Parmesan Pesto Tuna Melts
Thank you to Bumble Bee for sponsoring this post.
Take your tuna melt to the next level with these Parmesan Pesto Tuna Melts! A creamy, parmesan pesto filling made with Bumble Bee® Tuna, a hint of garlic, and gooey cheese, is sandwiched between two slices of buttery crisp bread. Get ready to sink your teeth into this one!
I have two older sisters who I love dearly. They are eight and nine years older than me, so in some ways they have always felt like my little mommies, in addition to being my BFFs. Growing up, they used to prepare a lot of our meals while our parents were working. Thinking back now, I’ve realized that they were pretty talented teenage chefs! 😉 Out of all the meals they would make, my favorite was a simple tuna melt. I love how delicious, cheesy, and filling a tuna melt is, and whenever I eat one now, I get all nostalgic thinking of my sweet siblings. Love them!
I do love a classic tuna melt, but let me tell ya, if you throw in some parmesan cheese and some pesto? Oh my goodness, tuna melt perfection! The pesto just adds an amazing flavor to the tuna, and OH. THE. CHEESE! Seriously y’all, this sandwich took me about 15 minutes to make from start to finish. Talk about the perfect, easy dinner now that the kids are back in school, and everyone is a bit busier. My husband and I “mmm’ed” through the entire meal as we ate these for dinner the other night, and my four year old even devoured his! That says a lot for a little guy who claims he “doesn’t like eating fishies.” 😉
To make these delicious sandwiches, I used four 2.5 oz pouches of Bumble Bee® Premium Albacore Tuna, but you could also use their Light Tuna. I love the pouches because they are so easy to use; you don’t even have to drain them! You could also use two of their 5 oz. packages, or two 5 oz. cans. Bumble Bee also has lots of custom recipe ideas for whatever size you like best over on their website.
To the tuna I added some mayo, pesto, garlic, shredded parmesan, and some salt and pepper. At this point, I couldn’t help but dig in with some crackers, it was so good! I also decided to try scooping it up with some apple slices that I had cut up for my son to eat while I was making the tuna melts. It was delicious! Perfect as a dip AND a yummy sandwich filling? WIN!
I made the sandwiches two different ways. First as a traditional, two-slice sandwich, and then as an open-face version that I dug into with a fork. I chose to top mine with a couple of tomato slices and some mozzarella cheese. Both were equally delicious!
So, what are some of your favorite ways to enjoy tuna? I’d love to hear your favorite recipes. 🙂
Recipe: Parmesan Pesto Tuna Melts
Ingredients
- 4 (2.5 oz) pouches Bumble Bee Premium Albacore Tuna or Light Tuna (you could also use 2 (5 oz) pouches or 2 (5 oz) cans)
- 4 Tablespoons mayonaise
- 4 Tablespoons prepared pesto
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic,, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- sliced bread of choice, (I used rye)
- butter
- sliced tomato,, optional
- sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
Instructions
- Empty pouches of tuna into a medium sized bowl and flake tuna with a fork. Add in mayonnaise, pesto, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, and mix well.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Butter one side each of eight slices of bread. (You will only need to butter four slices if making an open-face sandwich.)
- Once skillet is warm, add one slice of bread to the skillet, butter side down. Immediately layer with one slice of cheese, 1/4 of the parmesan pesto tuna mix, tomato slices (if using), and another slice of cheese. Top with a second slice of bread, butter side up.
- Allow to cook, about 3 minutes, or until bottom slice of bread has turned golden brown. Flip sandwich with a spatula, and repeat on the other side. Remove tuna melt from skillet and repeat process to make three more sandwiches.
- For Open-Face Tuna Melt: Prepare sandwiches in an oven-safe skillet, using the same process as above, except for leaving off the top layer of bread when layering sandwich ingredients. Cook sandwiches until bottom slice of bread has turned golden brown. Turn oven broiler to high. Place skillet on middle oven rack, and broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted and dotted with brown. Remove skillet from oven and enjoy!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
I just made this into a pesto tuna quesadilla and it was amazing! I’ll definitely be making this again!
That sounds so yummy!!!
Made this tonight for the third time. We really like it. Of course, anything with pesto and extra garlic is delicious! I’ll link back to your post in my weekly “what we ate” post at the end of the week.
Awesome Dana! I’m so glad y’all enjoy this! And yes, you just can’t beat pesto and garlic. 😉
Oh. My. God! This looks so delicious!
There are few things I love more than a good tuna melt, your additions look divine will have to try them!
My mum used to make me Tuna sandwiches for my school lunches! So I know I will definitely love this! Especially with the cheese! (I think I’m going to love the open sandwich version for breakfasts!)
These melts look so fantastic. Grilled cheese and pesto really make a great pairing. YUM.
Thank you for this recipe – found it on Pinterest, looking for something a little different to do with tuna versus the usual casserole or typical tuna melt. Made them on a whole grain bread tonight and really enjoyed it. I will use this filling again cold, as a low carb option, with lettuce wraps.
That is great, Cheri! I’m so glad you enjoyed them, and I think they would be amazing as lettuce wraps! It’s so funny that you say that because later this week I’m going to be posting another tuna recipe: Hawaiian tuna salad in lettuce wraps. 🙂 Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know you liked the recipe!
Love Tuna Melts! Oh, yummy. Pinning. Thanks for sharing at My Favorite Things party. Co host Theresa @DearCreatives
Thanks so much, Theresa! We are big tuna melt lovers, too. 🙂
Your Tuna Melt looks delicious! Hope you have a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Your post has been pinned with the party!
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen!
I had never thought of mixing tuna with anything apart from lettuce and tomato, but this is gonna be FUN and TASTY!!!
Breathinghominess
The pesto tastes so good with the tuna, Angela! You will love it. 🙂
This is awesome – makes me hungry and I love tuna! Thanks for sharing with us at the #WWDParty and enjoy the holiday.
Thank you, Antionette! Hope you’re having a great holiday as well. 🙂
What an amazing twist on a classic sandwich!
Thank you so much, Julie!
Tuna melts have always been my go-to diner food of choice. What a genius idea to add pesto! Yum!
Thank you so much, Shaina! I love tuna melts, too. 🙂
I never thought of adding pesto to tuna, but what a great idea! I am always trying to come up with new tuna recipes because it is the only fish my husband will eat. Thank you!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
I hope your hubby enjoys it, Susan! I had fun trying it out and it really does taste amazing! 🙂
I haven’t made tuna in forever, but I am so making this! It looks wonderful and it brought back old memories…I really liked tuna when I was younger. I have no idea why I stopped making it! Thanks for linking this up with us at Foodie Fridays…I am feeling inspired to try tuna again! Pinning!
I know what you mean, Michelle! It’s such a classic and tastes so good, I’m going to be making it more often now!
Hi, so glad I found you over at Miz Helen’s – great tuna dish! How about adding it to the Food on Friday: Fish and Seafood collection over at Carole’s Chatter? Cheers
Hi Carole! I will definitely stop by. Thank you so much!
Hi Ashlyn, I”m so glad you stopped by to add to the collection. If you would like me to send you a reminder about each new Food on Friday, just drop me a line on ca4ole@gmail.com . Cheers from Carole’s Chatter