Recipe

Sweet & Spicy Tuna Melt

A zesty tuna melt with a quick honey sriracha tuna salad, sharp cheddar, and crisp, buttery toast. Weeknight comfort with just enough heat to keep it interesting.

By Matt Campbell

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4.8

A golden brown tuna melt sandwich cut in half on a wooden board, with melted cheddar stretching and a small bowl of spicy honey sauce in the background

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Some nights you want a sandwich that behaves. This is not that sandwich. This one is melty, crispy, sweet, spicy, and a little messy in the best way, like the kind of dinner you eat standing at the counter because you could not wait.

We take classic tuna salad and give it a quick glow-up: a swipe of honey and sriracha for that sweet heat, dill pickle for tang, lemon for lift, and a pinch of garlic to make the whole thing taste like you actually tried. Pile it on good bread, add sharp cheese, and toast it until the edges go crunchy and the center goes gooey.

A mixing bowl filled with tuna salad being stirred with a spoon, showing bits of pickle and green onion

If you are the kind of cook who tastes as you go, you are going to love this. One bite and you will be adjusting the heat, the acid, and the salt like a kitchen DJ.

Why It Works

Big flavor, low drama: honey plus sriracha gives sweet heat without needing a whole sauce situation.
Bright and not too heavy: lemon juice and pickles cut through the richness of tuna and melted cheese.
Crunch meets melt: buttered bread in a skillet creates crisp edges while the cheese turns molten.
Flexible: swap the bread, swap the cheese, adjust the spice, and it still lands.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store Leftovers

Not going to lie, tuna melts are best fresh. But you can absolutely set yourself up for a fast round two.

Store the tuna mixture

Refrigerate tuna salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best food safety, refrigerate promptly and keep your fridge at 40°F / 4°C or below.
If it thickens in the fridge, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons mayo or a squeeze of lemon to loosen it up.

Store an assembled melt (if you must)

Wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, covered, until warmed through and re-crisped, about 4 to 6 minutes. Avoid the microwave if you want crunch.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing tuna salad. The texture gets watery and sad.

Common Questions

What makes this tuna melt sweet and spicy?

The combo of honey and sriracha. Honey gives a sticky sweetness that rounds out the heat, and sriracha adds chili punch plus a little garlic tang.

Can I use canned tuna in oil instead of water?

Yes. Just drain it well. Tuna in oil tastes richer, so you may want an extra squeeze of lemon or a little more pickle to keep it bright.

What kind of tuna is best?

Chunk light is softer and mixes up super creamy. Solid albacore stays meatier and a little firmer. Both work, so use what you like. Either way, drain it well and if it is still wet, press it in the strainer (or the can) with the back of a spoon to squeeze out extra liquid.

What bread works best?

Sourdough is my top pick for crunch and tang, but white sandwich bread, brioche, or a sturdy whole wheat all work. The key is bread that can handle a skillet without going floppy.

What cheese should I use?

Sharp cheddar brings the best bite, but pepper jack is great if you want more heat, and provolone is smooth and melty. Use what you have, just pick something that melts well.

How do I keep the tuna melt from getting soggy?

Drain the tuna very well. Press it a bit if you need to.
Toast the inside of the bread lightly before assembling if your bread is extra soft.
Cook low and slow enough to melt the cheese without steaming the sandwich.

Can I make it less spicy for kids?

Absolutely. For a very mild version, start with 1 teaspoon sriracha (instead of 1 tablespoon). You can always add more at the table for the grown-ups.

Does mayo on the outside really make it crispier than butter?

It does, and it browns fast. Use a thin layer and keep the heat at medium-low so it turns golden instead of going from pale to scorched in 30 seconds.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Medium mixing bowl
Fork (for flaking tuna)
Measuring spoons
Skillet or griddle (nonstick or cast iron)
Spatula
Lid (or sheet pan) to help melt the cheese

I started making tuna melts when I was chasing practical kitchen skills instead of a perfect culinary school path. A tuna melt teaches you a lot fast: seasoning, texture, heat control, and the magic of crispy bread meeting molten cheese. One night I stirred sriracha into my tuna out of pure curiosity, then added honey to calm it down and suddenly it tasted like a sauce you would pay for. Now it is my go-to “I need dinner now” sandwich, the kind that makes you pause mid-bite and think, okay, wow.