna, tomatoes and avocado. I like to use a baguette.

Best Cheese to Use for this Tuna Melt Sandwich Recipe

Again, use whatever cheese you prefer. I use Havarti, because I love Havarti cheese, but you could also use Provolone, Mozzarella, Fontina, cheddar, Jack or Swiss.

tray of tuna melt open faced sandwich

How Much Tuna Can I Eat Per Week

Tuna is a great source of protein, and canned tuna contains important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Both of these nutrients are essential for brain health and cognitive function. However, tuna also contains Mercury and certain types of tuna contain more Mercury than others. Light tuna usually contains less mercury because it comes from younger fish that haven’t absorbed as much Mercury. Albacore typically contains more of the heavy metal.

With that said, the average person can safely consume up to:

  • Light Tuna – 12 ounces (about 1-1/2 cups) each week
  • Albacore – 5 ounces (a little over 1/2 a cup) each week

However, if you’re pregnant, you should consult with your physician to see if you can safely consume tuna.

Best Canned Tuna

Here’s what you should be looking for in a can of tuna:

  • Light tuna (less Mercury)
  • Limited ingredients
  • Low sodium
  • Packed in water (tastes lighter and contains less calories than tuna packed in oil)
  • Dolphin safe.

plate with tuna melt recipe

What to Serve it With

You could serve this tuna melt with a simple salad of Tuscan mixed lettuce, a drizzle of olive oil and juice of a lemon, or a piece of fresh fruit. Or serve it with any of these salads:

Looking for More Tuna Recipes?

sandwich with tomatoes
Yield: 2 servings

Mediterranean Tuna Melt

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

This Mediterranean Tuna Melt sandwich recipe is a savory mess of tuna with marinated cherry tomatoes and avocado on a toasted baguette with melted Havarti cheese. I love everything about this open faced sandwich! It's undeniably satisfying and exceptionally easy to make!

Ingredients

  • 1 Baguette, cut in half
  • 8 slices Havarti Cheese

For the Tuna Salad

  • 2-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (Best Foods)
  • 1 6-ounce can solid white Dolphin safe tuna (drained and flaked with a fork)
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

For Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup Greek Salad Dressing
  • 1 Avocado

Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Add sliced tomatoes to a small bowl. Drizzle Greek salad dressing (or your favorite Italian dressing) over the tomatoes.
  3. Peel and chop the avocado and drizzle with lemon juice to prevent it from browning. Add the avocado to the top of the tomatoes in the bowl. Set aside for the tomatoes to marinate while you make the sandwich.
  4. In a small bowl, mix Mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, olive oil and lemon juice.
  5. Flake tuna in a small bowl and stir in the mayonnaise mixture and blend.
  6. Put the baguette halves on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Brush the tops of your baguette with olive oil. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each piece of baguette.
  7. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove from oven.
  8. Spoon the tuna mixture over the cheese baguette.
  9. Toss the avocado and tomatoes in the bowl and spoon over the tuna mixture.
  10. Season with freshly cracked black pepper.
  11. Serve with leftover Greek salad dressing to drizzle over tomatoes if desired.

Notes

Variations

  • Add some sliced pepperoncini to the top of the sandwich
  • Toss in some kalamata olives (if there aren't any in your salad dressing already)
  • Chop up some parsley if you have some on hand and sprinkle on top of the sandwich
  • Finely chop some basil and sprinkle on top
  • Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1414Total Fat: 82gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 49gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 2091mgCarbohydrates: 101gFiber: 12gSugar: 11gProtein: 71g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations.