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You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dishes / Sandwiches / Spicy Tuna Sandwich

Spicy Tuna Sandwich

August 1, 2016 by Mahy, Updated May 7, 2021 10 Comments

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Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich

This ultimate Tuna Sandwich recipe is made with a healthy no-mayo tuna salad, and easy instructions for preventing sogginess! Tired of soggy tuna salad sandwiches like me? This is the tuna sandwich for you!

Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwiches served in little paper lined bread baskets

This is my absolute favorite Tuna Sandwich recipe. I know everyone has one probably, but try this ultimate version and you could change your mind! A crusty bread roll, veggies, plenty of fresh herbs in a zesty spicy sauce coating the chunks of tuna—no mayo required! 

a drink being poured into a glass with a basket of tuna sandwiches in the background

Why this Tuna Sandwich 

I’m quite a tuna lover and it all comes down to this amazing tuna sandwich.

Not that I don’t do mayo, but for tuna salad, I tend to stay away from mayo. But don’t worry, it still makes the best sandwich!

I love making a nice spicy and zesty sauce in a large bowl, then I flake the tuna into this sauce and gently mix it to coat only. I don’t mash or mix the tuna too much because I really love my tuna in chunks.

When it comes to this sauce, I love having scallions or shallots as a base, no garlic whatsoever. However  you can easily accommodate this tuna sandwich to your taste if you’re a garlic person.

It’s a Tuna Salad Sandwich 

Even if you’re a mayo loving person, bear with me! My husband was the king of mayo tuna salad, but now he picks this tuna salad sandwich over all others.

I personally was not born a tuna lover. As I grew to appreciate food more and more, I wanted to give it a second chance, though—especially after I met my husband. He was CRAZY about tuna sandwiches.

So after some soul searching, I realized two things made me run away from tuna sandwiches. First of all, the excessive amount of mayo which made me taste nothing but mayo. Another thing is the mushy texture of tuna salad in most tuna sandwiches.

Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich with avocado, radishes and a no-mayo tuna salad served in little bread baskets

Ok so I worked my way around avoiding those two things, and I’ll tell you it wasn’t easy!

I had many tuna sandwiches, don’t even know how I managed to go through some of them.  I was certainly not going to let the Tuna sandwich come between hubby and I lol.

Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwiches served in black bread baskets with some cool drinks on the side

How to make Tuna Sandwich: 

an open Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich topped with mayo-free tuna salad

When it comes to the sandwich building itself. I love a spread of mayo—ha! I told you mayo will somehow make a comeback and it did. So a nice spread of mayo on both sides of the sandwich is my way to go.

Then I layer up some fresh salad greens ( you can use kale, spinach only or just lettuce), followed by the tuna salad. I also love avocados here. Truth be told, I love avocados in general, and with sandwiches, they add the perfect smooth feel to any texture.

I finish everything off with some crunchy radishes, more jalapeño slices and more shallots.

an open tuna sandwich topped with radishes, avocado slices and green onions

So on top of those scallions, I add plenty of mustard (honey mustard works beautifully here too to counterbalance the spice) and some chopped jalapeños, plenty of chopped cilantro and parsley.

Also,  I add plenty of chopped spicy pitted green olives. I love the tuna/olive combo, they perfectly compliment each other. Tried this Ultimate Tuna Salad Recipe with Olive Dressing before? It’s tuna salad perfection!

side view of Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich held together with a toothpick

How do I keep my Tuna Sandwich from getting soggy? 

While sliced tomatoes and cucumbers sound like the perfect addition to this tuna sandwich, I have to warn you here. They get very soggy and lose their fabulous taste and texture if the sandwich isn’t eaten right away.

So that’s why I prefer the build up I made today. The mayo layer tends to prevent the tuna liquid from making the bread soggy.

Another protective layer is salad greens, on top of which I spoon my tuna mixture. Top the tuna salad with some avocados and radishes. These toppings prevent the top crust from getting soggy too (along with the extra mayo spread).

Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwiches served on a rustic wooden table with some drinks on the side

Again I will stress this is my favorite tuna sandwich, with my favorite sauce and fixings. Try it as is I promise it’s crazy delicious! And you can always twist things around to your taste, and I know it’ll be just as awesome! Enjoy!!

Tips for success: 

  • Follow my instructions to keep your tuna sandwich from getting soggy.
  • Choose a crusty bread bun like ciabatta and make sure to toast it, before adding the toppings.
  • Use light mayo to make these tuna sandwiches even healthier.

More Sandwich Recipes

Mediterranean Turkey Sandwich – bright, flavorful and delicious! Spicy Sweet Sriracha Mango Chicken Sandwich–simply put, this is the ultimate chicken sandwich! Roast Veggie Sandwich with Basil Sauce – light veggie vegan sandwich. Blue Cheese Philly Steak Sandwich –Never has a twist on a classic tasted so good!!

