Air Fryer Tuna Melt

These air fryer tuna melts are crispy, cheesy, and packed with 30g of protein, ready in under 10 minutes! Made open-faced with simple ingredients and a healthier twist (no mayo needed), they're the perfect quick lunch when you want something comforting and satisfying.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Serving servings

Ingredients

The Melts:

1 English muffin or 2 slices of toast, regular, whole wheat, sourdough, or gluten-free
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite kind of cheese that melts

Tuna Salad:

1 can (4 or 5-ounce) tuna stored in water, drained
2 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt or mayo, 0%, 2% or 5%
½ stalk celery, diced
1 tablespoon red onion, minced
1 - 2 baby carrots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoon capers, optional but I love them
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
Juice from half a lemon

Instructions

Toast the bread. Cut your English muffin in half and place both halves face-side up in the air fryer basket or tray. Air fry at 300°F for 2 to 4 minutes to toast. Every air fryer is different, so check at the 2-minute mark and stop when the muffin is lightly toasted.
Mix the tuna salad. In a medium bowl, combine the drained tuna, Greek yogurt or mayo, celery, red onion, baby carrots, parsley, capers (if using), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
Taste and adjust. Taste the tuna salad and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Assemble. Spoon the tuna mixture evenly onto each toasted muffin half.
Add the cheese. Top each half with a slice of sharp cheddar.
Air fry to melt. Cook at 300°F for 5 to 8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the muffin is crisp to your liking.
Serve. Carefully lift the melts out with a spatula and serve right away while hot.

Notes

Toast first: Lightly toasting the bread before adding the tuna is what keeps the melt crisp instead of soggy. Don't skip it.

Drain the tuna well: Press out as much liquid as you can so the tuna salad isn't watery. This keeps the melt crisp and less messy.

Don't overload it: Keep the tuna layer moderate. Too much filling weighs the melt down and stops the cheese from melting evenly.

Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free bread or an English muffin. Everything else is naturally gluten-free.

Make it dairy-free: Swap the Greek yogurt for a plant-based yogurt or mayo, and use a dairy-free cheese.

Storage: Best fresh, but you can prep the tuna salad up to 4 days ahead and assemble when ready to eat. Don't store the assembled melt, since the bread gets soggy.

Nutrition

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Healthy

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!