These Herbed Tuna Salad Sandwiches are made with fresh herbs and juicy roasted tomatoes. They make a delicious spring or summer lunch and go great with a side of greens or chips!
This recipe is our grown-up version of the classic tuna salad sandwich. While we love a bit of canned tuna with mayo, pickles, and salt and pepper, sometimes we want something a little more elevated.
These herbed tuna salad sandwiches tick all the boxes for fresh, healthy-ish, and delicious. The juicy roasted tomatoes on top add a bit of sweetness while the greens add a pop of color and balanced flavor.
Pack them up for your next picnic or add them to your lunch menu for the week! For more sandwiches, try our Mediterranean Goat Cheese Sandwich with Herbed Mayo or this Truffle Grilled Cheese.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: The “hardest” part is chopping the herbs, but once you’ve got that out of the way, this sandwich comes together in a flash.
- Fresh Flavor: The combination of fresh herbs, lemon juice, and microgreens liven the flavor of the tuna salad, making it a staple for spring and summer.
- Perfect for Lunch: These make a tasty midday meal and are great sandwiches to bring to a picnic.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Here you’ll find notes on why we chose certain ingredients as well as any substitutions.
- Canned Tuna: We use tuna in olive oil and drain the liquid before using. Our favorite brand is Mind Fish Co.
- Mayo: We use Hellmann’s, but Dukes is another good option.
- Dijon Mustard: This gives the tuna salad a bit of tang and depth of flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh is best.
- Shallot: You’ll need 3 tbsp of finely chopped shallots from about 1-2 whole shallots.
- Fresh Herbs: We use a combination of fresh tarragon, dill, and thyme. Dried herbs won’t have the same bright flavor, so we recommend sticking with fresh.
- Capers: These add a touch of pepperiness to the tuna salad, but you can omit them if you want.
- Ground Black Pepper: You’ll need ½ tsp.
- Cherry Tomatoes: We love the flavor of roasted cherry tomatoes in these herbed tuna sandwiches.
- Olive Oil: We use extra-virgin for roasting the tomatoes.
- Flaky Sea Salt: We like to sprinkle a generous amount on top of the freshly roasted tomatoes.
- Long Baguette: You can also use demi-baguettes.
- Microgreens: For a bit of greenery and balance of flavors. We used micro arugula, but any kind of microgreens will work.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Roast the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the tomatoes on a small lined baking sheet. Drizzle with ½ tbsp of olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes until wrinkled and juicy. Once baked, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then give the tomatoes a little squish with the back of a spoon to flatten them out a bit.
STEP 2: Make the tuna salad. While the tomatoes are in the oven, make the tuna salad by tossing together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Be sure to break up the tuna as you’re mixing.
STEP 3: Make the sandwiches. Cut the baguette into 4 pieces and cut them through the center length-wise. Add the tuna to the bottom half of the baguettes then top with the roasted tomatoes and micro greens. Serve them with a side of chips or a salad and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Pick a “drier” bread. The tuna salad and tomatoes have quite a bit of moisture which pairs well with a thick sturdy bread like a baguette.
- Use fresh herbs. Since everything else in this recipe is made with fresh ingredients (minus the canned tuna), we recommend sticking with fresh herbs.
Serving
Depending on how thick your baguettes are and how much they can hold, there could be leftover herbed tuna salad. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of things you can add it to so it doesn’t go to waste!
- On top of salad: Add it on top of some fresh greens.
- Lettuce wraps: Bundle up your tuna salad in bibb or butter lettuce for a low-carb wrap.
- As a snack: Pair it with some crackers and fresh veggies for healthy snack.
The tomatoes are best served fresh, so if you plan on making more with the leftover tuna, we recommend roasting them right before serving.
FAQ
Yes, we recommend sticking with a sturdy rustic bread like sourdough or batard bread. Whole wheat would be good too!
Of course! Cover it with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. We don’t recommend storing the fully assembled sandwiches though as they could get soggy.
If you don’t mind a bit more tang in your tuna salad, you can use plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayo.
If you tried this recipe, let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating and review below and tag us on Instagram @fancifuleats so we can see your amazing kitchen creations!
📖 Recipe
Herbed Tuna Salad Sandwiches with Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes:
- 1 ½ cups (222 g) cherry tomatoes
- ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 generous pinch flaky sea salt
Herbed Tuna Salad Sandwiches:
- 2 5.6-oz (160 g) cans tuna in olive oil drained
- ½ cup (110 g) mayo
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp shallot finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 2 tbsp capers drained
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 long baguette*
- 1 cup (32 g) microgreens packed
Instructions
Roasted Tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet and coat with ½ tbsp of olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until wrinkled and juicy.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Once cool, give them a little squish with the back of a spoon to flatten them out a bit.
Herbed Tuna Salad:
- While the tomatoes are roasting, make the tuna salad by adding the tuna, mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, shallot, herbs, capers, and black pepper to a large bowl. Break up the tuna into small pieces and stir to combine.
- Cut the baguette into 4 pieces and slice them lengthwise through the center.
- Place the tuna salad on the bottom halves of the bread and add the tomatoes and microgreens on top. Cover with the top half of the bread and serve with a side of chips or a salad.
Notes
- Bread: You can also use demi-baguettes or any other rustic bread like sourdough. Whole wheat bread would be good too.
- You can make the tuna salad ahead of time and cover it with plastic wrap before storing it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Any leftover tuna salad can be stored for up to 1 day after making.
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