This old-fashioned tuna bumstead (or bunstead!) recipe is pure nostalgic comfort food: hot, cheesy tuna and egg salad sandwiches wrapped in foil and baked until melty. Grandma Jennie’s recipe, straight from her recipe box!
Your family will think you’re the best thing since sliced cheese when you pull a bunstead tuna melt wrapped in tinfoil out of the oven.
They’re deeee-licious!
My Grandma Jennie introduced me to these when I was in college, and my sister reminded me of them just the other day.
These hot, cheesy sandwiches can be baked in the oven wrapped in foil, or broiled open-faced for a quicker option. They can even be frozen ahead if you like!
Ingredients you’ll need for this delicious tuna melt (bumstead or bunstead sandwiches) baked in the oven:
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Tuna Bunstead (Bumstead) Recipe
Refer to the printable recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Canned tuna, drained and rinsed
- Hard-boiled eggs, cubed
- Cubed cheese (cheddar is great!)
- Diced onions
- Diced peppers, any color
- Diced sweet pickles (optional)
- Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper
- Buns
Watch this recipe being made!
Press play on the video below to see a quick clip of this recipe being made!
Step-by-step instructions for tuna bumstead sandwiches
Start by mixing everything together in a bowl: the tuna, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, onions, peppers, and pickles (if you’re using them), along with the Miracle Whip and a little salt and pepper.
Once it’s all combined, spoon a couple of heaping tablespoons of the tuna mixture into each bun. Then comes the fun part: wrap each sandwich individually in a piece of tinfoil! I lay each one diagonally in the center of a square of foil, then fold the corners up to meet in the middle, creating a nice, tightly sealed little package.
Pop them into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and gooey. And that’s it, lunch is served!
To freeze ahead:
Place all of the wrapped sandwiches in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. To bake from frozen, put them in the oven straight from the freezer while the oven preheats to 350. Leave them in for about 30 to 45 minutes. (Times may vary depending on your oven, so check them periodically during baking.)
Another baking option:
This recipe also works well if you want to make open-faced tuna melts quickly. Simply spread the filling on a piece of bread or one side of a bun. Place it on an oven-safe baking pan, move your oven rack to the top of the oven, and set the oven to the “broil” setting.
Keep an eye on the melting sandwich, since broiling happens very quickly! Broiling times vary by oven, but it won’t take long, probably 2 to 4 minutes. The sandwich is done when the cheese has melted and the filling and bread are just starting to turn brown.
Want some more old-fashioned recipes?
I love sentimental recipes from years gone by! Here are some more recipes that have stood the test of time:
- This Old Fashioned Blackberry Jam recipe has no pectin and can be adjusted to whatever amount of fresh blackberries you have.
- Grandma Bernice’s Strawberry Pie with Jello
- Homemade pudding made in the microwave
- How to can apple juice that is clear
- Chocolate Marshmallow Roll
- Easy Biscuits
Grab the planner I use to simplify grocery trips and dinners!
Grandma's Bunstead Tuna Melt Recipe in Tinfoil
Make lunchtime extra special with these hot and cheesy tuna and egg salad sandwiches. This old-fashioned tuna melt recipe baked in tinfoil will bring back memories of the good old childhood days!
Ingredients
Method
- You can use hot dog buns, small Italian buns, or dinner buns.
- I lay each sandwich diagonally in the middle of a square piece of aluminum foil. Then I fold each corner to the middle, with all the points on top. It makes a nice, tightly sealed sandwich package.
Notes
To freeze ahead: Place all of the wrapped sandwiches in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. To bake from frozen, put them in the oven straight from the freezer while the oven preheats to 350. Leave them in for about 30 to 45 minutes. (Times may vary depending on your oven, so check them periodically during baking.) Another baking option: This recipe also works well if you want to make open-faced tuna melts quickly. Spread the filling on a piece of bread or one side of a bun, place it on an oven-safe baking pan, move your oven rack to the top of the oven, and set the oven to the “broil” setting. Keep an eye on the melting sandwich, since broiling happens very quickly! Broiling times vary by oven, but it won’t take long, probably 2 to 4 minutes. The sandwich is done when the cheese has melted and the filling and bread are just starting to turn brown.
Place all of the wrapped sandwiches in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. To bake from frozen, put them in the oven straight from the freezer while the oven preheats to 350. Leave them in for about 30 to 45 minutes. (Times may vary depending on your oven, so check them periodically during baking.)
This recipe also works well if you want to make open-faced tuna melts quickly. Spread the filling on a piece of bread or one side of a bun, place it on an oven-safe baking pan, move your oven rack to the top of the oven, and set the oven to the “broil” setting.
Keep an eye on the melting sandwich, since broiling happens very quickly! Broiling times vary by oven, but it won’t take long, probably 2 to 4 minutes. The sandwich is done when the cheese has melted and the filling and bread are just starting to turn brown.
