This Air Fryer Classic Tuna Melt recipe is comfort food at its finest. Made with albacore tuna, onions, mayonnaise, celery, bread, and sliced cheese!

Best Tuna Melt Recipe
This might be one of the most delicious things I have ever made, and once you try it you’ll understand why I say it’s the best tuna melt recipe ever! It was one of the easiest dinners I have made thus far in the air fryer.
I had my son’s friends over from hockey, so I needed something that was kid-friendly and easy to make. So I was thrilled to make this open faced tuna melt!
The kids completely went nuts over it; they loved it better than my Air Fryer Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (and they love that)!!
If you are looking for more easy air fryer recipes, be sure to try my Air Fryer Stromboli, Air Fryer Mushrooms & Thyme Grilled Cheese, Air Fryer Burgers, and Air Fryer Turkey Club Sandwich.
Why You’ll Love This Classic Tuna Melt Sandwich
- Only 10 minutes from start to finish
- 6 simple ingredients
- Flavorful
- Quick and easy
- Family favorite
Air Fryer Tuna Melt Ingredients
- Albacore white tuna
- Onions
- Mayonnaise
- Celery
- Bread, any variety
- Cheese, any variety
How To Make A Classic Tuna Melt
Step 1: Prepare tuna mixture
Drain tuna and mix in the celery, mayonnaise, and onions. Mix well.
Step 2: Air fry tuna melt sandwich
Add tuna mixture to the bread and top with a slice of cheese. Air fry at 250 degrees for 4 minutes. Serve as an open faced tuna melt or top with another piece of toasted bread and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cheese is best for an air fryer tuna melt?
You can add any good melting cheese to the classic tuna melt. We typically use colby jack, but regular cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, provolone, swiss, and American would all be great options too.
What makes this the best tuna melt recipe?
Because the flavor is incredible, it cooks in minutes, and there is barely any cleanup. Oh, and everyone loves it!
Can I customize my tuna melt sandwich?
Absolutely! Feel free to add fresh herbs, seasonings, or even vegetables to your tuna melt sandwich. Just remember that when you add extra ingredients it’s not going to taste the same as my recipe.
What goes well with this open faced tuna melt?
All your favorite sandwich sides go well with this air fryer tuna melt. Chips, french fries, onion rings, roasted veggies, or anything else you like will work!
Kitchen Items Used: (Note: Affiliate links are included in this post)

- Instant Pot, Vortex Plus
- J.A. Henckels 6-Inch High Carbon Stainless Steel Chef’s Kitchen Knife
- Stainless Steel Measuring Cups, 5 Piece Set
- Hudson Essentials Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Glass Measuring Set
- Italian Olive Wood Spatula
- EVOO Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Classic Tuna Melt
Description
Ingredients
- 1 can albacore white tuna, drained
- 2 tablespoons onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- bread, sliced
- cheese
Instructions
- Start by draining the tuna, and then pour it into a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the onions.
- Add in the celery, and mayonnaise and mix well.
- Smear the tuna salad on top of the bread, then top with a slice of cheese. And then place it on an air fryer safe tray or in the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 250 degrees F, for 4 minutes.
- Plate, serve and enjoy!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Nutrition
Share this recipe
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Lisa M Sippel
I improvised a bit, spicing it up by adding celery seed and a dash of spicy brown mustard and using 5 pepper Colby jack cheese. Both ways are delicious ?
Sue
Nice. Just what I was looking for. I used a thick slice of cheddar and I think I should have upped the heat a bit. It did melt nicely though but could have hotter. I am very new to the air fryer.
Kathy Lipin
Hit the mark while the snow blankets us outside! I added a chopped up Wickles Wicked Okra pickle. I toasted each side of the bread for 40 seconds at 400F before piling on the tuna salad. We had aged Gouda on hand. Very satisfying!