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Easy Mexican Tuna Melt Recipe with Salsa, Lime, and Jalapeño

Easy Mexican Tuna Melt

A quick skillet sandwich made with zesty Mexican-style tuna salad, melting cheese, and golden toasted bread. This recipe yields two satisfying sandwiches in about 15–20 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tuna Filling
  • 2 5-ounce cans Tuna, drained well
  • 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Prepared chunky salsa
  • 2 tablespoons Red onion, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh lime juice
  • 1 small Small jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper
Sandwiches
  • 4 slices Sandwich bread, sourdough, white, or whole wheat
  • 4 slices Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack
  • 1 tablespoon Butter or mayonnaise, for spreading

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Drain the tuna very well, place it in a mixing bowl, and break it apart with a fork.
  2. Stir in the mayonnaise, salsa, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, cumin, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
  3. Taste the tuna mixture and adjust with a little more lime juice or salsa if desired, taking care not to make the filling wet.
  4. Divide the tuna mixture between two bread slices. Place two cheese slices on each sandwich and top with the remaining bread.
  5. Lightly spread butter or mayonnaise over the outsides of each sandwich.
  6. Heat a skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Cook the sandwiches for 3–4 minutes per side, pressing lightly, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
  7. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately with optional salsa, avocado, pickled jalapeños, or lime.

Notes

Drain the tuna thoroughly and remove excess liquid from the salsa to prevent soggy sandwiches. Moderate heat lets the bread brown while the cheese melts; cover the skillet briefly over low heat if the cheese needs extra time.