Description
This Tunacado recipe is a flavorful copycat of the popular Joe & The Juice sandwich, combining creamy tuna whipped with zesty lemon, garlic, capers, and anchovy paste, spread on thinly crisped whole wheat or sourdough bread, topped with ripe avocado, fresh tomato slices, and a spicy pesto aioli for a deliciously balanced and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Spicy Pesto Aioli
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chili crunch
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fine salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Sandwich
- 5 ounces canned tuna, drained
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste, or 3 anchovy filets
- 1 tablespoon dried dill or 2 sprigs fresh dill
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 thin slices whole wheat flatbread, sourdough, or focaccia
- 4 slices tomato
- 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
- Pickled sliced banana peppers, for serving
Instructions
- Make the Spicy Pesto Aioli: Gather all aioli ingredients. In a small bowl, mix together the pesto, mayonnaise, chili crunch, honey, and lemon juice until well combined. Season with fine salt and ground black pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.
- Prepare the Tuna Mixture: Gather the sandwich ingredients. In a food processor, combine tuna, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, capers, anchovy paste or filets, and dill. Pulse on high speed until the mixture is smooth and whipped in texture, about one minute, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Incorporate Onions and Season: Transfer the tuna mixture to a bowl. Stir in the diced red onions, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Toast the Bread: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add two pieces of bread, cut side down, to the skillet. Press down using a small skillet or pot to ensure even browning. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the interior is golden and crispy. Remove and repeat with the remaining two slices of bread. The goal is to achieve thin and crispy toasted bread.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread the prepared spicy pesto aioli evenly on the toasted side of each slice of bread. Divide the tuna mixture equally onto two pieces of bread. Layer each tuna-topped piece with two slices of tomato and enough avocado slices to your liking.
- Add Final Touches and Serve: Top with pickled banana peppers for a spicy and briny kick if desired. Close the sandwiches with remaining bread slices, slice each sandwich in half, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Choose bread like whole wheat flatbread, sourdough, or focaccia for different textures and flavors.
- To make the sandwich gluten-free, substitute bread with gluten-free options.
- Adjust chili crunch and banana peppers to control spice levels.
- Using a food processor helps achieve a whipped, smooth tuna spread.
- For a fresher dill flavor, use fresh dill sprigs instead of dried.
- Pressing the bread while toasting ensures an even, golden crispiness inside.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
