Name: Italian Style Tuna Salad Sandwich
Prep time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 5 oz cans tuna packed in oil; ½ cup chopped artichoke hearts (about 4 whole canned artichoke hearts drained and cut into eighths); 10 pitted green olives (halved); 1 tbsp capers (rinsed of excess brine); 1 tbsp shallot (finely minced); ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 1 tsp lemon juice; zest of one lemon; 1-2 tbsp mayonnaise; salt & pepper (to taste); 4 ciabatta sandwich rolls (sliced in half; see note)

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Italian Tuna Salad Sandwich (Listen, it’s REALLY hard to take a great picture of a tuna sandwich.)

There’s a great sandwich shop in my town (Dom’s for those of you in the know) that makes a variety of awesome Italian sandwiches. And they are all fantastic. But, every time I go into that sandwich shop, I can’t help but order the Tonno. It’s the sandwich that inspired this Italian tuna salad sandwich. And, it’s super delicious!

I figure, if I can reliably create this copycat version at home, then I’ll be open to ordering their other amazing sandwiches moving forward. And this is a really easy sandwich to recreate at home. It comes down to one ingredient: Italian-style tuna packed in olive oil.

♥ Related: Buffalo Eggplant Sandwich

This is an ingredient I didn’t discover until well into my 30’s. I was brought up on solid white albacore in a blue can. But, now I love this style of canned tuna fish. Because it’s packed–and probably cooked–in olive oil, it has a really luscious mouthfeel. It’s so tasty and worth the extra cost.

Shop: Italian-style Tuna

The ingredients for this sandwich are pretty easy to keep on hand in the pantry, so now, whenever I want a Tonno, it’s just as far as my kitchen!

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5 from 1 vote

Italian Style Tuna Salad Sandwich

This Italian tuna salad sandwich is a Mediterranean twist on a classic deli fave. It's bright, briny, and just a touch creamy. It may become your new go-to tuna sandwich.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Artichokes, Olives, Quick & Easy, Sandwich, Tuna

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

2 5 oz cans tuna packed in oil
½ cup chopped artichoke hearts about 4 whole canned artichoke hearts drained and cut into eighths
10 pitted green olives halved
1 tbsp capers rinsed of excess brine
1 tbsp shallot finely minced
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1-2 tbsp mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste
4 ciabatta sandwich rolls sliced in half; see note

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add the tuna, undrained. You want the olive oil as part of the sandwich dressing.
Add artichoke hearts, olives, capers, shallots, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix to combine well.
Add one tbsp of mayonnaise, stir, and give it a taste. Add another if the tuna salad is too dry for you.
Also add salt and pepper to taste. There are a lot of salty ingredients in this tuna so you might not need much salt. But, it's your tuna salad, so season it how you want!
Portion the tuna between the four ciabatta rolls. Enjoy!

Notes

Dom’s has the best ciabatta rolls. I think ciabatta is the best vehicle for this sandwich, but you can use what you have available. If you can find any bread or a roll that has a slightly crispy crust and a fairly soft crumb, you’ll be close. Slices of a nice Italian sandwich bread would also be pretty great.