Classic tuna melt meets pita wrap sandwich in this super easy lunch creation for two! Homemade tuna salad topped with fresh sliced tomato and melty cheddar cheese over a soft warm pita – lunch dreams are made of these Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches!
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If you’re anything like us, you’re eating a lot more lunches at home lately. Meal prep is always your friend, but let’s be real: we aren’t meal prepping every single meal!
Here’s a one-off meal that’s quick, easy and melty cheesy. It requires no special equipment. It’s easy to fit into your day and not make a ton of leftovers. And we’ve been eating it on repeat these last couple months. So I had to share.
What are the ingredients in these Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches?
This recipe has three main components: pita, tuna salad, and cheese.
The tuna salad is super flexible. Feel free to sub or swap your favorite ingredients with things you already have on hand.
Example: Don’t go buy a red onion just to put two tablespoons of diced red onion into the tuna salad. I added it to my salad because I already had some red onion that needed to be used.
Or, skip the red onion entirely. It’s up to you! Here’s what I put in my tuna salad:
- tuna – One 5 ounce can of wild caught tuna packed in water works great for this recipe with zero leftovers to pack up or deal with.
- dill pickles – Tuna and pickles just go together. Always have, always will.
- celery stalk – This gives the salad more crunch and bulk without adding flavors that would compete with the pickle and tuna.
- red onion – If you have any red onion around, a little bit chopped up gives this tuna salad a nice subtle bite.
- mayo – In the same way that pickles go with tuna, mayo is the glue that holds them together. Required!
- garlic powder – I love garlic. You just need a little and it’s not worth chopping up a whole clove.
- salt and pepper – To bring it all together.
How do you make the Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches?
Prep and mix your tuna salad ingredients together in a bowl. Divide the salad between the two pitas, putting it only on half of the pita. Put your tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Leave the pita open-faced and place in a toaster oven or regular oven. Toast for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melty on top to your liking!
What kind of pita bread do you use?
The pitas pictured are from Costco and are considered Greek style pitas with no pocket (think of the pita that a gyro comes on). These are generally better for wrapping or folding like a sandwich in my opinion.
Can I make this into a pita pocket sandwich instead?
You can use *either* a Greek style pita (no pocket) or a more Middle Eastern style pita with a pocket.
You can place the tuna salad on top of the pita open-faced style (like I’ve done), or you can stuff the pita pocket with your tuna salad. Either way works!
However, for toasting the pita, I prefer to keep it open-faced style with a Greek pita so the toppings and cheese can all melt evenly.
Are these Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches meal prep friendly?
Yes! You can prepare the tuna salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make your Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches.
What are some other meals made with pita bread?
Another thing I’ve done with pitas a lot in my life is use them as the base for personal pizzas. So smart! Here are several Pita Pizza ideas from A Mindfull Mom!
A classic meal idea with pitas that I need to make at home sometime soon – Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce from Modern Honey!
And of course if your pitas have pockets, here are 10 Easy Ways to Stuff Them for Lunch from The Kitchn (I’m kind of obsessed with this website).
More easy lunch recipes from Project Meal Plan:
Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches
Classic tuna melt meets pita wrap sandwich in this super easy lunch creation for two! Homemade tuna salad topped with fresh sliced tomato and melty cheddar cheese over a soft warm pita – lunch dreams are made of these Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches!
- Total Time10 minutes
- Yield2 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (5 ounce) can of tuna, drained
- 1 large dill pickle, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red onion, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Greek style pitas
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- sliced tomato (optional)
Instructions
- Make the tuna salad: In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, pickle, celery, mayo, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper until well mixed.
- Make the pitas: Divide the tuna salad between the two pitas, putting the tuna salad only on half of the pita. Put your tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Leave the pita open-faced and place in a toaster oven or regular oven. Toast for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melty on top to your liking. Save leftover tuna salad in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunches
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pita sandwich
- Calories: 481
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Protein: 32g
Did you make these Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches? How’d they turn out? I’d like to see! Tag me in your post so I can see your creation, or use #projectmealplan to share!
