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!

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.

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).

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

Next, spread the tuna salad on the bottom of each roll. Top with 1/4 slice of American cheese.

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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!

Other easy canned tuna recipes that you might enjoy:

• Easy Tuna Nicoise Salad
• 3-Ingredient Tuna Casserole
• Aunt Bee’s Famous Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna Melt Sliders

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 3 hours hours

Total: 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 sliders

Calories 231 kcal

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!

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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!

Keyword: sliders, tuna melt

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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