Spicy Tuna Melt Calabrian (Printable)

A bold sandwich with spicy tuna, melted cheese, sourdough, and Calabrian chili oil.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Tuna Salad

01 - 1 can (5 oz) tuna in water, drained
02 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
03 - 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
04 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced
05 - 1 tablespoon red onion, finely diced
06 - 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili peppers in oil, finely chopped
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Sandwich Assembly

10 - 4 slices sourdough bread
11 - 4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Garnish

13 - 2 teaspoons Calabrian chili oil
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, diced celery, diced red onion, chopped Calabrian chili peppers, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then mix until well blended.
02 - Lay out all four sourdough slices on a work surface and spread softened butter evenly on one side of each slice.
03 - Place two buttered bread slices with buttered sides facing down on the work surface. Divide tuna salad evenly between the two slices, then top each with two slices of cheese.
04 - Cover each sandwich with the remaining two bread slices, positioning them with buttered sides facing up.
05 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place assembled sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, applying gentle pressure with a spatula, until bread is golden brown and cheese is fully melted.
06 - Transfer sandwiches to a serving plate, drizzle each with Calabrian chili oil, and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired. Slice diagonally in half and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy enough to serve at lunch with friends but comes together faster than you'd expect.
  • The Calabrian chili adds a sophisticated heat that regular sandwich ingredients could never achieve.
  • Crispy buttered sourdough paired with melted cheese is the kind of comfort that hits differently when there's spicy tuna hiding inside.
02 -
  • Never skip draining your canned tuna properly; I learned this the hard way when my first attempt turned into a soggy mess that fell apart in the skillet.
  • Medium heat is your friend here, because high heat will burn the bread before the cheese has time to melt properly, which is a tragedy you want to avoid.
  • The sandwich pressing moment is crucial; gentle pressure helps the cheese meld with the tuna and bread, creating one unified, delicious thing instead of separate layers.
03 -
  • Softening your butter ahead of time makes the whole assembly process smoother and ensures even coverage without tearing the bread.
  • Don't flip the sandwich more than once; resist the urge to keep checking, because every flip releases steam that could have been crisping your bread.
  • Make the tuna salad the morning before if you can, because the flavors meld and deepen, making the sandwich even better by lunchtime.
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