Give Your Tuna Melt The Crunch It Needs With One Extra Step

Sorry grilled cheeses, but tuna melts might be the most decadent sandwiches in the game. Hearty, rich, and savory — with a cheese pull that's out of this world — a tuna melt is a mouth-watering indulgence, whether you assemble it with fresh or canned tuna. But, to maintain its A-list status in the sandwich-sphere, a tuna melt recipe is worth tweaking and reinventing. Plus, small changes can make a huge difference, so you don't have to think too far outside of the box when it comes to upgrading your favorite tuna melt recipe. In fact, one of the most transformative steps you can take to spruce up this timeless sandwich is also one of the easiest: toasting both sides of the bread.

Although tuna melt bread is always toasted on the exterior, many foodies overlook its interior. By toasting both sides of the bread, you achieve a more satisfying first bite. As you sink your teeth into the sandwich, that must-have crunch carries through the body of the bread completely. The crispy, toasted bread is the perfect culinary contrast to the tender tuna and gooey cheese, creating a mouthfeel that enhances the overall flavor. After all, mouthfeel is one of the defining characteristics of how we perceive flavor.

Simply butter one side of each bread slice and toast them in a pan until golden brown. Next, add cheese and the tuna mixture to the toasted side of one slice, before placing the second slice on top (with the toasted side facing in). Next, butter the pan, and toast the remaining sides until the bread is golden-brown and the cheese is melted.

Technically speaking, you can use any bread to make a tuna melt. But why settle for just any old slice when you can prepare a tuna melt with bread that's primed for toasting?

Opt for bread that's sturdy, well-structured, and firm. While soft, cloud-like breads are inarguably delicious for many recipes, the goal is to develop a substantially crunchy bite on the exterior of the tuna salad. Sourdough is a tried-and-true tuna melt bread. With its uniquely tangy taste and rigid but never brittle texture, sourdough toasts up with a crisp that's not painful to bite into, while providing the sandwich an added dimension of subtle flavor. If you can't find sourdough, rye is a similar option. Nutty, hearty, and earthy, whole grain toast is another sturdy bread capable of developing the perfect toasty crunch with a nuanced flavor. Avoid breads like challah, brioche, and any other fluffy bun.

Whichever bread you choose to use, toasting both sides makes all the difference in a tuna melt. With this one extra, easy-to-execute step, you might just convince your friends and family that your own kitchen is home to one of the best tuna sandwiches in the United States. Although it's just one of the many ways to upgrade a tuna sandwich, double toasting the bread is one of the most quietly transformative.