The Ina Garten Sandwich Recipe I’m Going to Make All the Time

While I was growing up in New York City, diners were plentiful. Many were Greek-owned and had long histories, with sticky leather booths and photos of framed newspaper clippings hung on the walls. While many have sadly now closed, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, some have still held on.

One of my favorite photos of Paul McCartney is of him and his daughter Heather standing across the street from the Lexington Candy Shoppe in 1969. The diner is still standing today and is one of the only restaurants (if not the only one) to still hand-mix its Coca-Cola.  

What’s great about these New York diners is that you know what to expect. No matter where you go, you know that you’ll open the large, laminated menu and find dishes like pancakes, coffee, burgers, and egg creams. The sandwich options are typically extensive and come with coleslaw and pickles, an invaluable bonus.

Tuna melts are one of these staple diner sandwiches. To many, the idea of this sandwich sounds disgusting. Fish with cheese? But somehow, it just works—the gooey cheese and grilled bread take a plain tuna sandwich to the next level. And Ina’s recipe brings those classic diner flavors home.

Why I Love Ina Garten’s Tuna Melt

Ina Garten’s tuna melt recipe takes the iconic sandwich to new heights. Her elevated version uses tuna packed in olive oil, a higher-quality option than tuna packed in water or vegetable oil. She also mixes in vibrant ingredients like scallions, dill, and anchovy paste into the salad, and uses shredded Swiss cheese instead of cheddar or American. 

This recipe is excellent for meal prep. You can make the tuna salad in advance and put together individual sandwiches throughout the week. The tuna salad will meld and become even more flavorful as it sits in the fridge. Once the tuna is prepped, it only takes a few minutes to assemble, which involves toasting the bread and melting the cheese in the broiler.

Quick Tips for Making Ina’s Tuna Melt

• Tuna: Instead of imported jarred tuna, I used Trader Joe’s Albacore tuna packed in olive oil.
• Omissions and substitutions: I left out the anchovy paste and used an arugula and spinach mix instead of microgreens. 
• Quantities: Ina’s recipe calls for 18 to 24 ounces of tuna. I recommend using the larger quantity of tuna that Ina calls for or reducing the mayonnaise by a quarter so the salad isn’t too creamy. I also doubled the vegetables and herbs.
• Serving: Pair with juicy, fresh tomato and embrace a full diner experience with coleslaw, sour pickles, and French fries.