• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Meals With Maria
  • Home
  • What We’re Eating
  • What To Make
  • Seasonal
  • About Me
Home » Recipes » The Ultimate Cheap and Easy Tuna Melt Panini Recipe

The Ultimate Cheap and Easy Tuna Melt Panini Recipe

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review
tuna melt

This tuna melt panini recipe is a staple in my household. It’s a budget friendly treat that is great with homemade bread but also wonderful with cheap bread from Walmart. Whatever you have on hand, you will be pleased with the tuna melt panini that you can make.

Why the Tuna Melt Panini Recipe is Special

assembling tuna melt

Crispy bread, gooey cheese, tomatoes, and cold tuna salad make these tuna melt panini’s ones that you’ll crave. When I first discovered this recipe, I had planned to grab a quick lunch at McDonalds with a friend. Once we decided to stay home and work with what we have, I was not disappointed. Not only did I not spend as much as I would have at McDonalds, but I had a meal that was ten times more delicious.

Tuna Melts can also be made open faced of on an english muffin. I remember using an english muffin for tuna melts in the toaster oven when I was growing up. If you’re on the run, and trying to avoid takeout, this tuna melt panini recipe is absolutely perfect for you!

When I make my panini’s I usually use my homemade sourdough bread. I am a huge fan of the recipe from Farmhouse on Boone so I’ll link it here for you, in case you’d like to make your own.

More Cheap and Fast Recipes!

sourdough panini tuna melt

If you’re looking for more cheap and fast recipes, check out this list of 15 $5, Ten minute dinners. You won’t regret it! And if you’d like to see me make all 15 recipes, you can watch my video on Youtube!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
tuna melt panini recipe

Tuna Melt Panini


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This tuna melt panini recipe is a great thing to make in a bind and really impress yourself. 10x better and cheaper than takeout, swap in and out ingredients based on what you have on hand!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can tuna
  • 2–3 tbsp mayo
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 4 slices bread (homemade sourdough or store bought white/wheat)
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese
  • 1 stalk celery (diced)
  • 1 tbsp parsley (minced)
  • 1–2 tbsp red onion (minced)
  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 small tomato (sliced)
Instacart Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the drained tuna, 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise (adjust based on desired creaminess), 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, celery, red onion, and Dijon mustard.
  2. Spread the tuna mixture evenly over two slices of bread.
  3. Top each with two slices of cheese, sliced tomato, and the remaining two slices of bread.
  4. Butter the outside of the bread. Softened butter is recommended.
  5. Heat a pan over medium heat and cook the sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown.
  6. Remove tuna melts from the heat. Let them cool slightly, slice and serve!

Notes

Feel free to adjust the ingredient quantities based on your personal taste preferences and the number of servings you intend to make.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag Meals With Maria — I can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

In compliance with FTC guidelines, please assume the following about all links, material on this website/videos: Any/all of the links on site/video are affiliate links of which Maria Ronan receives product credit or a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you.

Maria Ronan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Links on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission. Thank you for supporting Meals With Maria! My videos and website are for entertainment purposes only. Any information related to food, food safety, cooking, recipes, etc. are my opinions only. Maria Ronan is not liable and/or responsible for any advice, services, or product you obtain through this video and website.

Related

Previous Post: « Shredded Chicken Quesadilla with Canned Chicken | Easy Crispy Quesadillas
Next Post: 15 Cheap and Easy Dinners to Help You Stick to a Budget on Busy Nights »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Maria Ronan of Meals With Maria

About Maria

Real life, good food, and making the most of what we have.

Hi, I’m Maria! I share the real-life food I’m making for my family — grocery trips, family meals, meal prep, from-scratch favorites, and the recipes we actually want to make again.

Around here, it’s less about having more and more and more about making something good with what we already have.

Read More

Follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

  • Amazon
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

Want Help Sticking to Your Grocery Budget?

I use my Stick to Your Budget Checklist + Grocery Budget Calculator to start with what we already have, plan what we actually need, and estimate what our grocery trip should cost before checkout.

No surprise totals. Use what you have. Shop with intention. Feel abundant without overbuying.

Get the Bundle for $5

JOIN ME EACH WEEK

Good food for real life, straight to your inbox.

Grocery diaries, family meals, meal prep, recipes, and what I’m making at home right now.

Join the Newsletter

Popular Right Now

creamy chicken noodle soup in a white bowl with a spoon

19 Cozy September Dinner Ideas I Can’t Wait to Make

slow cooker Marry Me chicken soup with gnocchi in a white bowl

10 Cozy Fall Chicken Recipes for Easy Family Dinners

oven baked butternut squash and brussels sprouts in a white bowl with a spoon on a red table cloth

Oven-Baked Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Candied Pecans

fall chicken skillet in the skillet pan with chicken, butternut squash and sprinkled with parsley

One-Pan Fall Skillet Chicken & Butternut Squash (Crusty Breading + Lemon Finish)

creamy chicken noodle soup in a white bowl with a spoon

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

frosted Cinnabon cinnamon roll copy cat on top of a marble plate with a striped dish towel in the background

Cinnabon Inspired Cozy Cinnamon Roll Recipe

chickpea pumpkin curry in a bowl with white rice and topped with a few pieces of cilantro

Easy Chickpea Coconut Pumpkin Curry

skillet gnocchi with sausage and spinach ina. skillet topped with parsley and with a wooden spoon in the skillet.

Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach – Easy Weeknight Dinner

Maple pecan cookies piled up on a grey and white striped tea towel

Maple Pecan Cookies – The Best Fall Treat

Starbucks copycat pumpkin cream cheese muffins- one is sliced in half on the muffin wrapper.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (Starbucks Copycat)

Footer

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2026 Meals With Maria on the Foodie Pro Theme