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    Home » What We're Eating » Tuna Melt Sliders

    Tuna Melt Sliders

    Published: Feb 19, 2019 by Blair Lonergan

    Jump to Recipe
    Long collage of Tuna Melt Sliders

    A classic sandwich goes to the next level when it’s served on a sweet Hawaiian roll and baked in garlic butter sauce! These Tuna Melt Sliders are a convenient, make ahead appetizer, lunch or easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love!

    Close up image tuna melt sliders on a plate

    Now, if you have little kids at home like I do, and if you’re not sure that you can convince them to enjoy fish, please start with this recipe! Bonus? Adults love them, too! It's a simple meal option that pleases everyone at the table.

    The easy canned tuna melt recipe is prepared ahead of time so that the sandwiches are ready when you want them! Plus, the sandwiches are assembled like a Tuna Melt Casserole, offering an easy way to feed a crowd.

    Baked tuna melt sliders in a green dish

    How to make a Tuna Melt in the Oven:

    Start by whipping up a classic tuna salad, which takes all of about 5 minutes.

    You'll need 10 ounces of canned tuna (any variety that you love).

    Two cans of albacore tuna for tuna melts

    Combine the drained tuna with diced celery, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper.

    Classic tuna salad for tuna melts

    Next, spread the tuna salad on the bottom of each roll. Top with ¼ slice of American cheese.

    Small tuna melt assembly on a cutting board

    I love this brand of King's Hawaiian rolls, which are thick, fluffy and offer a slightly sweet contrast to the salty cheese and tuna salad. Any similar small sandwich rolls or dinner rolls will work, though!

    Package of King's Hawaiian rolls for tuna melt sliders

    Replace the tops on the sandwiches and arrange them tightly in an 8-inch square pan. Set aside.

    Pan of tuna melts before baking in the oven

    Now it's time to make the garlic butter sauce (in other words...the best part)!

    Simply melt a stick of butter with finely diced onion, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

    Garlic butter sauce in a skillet for tuna melts

    Pour the sauce over the sandwiches, cover with foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

    Pan of tuna melt sliders with garlic butter sauce poured over top

    When you're ready to enjoy the sliders, bake (covered) in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, bake for 5 more minutes, or until the tops of your rolls are crisp and golden.

    Overhead shot of Tuna Melt Sliders in a square baking dish

    Once the sandwiches are hot and melted from the oven, you can either serve them immediately, or just wrap a couple up in some foil and pack them to go. Lunch, dinner, snack, or party food…all in one recipe!

    Tuna melt slider on a spatula

    What to serve with Tuna Melt Sliders:

    At this time of year, I like to serve a hot sandwich for dinner with a warm bowl of tomato soup on the side. It’s classic comfort food…only much better!

    Other options that go well with these sandwiches:

    • A simple green side salad dressed with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Light and Fluffy 3-Ingredient Grape Salad
    • Orange Pineapple Fluff Salad
    • Potato Chips
    • French fries
    • Garlic Roasted Broccoli

    Shot of tuna melt on a plate with tray of baked tuna melts in the background

    COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

    • Don't forget to allow enough time for the sandwiches to soak up the garlic butter sauce before baking. I recommend at least 2 hours, but you can leave them in the refrigerator overnight!
    • What do you put in a tuna melt? Additional tuna melt toppings that you can add to your sandwiches include sliced fresh tomato, avocado, bacon, sliced apple, capers, sliced dill pickles, sliced or diced hardboiled egg.
    • How do you make a healthy tuna melt? Make your sandwich healthy by using light or nonfat mayonnaise, reduced fat cheese, and less of the garlic butter sauce.
    • Do you put mayonnaise in a tuna melt? Yes, my classic tuna melt recipe calls for mayonnaise. That said, if you don't like mayonnaise, you can make a tuna melt without mayonnaise by substituting with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt and a bit of Dijon mustard.
    • Serve Tuna Melt Canapes by offering a tray (or two) of these sliders at your next party!
    • Switch up the cheese! Try making a tuna melt with Swiss, a tuna melt with provolone, or a tuna melt with cheddar cheese.
    • Prefer a tuna melt without cheese? Simply omit the cheese from this recipe. The sliders will still taste amazing!
    • Make a tuna melt without celery by simply omitting the celery from this recipe. You can add diced sweet bell pepper if you'd prefer an alternative crunch!

