Best Tuna Melt (New Jersey Diner Style) Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Best Tuna Melt (New Jersey Diner Style) Recipe
  • READY IN 15 mins

Best Tuna Melt (New Jersey Diner Style)

Read Reviews (388)

"If you order a tuna melt in a New Jersey diner, you'll get something very similar to this! My method of topping the tuna salad with cheese FIRST, then tomato and more cheese, keeps the toppings from sliding off the bread." 

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Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven broiler.
  2. In a bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, parsley, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place the rye bread slices on a baking sheet, and broil 1 minute in the preheated oven, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and spread with the tuna salad. Place 1 cheese slice over the tuna salad on each piece of bread, layer with a tomato slice, and top with remaining cheese slices.
  4. Return layered bread to the preheated oven, and broil 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Kitchen-Friendly View
  • PREP 10 mins
  • COOK 5 mins
  • READY IN 15 mins
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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review
Apr 28, 2006

My husband said this is the best tuna melt he has EVER had. And I don't know anyone who likes tuna melts as much as him, so I was impressed! The best advice in the recipe was to broil the bread both sides and then take out and top with tuna, cheese, tomatoes, etc. In the past we've always had problems with the bottom of the bread being too soft. So thank you for that hint! Also, I love the idea of layering cheese, tomatoes, cheese. It tasted so good (even though the tomato made it a bit juicy to eat - it was worth it) Now, the only addition I have to your recipe is to put a little bit of fresh chopped garlic in--it enhances the flavor to perfection!

 
Most Helpful Critical Review
Aug 31, 2011

I made these last night. They were good but having read the reviews I was expecting much more. I followed the recipe but didn't have celery, just omitted it since we don't care for it any way. Tasted like a good tuna sandwich but nothing more. I won't go to the trouble of using the broiler again for a tuna sandwich. I normally put mine on toast with a slice of tomato, which I would say is equal in taste to this recipe.

 
Feb 20, 2006

YUMMO!! I've lived in Jersey all my life and being that our state has more diners than any other in the nation, I've eaten in many, anywhere from Bergen County down to Cape May County. I order these great open faced sandwiches all the time. The thought of adding vinegar to the tuna never occured to me and I must say that it was a great addition. I skipped the salt (tuna alone has tons) added red onion and much more mayo. I'm not crazy about melted swiss, so I used my favorite Vermont cheddar. I'm a tuna nutcase, so this was the PERFECT lunch for me today! So good Linda and thanks!!

 
Jul 15, 2005

I'm a New Englander, so I've never had a Jersey-style tuna melt before. This was amazing! I will definitely add raw onion and wine vinegar to my tuna from now on. I recommend to everyone out there to keep the vinegar. I had to use sharp cheddar instead of Swiss, but it was still fantastic. Thanks for a great recipe!

 
May 24, 2007

One of the best tuna melts my husband and I have ever had - we love it! I use whole grain bread instead of rye bread and american cheese instead of swiss. Tastes delicious! I've made this recipe 3 times in the past 2 weeks already! Great with chips and fresh carrots and celery.

 
Dec 10, 2004

Good use of red wine vinegar to avoid dry tuna as opposed to adding more mayo, which can taste terrible. I liked this. Didn't use rye though...used Italian rolls (toasted insides on a griddle) and baked in a low-temp pre-heated oven for a few minutes to melt cheese. Very good.

 
Jan 22, 2007

I signed up for the site just to be able to give this recipe a 5. Wow!

 
May 07, 2006

Man were these fantastic! I loved the upscale taste of this twist on an old classic. I didn't have red wine vinegar so just used balsamic and it was just fine. I also hate tomatoes so left them out without a problem. My only suggestion...make as much as you can!!

 
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Nutrition

  • Calories
  • 519 kcal
  • 26%
  • Carbohydrates
  • 22.1 g
  • 7%
  • Cholesterol
  • 93 mg
  • 31%
  • Fat
  • 30.4 g
  • 47%
  • Fiber
  • 2.9 g
  • 11%
  • Protein
  • 38.6 g
  • 77%
  • Sodium
  • 822 mg
  • 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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