Spicy Tuna Melt Calabrian Chili (Printable)

A bold tuna and cheese sandwich on sourdough with a spicy Calabrian chili finish.

# What You 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 fresh 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)

# Directions:

01 - Combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, diced celery, diced red onion, chopped Calabrian chili peppers, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until well blended.
02 - Lay out all sourdough bread slices and spread softened butter evenly on one side of each slice.
03 - Place two slices of bread with buttered side down on work surface. Distribute half of the tuna salad mixture on each slice, then top each with two slices of cheese.
04 - Cover each sandwich with the remaining buttered bread slices, positioned with buttered side facing up.
05 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until bread achieves golden-brown color and cheese melts completely.
06 - Transfer sandwiches from skillet to serving plates. Drizzle each sandwich with Calabrian chili oil and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
07 - Slice each sandwich in half diagonally and serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Calabrian chili transforms basic tuna salad into something bold and addictive without overwhelming the other flavors.
  • Everything comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make this on a Tuesday night without thinking twice.
  • Melted cheese and crispy sourdough create the kind of textural contrast that makes you want to immediately make another one.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the tuna thoroughly, because watery salad will turn your beautiful sourdough soggy before you even get it in the skillet.
  • The Calabrian chili oil at the end makes more of a difference than you'd think, so don't save time by skipping it or you'll wonder why yours doesn't taste as bold.
  • Medium heat is non-negotiable because high heat will char your bread before the cheese melts, and low heat will steam it into sadness instead of toasting it golden.
03 -
  • If your butter is too cold to spread easily, soften it by sitting it out for a few minutes while you prep the tuna salad, or cut it into small pieces and let the residual heat of the bowl soften it.
  • A cast iron skillet holds heat more evenly than stainless steel, which means more consistent golden crust and fewer pale spots, but any heavy skillet will work.
  • The Calabrian chilis in oil come in small jars at most grocery stores now, but if you can't find them, jarred roasted red peppers mixed with a pinch of cayenne and a dash of hot sauce approximates the flavor in a pinch.
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