Grandma’s Bunstead (Bumstead) Tuna Melt Recipe

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 are the best thing since sliced cheese when you pull a bunstead tuna melt sandwich in tinfoil out of the oven.

They’re deeee-licious!

My Grandma Jennie introduced these to me when I was in college, and my sister reminded me of them just the other day.

These hot and 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’d like!

Ingredients you’ll need for this delicious tuna melt (bumstead or bunstead sandwiches) in the oven sandwich:

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 & pepper
• Buns

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 that 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, making 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 wrapped sandwiches in the freezer until you’d like to use them. To bake from frozen, place in the oven directly from the freezer and let them bake while the oven is preheating to 350. Leave them in the oven for about 30-45 minutes. (Times may vary depending on your oven, so check them periodically throughout the baking time.)

Another baking option:

This recipe also works well if you’d like to quickly make open faced tuna melt sandwiches. To do so, simply spread filling on a piece of bread or one side of a bun. Place on an oven safe baking pan, move your oven rack to the top of the oven, and put your oven setting on the “broil” setting.

Keep an eye on the melting sandwich, as broiling tends to go very quickly! Broiling times vary based on ovens, but it won’t take long – probably 2-4 minutes. The sandwich will be done when the cheese is 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 customized to whatever amount of fresh blackberries you have.
• Grandma Bernice’s Strawberry Pie with Jello
• Homemade pudding in the microwave
• How to can apple juice that is clear
• Chocolate Marshmallow Roll
• Easy Biscuits

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