Enjoy 🙂

Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich. Try this No Mayo No Mush--just Pure Spice and Flavor Chunky Tuna Salad with a zesty spicy sauce and plenty of toppings! This will be your favorite Tuna Sandwich ever! www.twopurplefigs.com
4.37 from 11 votes
Print

Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich

This ultimate Tuna Sandwich recipe is made with a healthy no-mayo tuna salad, and easy instructions for preventing sogginess! Tired of soggy tuna salad sandwiches like me? This is the tuna sandwich for you!

Course Breakfast, dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword tuna salad sandwich, tuna sandwich, tuna sandwich recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 324 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

  • 6 crusty bread buns toasted
  • 2 tablespoons mayo
  • 2 cans chunky tuna canned

For the sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons grainy mustard (honey mustard, or your favorite)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 scallions slices, ( or 1 shallot)
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1/2 jalapeno minced, (more or less to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons pitted green olives chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped herbs (mix of Parsley and Cilantro)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Toppings:

  • handful of salad greens (spinach or kale)
  • 1 large avocado sliced
  • radishes thinly sliced
  • onions thinly sliced
  • jalapeños sliced

Instructions

  1. Spread the mayo over the toasted crusty bread on both sides of each sandwich.
    an open Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich topped with mayo-free tuna salad
  2. In a large bowl, mix the sauce ingredients well. Taste and adjust spice, salt, sweetness if you like.
  3. Drain the canned tuna from oil or water and add it to the sauce bowl.
  4. Using a fork, gently break up the tuna into large chunks and using a spoon gently fold over the sauce over the tuna.
    an open tuna sandwich topped with radishes, avocado slices and green onions
  5. Assemble the sandwiches by layering a good amount of salad greens, followed by tuna chunks, followed by jalapeños, followed by radishes and more jalapeños. place the bread top and make the sandwich.
    Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich. Try this No Mayo No Mush--just Pure Spice and Flavor Chunky Tuna Salad with a zesty spicy sauce and plenty of toppings! This will be your favorite Tuna Sandwich ever! www.twopurplefigs.com
  6. Top the sandwich with a piece of green olive skewered on a toothpick in the centre of each sandwich.

Recipe Notes

  • Follow my instructions to keep your tuna sandwich from getting soggy.
  • Choose a crusty bread bun like ciabatta and make sure to toast it, before adding the toppings.
  • Use light mayo to make these tuna sandwiches even healthier.
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Chunky Tuna Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 324 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 659mg29%
Potassium 153mg4%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 12.2mg15%
Calcium 33mg3%
Iron 11.9mg66%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Breakfast Brunch Recipes, Holidays, Parties, Potluck, Recipes, Sandwiches, Seafood, Tailgate Tagged With: sandwich, spicy tuna sandwich, spicy tuna sandwiches, tuna, tuna recipe, tuna salad, Tuna Sandwich

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sara

    April 6, 2020 at 11:46 pm

    Calls for 2 cans. What size? Looks great! We’re corona-tined, so I’ll have to sub dried spices.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mahy

      April 7, 2020 at 9:47 pm

      Hi Sara, I feel you, I do the same with herbs too! I use a 5 ounce can of tuna for these 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  2. April

    May 18, 2019 at 3:42 pm

    5 stars
    I love easy instructions because who doesn’t? 🙂 Delicious tuna sandwich and definitely the one I would make during the week. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

    May 16, 2019 at 11:38 pm

    5 stars
    Sandwiches are life savers for busy afternoons. I am always finding stuff to build myself a sandwich when I don’t have enough time to cook. Love your sauce and great tips on layering the sandwich to prevent it from becoming soggy.

    Reply
  4. Michelle

    May 15, 2019 at 9:55 pm

    5 stars
    I hate soggy sandwiches so I’ll have to try your tips about the mayo and salad greens. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Cheese Curd In Paradise

    May 15, 2019 at 8:46 pm

    5 stars
    I love olives and love that you added green olives to the tuna! That sounds like a delicious addition to tuna salad!

    Reply
  6. Ashley

    May 15, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    5 stars
    I eat sandwiches all summer long and this one is so easy and flavorful!

    Reply
  7. Danielle

    May 15, 2019 at 11:40 am

    5 stars
    OK, I’ve got to say that using healthy tuna salad with sandwiches has really been my thing lately – it is always delicious! And great tips on how to prevent sogginess – thank you!

    Reply
  8. Mahy

    August 14, 2016 at 9:28 pm

    Right Kathryn? We’re all for the spice and flavor! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Mahy

    August 14, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    Thanks so much Karly!! I totally agree 😉

    Reply
4.37 from 11 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Mahy PicHi, I'm Mahy, a recipe developer, food stylist, culinary instructor, photographer, wife and busy mom! Welcome to my blog!...Read More

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