Avocado/ Cheese/ Fish/ Lunch

Avocado Tuna Melts

January 30, 2018 (Last Updated: June 11, 2021) by Chris Collins
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These open faced tuna melts are made with bagels and loaded with cheese and avocado. They’re fun to make and absolutely delicious to eat!

3 tuna bagels stacked on each other on square white plate

Tuna Avocado Melts

Tuna and avocado really is one of my all time favourite combinations, it’s literally making me weak at the knees just thinking about it (I know, pathetic aren’t I?). But stick it on a bagel? With some fresh tomato and cheese?? Stick a fork in me cause I’m DONE. But in the bigger picture, the thing I truly love about working with a simple can of tuna is it’s versatility.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of mixing up some tuna mayo, sticking it in some pasta or bread and be done with it. I mean don’t get me wrong, that’s certainly not the worst thing I’ve heard of doing, but tuna offers itself to so many other beautiful flavours.

Open Faced Tuna Melt Bagels

Yes, realistically I could have just made a classic tuna melt. But, if you hadn’t noticed, everything on this blog is slightly OTT. Delicious never-the-less 🙂

How to make Tuna Melt Bagels (quick summary)

  1. Grab yourself a couple cans of tuna and mix in with the fillings and seasoning.
  2. Get an avo and a couple tomatoes and slice them up. Arrange in a circular motion on a toasted bagel. Season and give a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  3. Top with the tuna, finish with some cheese and pop under the grill until golden and bubbly.

How to make tuna melt bagels - 6 step by step photos

Tuna Bagel Variation

Tuna Grilled Cheese

I’ve made this into a grilled cheese before and works great! If you’re doing that you obviously don’t need the fancy avo/tomato circle, just two thick slices of bread, the same fillings and a truck tonne of cheese!

Tuna Bagels

As they are, they’re simply just open faced tuna bagels. But, you could plonk another toasted half on top and make it into a ‘full’ bagel. Just follow the recipe as instructed, still making sure you grill the cheese, then pop the second bagel half on top and the end.

Keep it simple!

If you’re in a rush, or don’t have the extra goodies, a simple tuna mayo tuna melt is always delicious!

tuna melts stacked on each other with lemon blurred in background

Tuna Melt FAQ

What bread to use for a Tuna Melt?

Personally I love a bagel, not just for their taste but also because it helps create that perfect circle of joy. However do go ahead and usual regular bread if that’s what your tastebuds are calling for. I advice going for a thick slice in comparison to a thin, flimsy slice.

What Cheese to use for a Tuna Melt?

I recommend a sharp cheddar cheese. The cheese is one of the hero ingredients of a tuna melt so I nice strong cheddar will let it shine. But whatever you fancy, just make sure it’s a cheese with a low melting point so you get a nice cheesy tuna melt. Swiss or mozzarella also works well if you want a more subtle flavour.

What goes with tuna melt sandwiches?

tuna melt on slate with more blurred in the background

If you’re looking for more Tuna Recipes check out my Greek Tuna Pasta Salad, Tuna Baked Potato and Tuna Fish Cakes!

For more similar recipes check out these beauties too:

Fun Bagel Recipes

How to make an Avocado Tuna Melt (Full Recipe & Video)

Avocado Tuna Melts stacked on a plate

Avocado Tuna Melt Bagels

These open faced tuna melts are made with bagels and loaded with cheese and avocado. They're fun to make and absolutely delicious to eat!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Servings (click & slide): 4
Course: Brunch / Lunch
Cuisine: Western
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Calories per serving: 420kcal
Author: Chris Collins
Cost per serving: £2 / $2.50

Equipment:

  • Medium Sized Mixing Bowl
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
  • Large Baking Tray
  • Cheese Grater

Ingredients (check list):

  • 2 Bagels, halved & toasted
  • 2x 6.5oz/185g cans of Tuna, drained
  • 2 medium sized Tomatoes, sliced into circles (you'll need two circles per bagel, so 8 in total)
  • 1 Avocado, sliced into strips (you'll need 4 strips per bagel, so 16 in total)
  • 4 tbsp Mayonnaise, or to preference
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Spring/Green Onion, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely diced
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
  • 4 pinches Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • 1 Lemon, juice only (to taste)
  • Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
  • drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions:

  • In a bowl, combine your tuna, mayo, mustard, onion, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (optional) and a squeeze of lemon juice. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly, then place to one side.
  • Assemble by placing a a slice of avocado on the bagel, then a tomato slice and repeat in a circular pattern. 4 slices of each should cover the surface (see video for reference).
  • Season with a sprinkle a little salt & pepper and drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Top with tuna mixture then finish with a sprinkle of cheese.
  • Pop under the grill and broil until golden and bubbly on top. Serve with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley.

