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Need a super delicious lunch or 15-minute dinner idea? These spicy tuna melt wraps are quick, easy and SO GOOD! Crispy and toasty on the outside, creamy tuna and melty cheese on the inside, plus some crunchy bits for texture and loads of flavor from spicy mayo and chili crisp.
3 Reasons I Love These Tuna Melt Wraps
These spicy tuna melt wraps are my current lunch obsession. I’ve been making them on repeat over here lately… they’re just so good!
- So delicious and satisfying: The contrast of the crispy wrap with the creamy tuna filling and melty cheese is already so good but then we also add in some crunchy bits for texture and some spicy mayo and chili crisp to take this tuna melt wrap to the next level.
- Quick and easy: These come together in about 15 minutes which makes them perfect for lunch or those nights when you don’t really feel like cooking. Add a side of cut up veggies, a salad or bowl of soup and dinner is done.
- Easy to customize: You can switch things up with different cheeses, add extra veggies, make them milder or spicier. They’re super flexible and hard to mess up.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make these spicy tuna melt wraps:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Wraps: Use large flour tortillas or wraps about 10 inches in diameter. Smaller wraps are harder to roll and don’t leave enough room for the filling.
- Cheese: I like to use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella here. The cheddar adds flavor while the mozzarella makes it extra melty.
- Tuna: Use whatever canned tuna you like best. I usually go for skipjack tuna because it’s a smaller variety of tuna that is lower in mercury (source).
- Other Tuna Filling Ingredients: The tuna gets mixed together with mayonnaise, soy sauce (or tamari), sriracha, chopped green onions and water chestnuts (for that satisfying crunch).
- Chili Crisp: A spoonful of your favorite chili crisp adds the perfect spicy, crunchy finish that really takes these tuna melt wraps over the top.
Variations
- Switch up the protein: Swap the tuna for canned salmon or shredded chicken.
- Use your favorite cheeses: Use whatever melty cheese you love instead of the cheddar and mozzarella. Gouda, provolone, havarti, Monterey Jack would all be delicious.
- Add extra veggies: Chopped celery, bell peppers, shredded carrots, baby spinach or even corn kernels would all be great additions if you want more texture and veggies.
- Turn it into a sandwich: Skip the wrap and pile the filling between two slices of bread for a spicy tuna melt sandwich.
- Make it milder or spicier: Add extra chili crisp and sriracha if you love heat or tone it down for a milder version
How To Make Spicy Tuna Melt Wraps
Let me show you how quickly and easily these spicy tuna melt wraps come together. Fair warning: once you try them, you’ll probably start making them on repeat too.
Step 1: Make the tuna filling
In a bowl, mix together 1 can of tuna (drained and flaked up), ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup finely chopped green onions, ¼ cup chopped water chestnuts, 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari) and 1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste).
Step 2: Assemble the wraps
Lay 2 large flour tortillas or wraps out on a clean work surface. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle the cheese mixture over the tortillas.
Divide the tuna filling evenly between the wraps, placing it in a row slightly below center. Spoon over some chili crisp.
Fold in the sides of the tortilla first. Then bring the bottom flap up and over the filling and roll up burrito-style, tucking in the sides as you go.
Step 3: Toast the wraps
Heat a thin layer of oil (I like avocado oil) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the wraps seam-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy underneath, gently pressing down with a spatula a few times while they cook. Flip over and repeat on the other side. If you want grill marks, a grill pan works great here too.
Step 4: Serve
Slice in half and enjoy while warm, crispy and melty!
HelpFul Tips
A Few Tips
- Drain the tuna well: Make sure to drain the tuna really well before mixing up the filling. Extra liquid can make the wraps soggy instead of crispy.
- Warm the tortillas if needed: Fresh tortillas roll the easiest but if yours feel a little stiff or like they will crack, pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften them up before assembling.
- Use a serrated knife to slice: A sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion works best to cut these in half. It helps cut through the crispy wrap without squishing all the filling out the sides.
- Shred your own cheese: For the creamiest, meltiest texture, freshly shredded cheese is the way to go. The bagged pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch but it doesn’t melt quite as smoothly because of the anti-caking coating.
FAQ
You can make the tuna filling mixture a couple of days in advance and keep it in the fridge. Then just assemble and toast the wrap when you’re ready to eat so they stay nice and crispy.
Absolutely! These work really well in a sandwich press or panini press and get super crispy and golden. Just place them seam-side down and toast until the outside is crisp and cheese is melty.
Yup, the air fryer works too. I personally prefer the skillet or sandwich press because the wraps get crispier. To cook them in the air fryer, place them seam-side down at 380F for about 5 minutes or until golden.
More Great Lunch Ideas
Let me know if you give these spicy tuna melt wraps a try! I love hearing from you… please leave a comment below.
Spicy Tuna Melt Wrap
- Prep Time: 9 min
- Cook Time: 6 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 2 wraps 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: American
Description
Need a super delicious lunch or 15-minute dinner idea? These spicy tuna melt wraps are quick, easy and SO GOOD! Crispy and toasty on the outside, creamy tuna and melty cheese on the inside, plus some crunchy bits for texture and loads of flavor from spicy mayo and chili crisp.
Ingredients
- 1 (5-6 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked up
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup finely chopped green onions
- ¼ cup chopped water chestnuts
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 teaspoon sriracha, or to taste
- 2 large flour tortillas or wraps (about 10-inch diameter)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp/chili crunch, or to taste
Instructions
- Make the tuna filling: In a bowl, mix together the tuna, mayonnaise, green onions, water chestnuts, soy sauce and sriracha.
- Assemble the wraps: Lay the tortillas out on a clean work surface. Sprinkle over the shredded cheddar and mozzarella. Divide the tuna filling evenly between the wraps, placing it in a row slightly below center. Spoon the chili crisp over top.
- Roll them up: Fold in the sides of the tortilla and tuck the bottom edge over the tuna filling and roll up from the bottom like a burrito, tucking in the sides as you go.
- Toast: Heat a thin layer of oil (I like avocado oil) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the wraps seam-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden and crispy underneath, gently pressing down with a spatula a few times while they cook. Flip over and repeat on the other side. Alternatively, place seam-side down in a sandwich press or panini press until golden brown.
- Serve: Slice in half and enjoy while warm, crispy and melty!
Notes
- Warm the tortillas if needed: Fresh tortillas roll the easiest but if yours feel a little stiff or like they will crack, pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften them up before assembling.
- Make ahead: You can make the tuna filling mixture a couple of days in advance and keep it in the fridge. Then just assemble and toast the wrap when you’re ready to eat so they stay nice and crispy.
- Can they be made in the air fryer? Yes but after trying all the ways, I personally prefer the skillet or sandwich press because the wraps get crispier. To cook them in the air fryer, place them seam-side down at 380F for about 5 minutes or until golden.