    Tuna melt slider on a plate with a pan of sliders in the background

    Other easy canned tuna recipes that you might enjoy:

    • Easy Tuna Nicoise Salad
    • 3-Ingredient Tuna Casserole
    • Aunt Bee's Famous Tuna Noodle Casserole
    Close up image tuna melt sliders on a plate
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes

    Tuna Melt Sliders

    A classic tuna melt goes to the next level when it’s served on a sweet Hawaiian roll and baked in garlic butter sauce! These Tuna Melt Sliders are a convenient, make ahead lunch or easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love!
    Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine American
    Keyword sliders, tuna melt
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Chilling Time 3 hours
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 12 sliders
    Calories 231kcal
    Author Blair Lonergan

    Ingredients

    For the Tuna Salad:

    • 10 ounces canned tuna, drained
    • ½ cup finely diced celery
    • ½ cup light mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper

    Remaining Ingredients:

    • 1 (12 ounce) package of King's Hawaiian sweet rolls, split
    • 3 slices American cheese, quartered
    • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

    Instructions

    To Prepare Tuna Salad:

    • In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix the tuna, celery, mayonnaise, pickle relish, salt and pepper.

    Assemble the Sliders:

    • Spread tuna salad on bottom of rolls. Place ¼ slice of American cheese on each. Replace tops.
    • Arrange sandwiches in a single layer in a greased 8-inch-square baking pan.

    Prepare the Garlic Butter Sauce:

    • In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 1-2 minutes.
    • Whisk in the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Continue whisking until brown sugar is dissolved.
    • Pour butter sauce over sandwiches.
    • Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake sliders, covered, for 25 minutes.
    • Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown on top.

    Notes

    • Don't forget to allow enough time for the sandwiches to soak up the garlic butter sauce before baking. I recommend at least 2 hours, but you can leave them in the refrigerator overnight!
    • What do you put in a tuna melt? Additional tuna melt toppings that you can add to your sandwiches include sliced fresh tomato, avocado, bacon, sliced apple, capers, sliced dill pickles, sliced or diced hardboiled egg.
    • How do you make a healthy tuna melt? Make a tuna melt healthy by using light or nonfat mayonnaise, reduced fat cheese, and less of the garlic butter sauce.
    • Do you put mayonnaise in a tuna melt? Yes, my classic tuna melt recipe calls for mayonnaise. That said, if you don't like mayonnaise, you can make a tuna melt without mayonnaise by substituting with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt and a bit of Dijon mustard.
    • Serve Tuna Melt Canapes by offering a tray (or two) of these sliders at your next party!
    • Switch up the cheese! Try making a tuna melt with Swiss, a tuna melt with provolone, or a tuna melt with cheddar cheese.
    • Prefer a tuna melt without cheese? Simply omit the cheese from this recipe. The sliders will still taste amazing!
    • Make a tuna melt without celery by simply omitting the celery from this recipe. You can add diced sweet bell pepper if you'd prefer an alternative crunch!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slider | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 66mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.5mg

    This post was originally published in August, 2014. It was updated in February, 2019.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above

      August 19, 2014 at 7:32 pm

      These look amazing.
      Debi

      Reply
      • Blair

        August 19, 2014 at 9:10 pm

        Thanks for stopping by, Debi!

        Reply
    2. bill @thewoksoflife

      August 21, 2014 at 9:32 am

      Tuna melts are my favorite!. I like the idea of making them in the oven at once for large family gatherings, Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    3. Miz Helen

      August 22, 2014 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      I love a Tuna Melt, what great little sliders. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    4. Heather @ My Overflowing Cup

      August 23, 2014 at 7:34 pm

      My mouth is watering! Thank you so much for this recipe. Pinning it now.

      Reply
      • Blair

        August 23, 2014 at 8:44 pm

        Hi, Heather! Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks for the pin! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Erlene

      August 31, 2014 at 7:09 pm

      Yum! The garlic butter sauce that you put over the sandwiches takes this over the top. Pinned. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday. Hope to see you again tonight at 6pm PST.

      Reply
      • Blair

        August 31, 2014 at 8:46 pm

        Thanks so much, Erlene! They are definitely over the top! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Lisa DeLoach

      August 05, 2017 at 7:27 pm

      Can you use eggs in the tuna too?

      Reply
      • Blair

        August 06, 2017 at 6:43 am

        Yes! Adding some chopped hard-boiled egg to the mixture would be delicious!

        Reply
    7. Grammyprepper

      February 19, 2019 at 9:59 pm

      You know, I am not normally a big fan of the kings hawaiian rolls, but for sliders they are just amazing! We make them at work all the time, with lunchmeat, cheese, and garlic spread) I can't wait to try this recipe tho...the garlic butter and letting it soak in sounds amazing! I can get the hubby to eat a regular tuan melt from time to time, but I think this would get him to eat them more often!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 20, 2019 at 2:06 pm

        I totally agree! I'm not someone who picks the Hawaiian rolls as a side dish, but I LOVE them in sliders. I hope you'll try these! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Heather

      March 10, 2022 at 10:23 pm

      5 stars
      I get more compliments on these sliders than I do on any other meal that I make. Everyone raves about them.

      Reply
      • Blair Lonergan

        March 11, 2022 at 5:21 am

        That's great, Heather. Thank you!

        Reply

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