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Bread - If you don't have bagels you can sub for 4 thick slices of bread (lightly toasted).
b) Can I make these ahead of time? - I don't recommend making the whole thing ahead of time, as the avocado is likely to brown and the bagel will go soggy. But you can make the tuna mix ahead of time, just tightly cover in the fridge until needed.
c) Tomato - This is optional, but does go nicely! Make sure it's slices to a similar thickness of the avocado. Regular salad tomatoes work well, as do Roma tomatoes.
d) Calories - based on using 1cup/100g cheddar. Calories per bagel.
 

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts
Avocado Tuna Melt Bagels
Amount Per Serving
Calories 420 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21.05g32%
Saturated Fat 7.104g36%
Trans Fat 0.335g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.031g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.571g
Cholesterol 61mg20%
Sodium 667mg28%
Potassium 543mg16%
Carbohydrates 30.85g10%
Fiber 5.7g23%
Sugar 4.37g5%
Protein 29.13g58%
Vitamin A 1500IU30%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Calcium 230mg23%
Iron 3.2mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
Tried this recipe?Show me how you got on by tagging @dontgobaconmyheart_ on IG and #dontgobaconmyheart!

If you loved this Tuna Melt recipe then be sure to pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!

January 30, 2018 (Last Updated: June 11, 2021) By
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16 Comments

  • Reply
    Stephanie
    November 24, 2021 at 2:30 pm

    5 stars
    I ended up using pico de gaio that I already had instead of just tomatoes, and adding a little smoked paprika to the tuna salad. It was fantastic and fairly low effort, and I like the easy flexibility between ingredients!

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      November 24, 2021 at 2:58 pm

      Love the addition of pico de gaio, will definitely have to give it a go myself! Thanks so much for the review 🙂 C. x

  • Reply
    Cilla
    February 4, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    5 stars
    These were so yummy and very easy to put together. My hubby, who doesn’t like avocado, loved them. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing.

    • Reply
      Chris
      February 4, 2018 at 6:02 pm

      So glad to hear you loved them, Cilla! 🙂

  • Reply
    Albert Bevia
    February 1, 2018 at 3:48 pm

    Being from Spain, I am a HUGE fan of canned tuna, we eat a ton of it, such a great idea to mix it with avocado! never thought of that, plus then adding it on top of a bagel….yeah this is a BIG winner

    • Reply
      Chris
      February 1, 2018 at 4:23 pm

      Thanks, Albert! 🙂

  • Reply
    cakespy
    February 1, 2018 at 12:24 pm

    Oh my god, these sound so delicious. That crispy-melty cheese! swooooooooooon.

    • Reply
      Chris
      February 1, 2018 at 4:12 pm

      Alllllll about that crispy-melty cheese 😉

  • Reply
    swathi
    February 1, 2018 at 3:54 am

    5 stars
    I love this tuna and avocado sandwich . Gooey cheddar cheese make it more delectable. I like the you spiced up the sandwich . I would like to try it for my breakfast.

    • Reply
      Chris
      February 1, 2018 at 9:17 am

      Gooey cheddar makes everything more delectable right!? 🙂

  • Reply
    Ellen
    February 1, 2018 at 2:22 am

    What a great flavor combo. A perfect weekend lunch. Looks easy too.

    • Reply
      Chris
      February 1, 2018 at 9:17 am

      You’re so right! Perfect weekend lunch!

  • Reply
    Patty @ Spoonabilities
    January 31, 2018 at 11:54 pm

    5 stars
    I love tuna / avocado together too so much. These open-faced sandwiches look amazing!

    • Reply
      Chris
      February 1, 2018 at 9:16 am

      Thanks, Patty! Nice to see another tuna/avocado lover!!! 🙂

  • Reply
    Jacqueline Meldrum
    January 31, 2018 at 11:10 pm

    Why don’t I make melts? That is my big question after this blog post.

    • Reply
      Chris
      January 31, 2018 at 11:24 pm

      You totally should!!

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