Cilantro Tuna Sandwich

Looking for a sandwich recipe that you can whip up really fast for lunch or a snack? Here’s a recipe I made for a quick and easy, yet super delicious tuna sandwich.

My main aim with this was to create a sandwich with ingredients I had readily in my fridge and pantry, or that could be bought at a grocery store at an affordable price. You can use any kind of tuna for this recipe, though the solid white Albacore tuna has worked best for me. The secret ingredient to this recipe is cilantro, which adds a burst of flavor and crisp brightness to the sandwich, all while helping to mask the fishiness of the tuna.

This sandwich takes about 15 minutes to make, and can be made by people with all levels of culinary skills.

Without further ado, let’s get into it, starting with the things you’ll need.

1 5 oz. can Tuna

¼ cup diced onion (use red onions for extra flavor)

¼ cup fresh cilantro

Red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Mayonnaise

Lemon juice(Optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Wholegrain bread

Garlic powder (optional)

Avocado (optional)

Carefully open the can of tuna. Make sure not to have your fingers anywhere near the can opener. Drain out all the liquid. In a clean plastic container, empty out the contents of the can, and carefully dispose of the empty can and lid. Use a fork to break up the tuna chunks. This will make the mixing process a lot easier.

This can be from either a fresh-squeezed lemon or concentrate, either will do just fine. The lemon helps mask the fishy smell. It’s also an optional step, and if the smell doesn’t bother you that much, feel free to skip it.

This really helps to add crunch and great flavor to the sandwich, especially if you use red onion. Be especially careful when dicing the onion since dicing will increase your chances of cutting yourself, and nobody wants that. Once diced, add the onion to the bowl with the tuna.

Now onto our secret ingredient! I prefer to rinse the cilantro in diluted apple cider vinegar to clean it, and then proceed to roughly chop it, stems and all. Again, use caution during this step! Use a fork to mix it all together.

Now, add red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level. Follow up with salt and pepper. I like to use a garlic salt and black pepper mix for extra flavor. Stir well.

Start with just a tablespoon, and mix it in really well. Add a little bit more if you prefer it smoother and creamier in texture. For a healthier option, you could replace the mayo with mashed avocado. Once you have the tuna looking the way you like, pop it in the fridge so it can chill for a bit while you get the bread ready.

Grab a couple of slices of the wholegrain bread and pop them in the toaster on a low to medium heat setting. Wholegrain bread is a lot thicker, and toasting it will give the bread an even firmer texture preventing the sandwich from getting soggy.

Once ready, lay the slices on a place. You can also butter the toast at this point if you want to.

This step is not necessary, but avocado adds extra creaminess to the sandwich. Carefully cut the avocado, slice half of it and place the slices on one of the pieces of toast.

Take the tuna out the fridge and spread it generously on the toast. This recipe makes enough tuna for 2-3 sandwiches. Seal the container and keep any remaining tuna in the fridge

And there you have it, a great tasting sandwich that took less than 15 minutes to make, plus extra filling for a couple more sandwiches. The tuna should stay fresh for about 2 days, and this recipe is great for packed lunches.

Feel free to play around with this recipe. I would love to hear your thoughts once you try it out and any other variations you have.