Kimchi Tuna Melt Recipe

Kimchi Tuna Melt

PREP TIME

25 min

TOTAL TIME

30 min

Serves

Produced by Aimee Nishitoba, Photo by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Eshun Mott, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.

Long live sandwiches for dinner! These tuna melts by Michelle Lucas Larving are not only super simple to pull together but also incredibly delicious thanks to the bright and briny flavour of kimchi. Served open-faced so they can be piled high with toppings, they’re satisfying enough to become a go-to staple for any day of the week.

Ingredients

5 tbsp mayonnaise , preferably Kewpie
1/2 tsp gochujang
2 160-g cans solid light tuna in olive oil , drained
2 green onions , thinly sliced, divided into whites and greens
1 celery stalk , finely chopped
1 tsp black sesame seeds
4 slices sourdough , each 3⁄4-in. thick, lightly toasted
1 cup kimchi , drained well and chopped
3/4 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese

Instructions

Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Stir mayo with gochujang in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in tuna, onion whites, celery and sesame seedsuntil combined.
Arrange toasted sourdough slices on prepared sheet. Divide and spread tuna mixture over each slice. Top with kimchi, then sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted, 4 to 6 min. Sprinkle onion greens overtop. Garnish with celery leaves and an additional sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately with crinkle-cut chips on the side, if you like.

Spice it up

A pile of crunchy, spicy kimchi adds some kick to the classic tuna melt.

Hold off on the salt!

There’s plenty of sodium in the main ingredients to ensure these tuna melts are well-seasoned.

No kewpie?

Kewpie mayonnaise has an ultra-creamy texture that’s balanced out with a hit of acidity, but any brand of mayonnaise can be used in a pinch. Or you can approximate the flavour at home by mixing a dash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar into regular mayo.

Kitchen tip

Celery leaves are often tossed away, but they can be used as a herb substitute to add freshness to a dish. Look for the tender ones that are found toward the centre of the crown.