Description
Ina Garten’s tuna and hummus sandwich delivers Mediterranean charm with creamy textures and bold flavors. Silky hummus, perfectly seasoned tuna, and crisp vegetables create a delightful lunch experience you’ll savor with each refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 14 ounces (397 grams) jarred or canned Italian tuna in olive oil
- 2 cups (470 milliliters) canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved (15.5-ounce can)
Flavor Enhancers:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) minced celery
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) minced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) minced cornichons
- 4 teaspoons (20 milliliters) minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) dijon mustard
- 8 dashes hot sauce, such as tabasco
Seasoning and Liquid Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) good mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) tahini or sesame paste
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) freshly ground black pepper
- sourdough bread, halved and sliced ½ inch thick
- hummus, store-bought or homemade (recipe follows)
- fresh radishes, sliced
Instructions
- Empty the tuna can, carefully preserving the olive oil. Using a fork, delicately break down the tuna into fine, uniform flakes within a spacious mixing bowl.
- Incorporate finely diced celery, minced onion, chopped cornichons, freshly squeezed lemon juice, creamy mayonnaise, two tablespoons (30 milliliters) of reserved olive oil, tangy mustard, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Thoroughly blend all ingredients until harmoniously combined.
- Seal the tuna mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate for two to three hours, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify.
- Gently toast bread slices until achieving a golden-brown, crisp texture.
- Spread a generous layer of homemade hummus across each toasted bread slice.
- Carefully distribute the chilled tuna salad evenly over the hummus-coated bread.
- Garnish with thinly sliced radishes for a peppery, decorative touch.
- Drain the chickpeas, reserving two tablespoons (30 milliliters) of the liquid.
- In a food processor, combine chickpeas, reserved liquid, tahini, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, and salt. Pulse until achieving a coarse, rustic puree.
- Assess the hummus consistency, adding additional lemon juice or chickpea liquid if needed to reach desired smoothness.
- Transfer hummus to a container, refrigerate for several hours to enhance flavor profile, and adjust seasonings before serving.
Notes
- Flavor enhancement comes from using the tuna’s own oil, which adds depth to the overall taste profile.
- Chilling the salad allows ingredients to meld together, creating a more harmonious and balanced flavor.
- Golden-brown toasting transforms sourdough bread into a crispy, textural base that elevates the entire sandwich experience.
- Smoothing out hummus requires a delicate touch, using reserved chickpea liquid or extra lemon juice to achieve the perfect spreadable consistency.
- Experiment with additional herbs like fresh dill or chives to introduce unexpected brightness and complexity to the tuna salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Toasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg