Tuna melts are my number one go-to quick and easy meal for busy evenings. I’ve loved them ever since I was a kid (and bonus: my kid loves them too!). I love how they’re warm and creamy and such an easy way to enjoy comfort food. The other night, I was making tuna melts and I was trying to sneak some veggies in there. I usually add chopped celery (pretty standard) and grated carrots (which add an awesome texture). But as I was perusing my freezer to see if there was anything in there to add, I found frozen corn, and my tuna melt world got turned upside down. Corn in tuna melts is SO GOOD! Which led me to these Tex Mex Tuna Melts. Packed with corn (frozen or fresh can be used), red bell pepper (which gives it a great crunch and flavor), cilantro, red onion, and a jalapeño (or not, if you don’t like spice). DELICIOUS!
I threw a little bit of chili powder in there too, for good measure, along with the standard salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. And this recipe is really flexible- I think it would be great with chopped canned chipotle chiles, some hot sauce and/or lime juice added to the mixture, or even an avocado instead of mayo! I spread the mixture on six slices of whole grain bread, then topped each with a Mexican shredded cheese blend, and popped in the oven for 15 minutes. They were perfectly warm, melty on the top, and crispy on the bottom
I love a simple mixture of chopped fresh cilantro and red onion on top of tacos, enchiladas, or other Tex-Mex foods, so I sprinkled a bit on these to brighten them up a bit. Delicious. They are also good with a few dashes of hot sauce on top. I like using chipotle tabasco hot sauce. Tuna melts are often made on English muffins instead of bread- feel free to use them instead, if you want. Another great way to make them is in a panini press with two pieces of bread like a sandwich!
The other thing I love about tuna melts: I almost always have everything I need for them. I always keep a loaf of sliced whole grain bread in my freezer, and at least two cans of tuna in my pantry. The simplest tuna salad can be made with just tuna, mayo, salt, and pepper. Spread that on bread, top with cheese, and pop it in the oven! Super easy meal. And super cheap, too! I like to serve tuna melts with a simple green salad on the side.
If you like this, you’ll LOVE this fiesta chicken salad (which, actually, would be a great alternative to tuna on these Tex Mex melts!). And be sure to try this Tex Mex Tuna Noodle Casserole and this Tuna Casserole from scratch. Here’s the printable recipe for Tex Mex Tuna Melts! Enjoy :-)
