Tuna Melt Panini

Name: Tuna Melt Panini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 15 oz (three 5-oz cans) (425 g) canned albacore or chunk light tuna in water, very well drained; ⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise; 2 medium stalks (100 g) celery stalks, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); 2 tablespoons (20 g) red onion, very finely diced; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons (20 g) dill pickles, finely chopped (optional); kosher salt, a pinch, to taste; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 8 slices (about ½-inch thick) (360 g) sourdough bread, cut from a large country loaf; 8 oz (225 g) sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced, or coarsely grated; 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, buttery sourdough presses around a creamy, crunchy tuna-celery salad and a thick layer of molten sharp cheddar. A tangy, deli-style classic made on the stovetop or in a panini press in about 25 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: 4 panini

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the tuna salad
15 oz (three 5-oz cans) (425 g) canned albacore or chunk light tuna in water, very well drained
⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise
2 medium stalks (100 g) celery stalks, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
2 tablespoons (20 g) red onion, very finely diced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (20 g) dill pickles, finely chopped (optional)
kosher salt, a pinch, to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
For the sandwiches
8 slices (about ½-inch thick) (360 g) sourdough bread, cut from a large country loaf
8 oz (225 g) sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced, or coarsely grated
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Equipment (5)

Panini press, or 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet plus a second heavy skillet or foil-wrapped brick for weight
Medium mixing bowl
Fork
Cutting board and sharp serrated knife
Wide spatula

Steps

Before you start

Drain the tuna very well, pressing out all liquid with a fork or lid; wet tuna makes soggy sandwiches.
Grate or slice the cheddar before you start so assembly is fast.
Soften the 6 tablespoons of butter at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it spreads without tearing the bread.
No panini press? Use a heavy skillet and a second heavy pan or a foil-wrapped brick to press the sandwiches.

1
Make tuna salad
- In a medium bowl, combine the well-drained tuna, mayonnaise, celery, red onion, lemon juice, Dijon, and pickles if using.
- Break up the tuna with a fork and stir until evenly coated.
- Season with a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper.
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Ready when: Salad looks creamy but holds together in a scoop, with no pooling liquid.
Tip: Taste and adjust: add more lemon for brightness or salt if it tastes flat. Remember cheddar adds salt too.
2
Preheat the press
- Heat a panini press to medium, or set a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: A drop of water sizzles gently on the surface.
Tip: Keep heat at medium, not high; the bread should toast slowly so the cheese has time to melt.
3
Butter the bread
- Lay the 8 bread slices on a cutting board.
- Spread about ¾ tablespoon of the softened butter (6 tablespoons total) over one side of each slice, all the way to the edges.
- These buttered sides will be the outsides of the sandwiches.
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Ready when: Each slice has an even coat of butter with no bare patches.
4
Assemble sandwiches
- Turn 4 slices buttered-side down.
- Layer each with about 1 oz (28 g) cheddar, then about ⅓ cup of tuna salad spread to the edges, then another 1 oz of cheddar.
- Top with the remaining slices, buttered-side up.
- Cheese on both sides of the tuna acts as glue.
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Ready when: Sandwiches are even in thickness with filling spread edge to edge.
Tip: Don't overfill; too much tuna salad squeezes out when pressed.
5
Press and toast
- Cook 2 sandwiches at a time.
- In a press, close the lid and cook 4 to 5 minutes.
- In a skillet, place sandwiches in the pan, set a heavy skillet or foil-wrapped brick on top, and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium heat, flipping carefully with a wide spatula.
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Ready when: Bread is deep golden brown and crisp, cheese is visibly melting at the edges, and the center feels hot when pressed.
Tip: If the bread browns before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan for 1 minute.
6
Repeat and serve
- Transfer the first sandwiches to a cutting board and rest 1 minute so the cheese settles.
- Wipe out any burnt crumbs, then cook the second batch the same way.
- Slice each panino in half diagonally with a serrated knife and serve hot.
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Ready when: Cut face shows gooey cheese and a hot, creamy filling.
Tip: Keep the first batch warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven if you like.

Good to know

Tips

Press out as much liquid from the tuna as you can; it is the most common cause of soggy panini.
Butter the bread instead of the pan for even, golden crusts that don't burn.
Thin or grated cheese melts faster and more evenly than thick slices.
Add sliced tomato between the cheese and tuna for a fresh variation, patted dry first.

Make ahead

Make the tuna salad up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate in a covered container. Assemble and press the sandwiches just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftover pressed panini wrapped in foil up to 2 days; reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes or in a skillet over medium-low heat, covered, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours. Not recommended for freezing because the mayonnaise filling separates; leftover tuna salad keeps refrigerated up to 3 days.

Substitutions

sourdough bread → rye or thick-sliced whole wheat bread. Rye gives a classic deli flavor; cook time stays the same.
mayonnaise → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Use the same amount for a tangier, lighter salad; add a pinch more salt.
sharp cheddar cheese → Swiss, provolone, or Gruyère. Choose a good melting cheese; Gruyère gives a nuttier flavor.
red onion → thinly sliced scallion whites. Gives milder onion flavor with similar crunch.