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For an easy, quick meal that delivers flavor, make this Mediterranean tuna salad with egg. This sandwich checks off all the boxes with fresh herbs, briny olives and capers, buttery walnuts, and creamy eggs.
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What makes this dish special
I am no discriminator of sandwiches. Shrimp burgers with tartar sauce, roasted pork sandwich with aji cilantro sauce, Philly via Argentina sandwich, I love them all. Perhaps it has something to do with my mom feeding me sandwiches every day for lunch during my childhood, but I will always have a special place in my heart for them.
Recently, I was desperately craving a tuna salad sandwich, but most shops bathe their tuna in a hefty amount of mayonnaise; not exactly what I'm looking for. To create a healthier version, I took influences from Mediterranean cuisine and whipped up a tuna salad with an egg far from boring. Castelvetrano olives, fresh herbs, capers, and buttery toasted walnuts complete this meal, making this my new favorite Mediterranean tuna salad with egg sandwich.
For a different but equally delicious tuna sandwich, check out this yuzu tuna sandwich with chili crisp!
Ingredients
- Canned tuna: For the sake of ease, we're using canned tuna to prepare the sandwiches. You can also use canned chicken if you prefer.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs, including dill and parsley, add flavor to the canned tuna. You can substitute the dill for additional parsley or basil if you prefer.
- Stone ground mustard: This type of mustard has a coarse texture from the mustard seeds. If you can't find stone ground mustard, use Dijon mustard.
- Capers: Similar to olives, capers have a briny flavor with a hint of floral tartness and a bold salty flavor profile.
- Walnuts: The buttery nuts add texture to the tuna salad. Substitute with toasted pine nuts or almonds if you prefer or omit them completely.
- Castelvetrano olives: These olives are buttery with a crisp bite and meaty texture. They have a milder flavor than other olives, making them ideal for this sandwich.
- Crusty bread: To hold the weight of the tuna salad, use hearty bread such as sourdough or ciabatta.
Substitutions and variations
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free sandwich bread.
- Spicy: If you want to add a spicy kick, add pickled jalapenos or Calabrian chilies.
Recipe
Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Egg
Ingredients
Tuna Salad
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 10 ounces canned tuna drained
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- ⅓ cup toasted and chopped walnuts
- salt and pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 2 tablespoons castelvetrano olives sliced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- ½ cup arugula
- 2 boiled eggs sliced
- 4 slices crusty bread
Instructions
- Make the marinade for tuna. Combine parsley, dill, olive oil, mustard, capers, and lemon juice until well mixed. Add vinaigrette to tuna along with mayo and mix well to combine. Stir in walnuts and season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble sandwiches. Top crusty bread with arugula, tuna salad, eggs, shallots, and olives followed by remaining bread. Serve.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make herb vinaigrette
Have 20 minutes to spare and a can of tuna? Make this Mediterranean tuna salad with egg. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Since the main ingredient is canned tuna, there is barely any cooking involved. Boil a couple of eggs, toast some walnuts, and you are ready to assemble.
Prepare the vinaigrette for the tuna salad, whisking together all of the ingredients. I did add just a touch of mayo to add a little creaminess to the salad, but don't worry, the tuna will not taste heavy.
Drizzle the dressing on the tuna, making sure to season with salt and pepper. Finish by mixing in the chopped walnuts and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Assemble sandwiches
I used homemade sourdough for the bread, but anything will work: white bread, rye, or honey wheat. What can I say? I can't resist a hearty slice of homemade sourdough bread when it comes to a sandwich.
Pile on the arugula, thinly sliced shallot, sliced eggs, and olives. If the shallots have too much of a kick for you, soak them in ice water for 10 minutes. This will help minimize the sharp taste they can have.
Voila! The sandwich is ready to be devoured.
I loved everything about this Mediterranean tuna salad with egg. It seems so simple, but every flavor component from the briny olives to the creamy egg to the buttery walnuts all work together to make one delicious sandwich.
One more for the road, please!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Make the tuna salad and boil the eggs the day before. Then, when you're ready to serve, assemble the sandwiches and enjoy.
- Store: Keep leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 2 days.
Frequently asked questions
This sandwich is very versatile and can be edited according to your preference. If you don't like walnuts, swap them for almonds. Not a fan of olives? Just omit them.
Absolutely! You can easily double or triple the recipe to make a large batch.
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Roslia Santamaria says
This looks super tasty!! I can’t wait to give it a try! It’s all delicious ingredients 🙂
Cherry on My Sundae says
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!