Do you say “tunafish”? Or just “tuna”?
Sandwiches made with a salad of canned tuna, mayonnaise and celery were “tunafish” to me growing up because that’s what my parents, both New Yorkers, called them. But I’ve rarely, if ever, heard the word in California. It’s always “tuna salad” or “tuna sandwich”, but never “tunafish.” I’m thinking it might be a regional term. Like “pocketbook”, “dungarees” and “AH-ranges” – other notables from my early vocabulary that used to perplex my childhood friends on the West Coast.
I started thinking about tunafish (or tuna) after my friend Sarah recently shared a photo of a tuna melt panino she’d made (see left). “Inspired by Panini Happy!” she remarked. Hooray! I love hearing when I’ve inspired someone, panini-wise. Hers looked so enticing that she, in turn, inspired me to grill a tuna melt as well. I still do my tunafish really simply – with just celery, mayo and salt and pepper. This time I dressed it up a little with bacon and piled it all on a batard I baked fresh an hour earlier (I’m telling you, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
No matter what you call it, it’s hard to beat a good tuna melt.
Bacon Tuna Melt Panini
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
1 6-ounce can albacore tuna in water, drained
1/2 rib celery, minced
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more for spreading on bread
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices country-style bread (I used a homemade batard)
4 slices fully cooked bacon
1 tomato, sliced thinly
2-4 slices mozzarella cheese (cheddar or swiss would also be nice)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the panini grill to 375 degrees. (No grill? See “How to Make Panini Without a Panini Press”)
In a small bowl, combine albacore, celery, mayonnaise salt and pepper to make tuna salad.
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each slice of bread. Assemble each sandwich with bacon, tuna salad, tomatoes and cheese between two slices of bread.
Grill panini for 6-7 minutes (if you’re using sliced bread, you might want to brush a little melted butter or olive oil on the outside for extra crispness and flavor) until the cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Serve immediately and enjoy!
>Want more panini recipes? Check out the Recipe Index for a list of all recipes on Panini Happy.
Yup, it's a panini blog! Here, you'll find more than 80 of my original 
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
The melted cheese looks amazing, it’s really hard to resist that!
[Reply]
I’m LOL because I have to think to force myself NOT to say tunafish since people laugh at that word. We always referred to it as tunafish. I also never wore “dungarees” until I was an adult. My mom was born in NYC and moved upstate to Rockland County, where she met my dad, when she was in her late teens. I no doubt have lots more regionalisms. BTW, I had been longing for a tunafish sandwich. I never like it at home. I had one on rye toast yesterday for lunch. I love chicken salad melts, but for some reason, the idea of warm tuna(fish) has never appealed. Yours does look delicious. It may change my mind.
[Reply]
We said tunafish growing up too. I think Tuna Salad does sound better though. I am loving the ABin5 bread too. Your panini looks beautiful!
[Reply]
YUM!!!!!!
(and I grew up just outside of Boston saying tunafish too!)
[Reply]
1. I want to eat this. Right now.
2. Just tuna, not tunafish – I mean is there another kind of tuna that isn’t a fish? – and I grew up in Vancouver, BC. Although “tuna fish sandwiches” was not unheard of to say, but I’d never refer to the substance as tunafish.
[Reply]
This looks so good! I feel like I remember my mom saying tunafish…but I say ‘tuna’ or ‘tuna salad.”
I remember always arguing with my friends over the word syrup: was it “SUR-up” or “SEER-up.” I always said the latter!
[Reply]
i’ve made no secret of the fact that i don’t care for tuna, but masked by glorious bacon, i think it’d be alllllll right.
[Reply]
tuna fish is one of my favorite sandwiches! I guess I call it tuna fish…I think of “tuna” as actual tuna steak or something…anyway…
this looks awesome! oh that bread is making me drool. I have that book, haven’t tried it yet!!
[Reply]
OK, Kathy — you’ve made the humble tuna sammich look seriously incredible. But, isn’t everything better with a bit of bacon?
[Reply]
I love tuna, but always forget to eat it! Thanks for the reminder, great looking sandwich!
[Reply]
Hi. Looks delish! Long time reader, first time commenting… I have a quick question for you. Do you think I could successfully make a great Panini on a George Foreman grill? Thanks for your time.
[Reply]
I grew up saying tunafish. Must be an East Coast thing. Either way your panini looks awesome.
[Reply]
Just tuna. Tuna all the way. No cheese, but tons ‘o bacon!
[Reply]
OHH my gosh. Looks delicious. Reminds me of the days when my sister and I worked at Subway, and we’d make ourselves tuna sandwiches with bacon, avocado, and cheese. LOL.
[Reply]
Holly – You can absolutely make great panini with a George Foreman grill. Depending on the model you have it may not be all that different from many panini grills. Happy grilling!
[Reply]
I use few words as possible; so tuna it is.
But, no matter. I just wish I had that tuna/tunafish sandwich in front of me right now.
[Reply]
I have never had a tuna melt..can you believe it?! Tons of tuna fish sandwiches, but never a melt. I love this sandwich (maybe it’s the bacon, lol). It’s so weird, when it comes to sandwiches I say tunafish, but with everything else, just tuna.
[Reply]
We always called it tunafish too. And my parents were NY’ers as well. Regional, I suppose.
Looks great Kathy. Panini is the plan for dinner tonight. It will be attempt #3 with my new press. First time I made the sandwiches too big, second time too smashed. This time I hope to get it right.
[Reply]
I grew up in Massachusetts and it was tunafish. Of course, now it’s tuna. I mean, we don’t say bassfish or troutfish, do we? LOL
[Reply]
I enjoyed “tunafish” salad as a kid in Chicago. Now I can’t wait to try your tuna melt. With bacon!!! Mmmmm bacon.
[Reply]
I never would have thought to combine tuna with strips of bacon. I guess it’s a texture thing for me. Your sandwich looks great.
[Reply]
Wow! This tuna panini looks fabulous!
[Reply]
I grew up in New England and it was tunafish and dungarees! Can’t wait to make this recipe- lunch tomorrow perhaps?
[Reply]
I can’t get my hubby to eat tuna, but maybe if I tried putting it in something this good looking, he’d change his mind. Yum!
[Reply]
When I was a kid, it was always tunafish, because thats what my grandma always called it. Though I never actually eat it myself, I call it tuna. I am on the west coast, and have heard plenty of people say it both ways.
[Reply]
That tuna melt looks great!
[Reply]
I am a 5th generation Californian and NEVER said tuna salad….it was alway a tunafish sandwich!
[Reply]