Pan Bagnat is a protein-packed tuna sandwich from Good, France. It’s like a handheld Salade Niçoise solely with out the potatoes and excellent for picnics or a make-ahead lunch!
Pan Bagnat
I get requested for picnic concepts and chilly lunch recipes that don’t require heating, and this sandwich is a superb possibility. Pan Bagnat is a staple in French bakeries, markets, and seaside stands. It sounds fancy but it surely’s really fairly easy to make. The primary substances embody tuna, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, olives, tomatoes, and olive oil, however by no means mayo. I added cucumber and arugula for additional greens, you possibly can add no matter you want. Because it’s made forward of time, and has no mayo or dairy, it’s nice to take to the seaside or park the place you may not have entry to coolers. For extra canned tuna recipes, don’t miss my Tuna Egg Salad and my go-to Tuna Soften.
What does “pan bagnat” imply?
Consider pan bagnat as a Niçoise salad sandwich, solely with out the cooked potatoes. The identify interprets to “bathed bread,” referring to the olive oil that soaks into the bread.
Why I believe Pan Bagnat is Excellent For the Seashore or a Picnic
Now that it’s formally summer season, it’s time for picnics, seaside days, and boat journeys. Pan bagnat sandwiches make the right lunch to tackle the go. Right here a number of the explanation why I like this French tuna salad sandwich:
- Transportable and Straightforward to Eat: No utensils required! You may maintain it in your fingers and luxuriate in it with out worrying about spills or making a multitude with sand.
- Make It Forward: The longer it sits (as much as 24 hours), the higher it will get.
- No Mayo: If mayo’s not your factor, you’ll love this sandwich.
- Straightforward Excessive Protein Lunch: The mix of protein from the eggs and tuna, with about 20 grams of protein, greens, and bread makes it a satisfying lunch possibility.
What You’ll Want
Pan Bagnat Substances
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this sandwich (See actual measurements within the recipe card under).
- Giant Eggs: Comply with these directions for stovetop arduous boil eggs or this On the spot Pot arduous boiled eggs technique.
- Bread: Use a crusty loaf of bread, like French bread, baguette or ciabatta. I choose entire wheat, however white will work too.
- Additional Virgin Olive Oil: Drizzle this on the bread to coat
- Dressing: Toss the tuna in a French dressing manufactured from pink wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and pepper.
- Tuna: Drain 2 cans of water-packed tuna. Tuna in oil can be used, however it would add a bit extra fats.
- Olives: You should utilize no matter type of olives you like. I usually use a mixture of black and inexperienced ones, however kalamata would even be good.
- Capers add a briny, tangy style.
- Anchovy Fillets are included in a conventional pan bagnat recipe. Whereas elective, I extremely suggest them.
- Greens: Crisp Persian cucumbers and juicy tomatoes distinction properly with the peppery arugula and sharp pink onions.
Make Pan Bagnat
This simple pan bagnat recipe doesn’t take lengthy to make, right here’s the step-by-step photographs. (For the whole directions, scroll to the recipe card under.)
- Eggs: After arduous boiling the eggs utilizing one of many strategies above, peel and thinly slice the eggs lengthwise.
- Bread: Halve the loaf horizontally and scoop out about half of the bread from the highest and rather less than half from the underside half. Then brush with olive oil.
- Tuna Combination: Whisk the vinegar and mustard in a medium bowl and season with pepper. Add the tuna, olives, capers, and anchovies (if utilizing) and fold into the dressing. The combination ought to be properly seasoned, however sprinkle additional salt if crucial.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Spoon the tuna over the underside half of the bread and layer with the eggs, cucumber, tomato, onion, and arugula. Place the opposite piece of bread on prime.
- Flatten and Refrigerate: Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, place it on a plate, and switch it to the fridge. Place one thing heavy on prime, like a small sheet pan with canned meals. Compressing the sandwich will make it simpler to eat. Refrigerate for no less than an hour or as much as 24 hours for the flavors to meld.
- Serve: If you’re able to eat it, unwrap it and lower it into 6 items.
Variations
- Egg Allergy? Omit them.
- Tuna: Substitute canned salmon.
- Vegetarian Pan Bagnat: Pass over the tuna and add extra greens.
- Vinegar: Swap pink wine vinegar for balsamic or white wine vinegar.
- Briny Component: Change capers or olives with artichoke hearts.
- Herbs: Including recent basil leaves is well-liked, you may as well combine in some parsley, or oregano with the tuna.
- Onion: Use pickled pink onion as an alternative of uncooked onion.
- Cucumber: Should you don’t have a Persian or English cucumber, peel a daily cucumber and take away the seeds.
- Greens: Substitute spinach or romaine lettuce.
What to Serve with Pan Bagnat
Storage
- Meal Prep: You may prep these sandwiches a day earlier than serving, however they need to final about 3 days whole if saved refrigerated.
- Picnic Tip: Should you’re bringing these sandwiches on a picnic, you possibly can lower and wrap them individually earlier than refrigerating and urgent them down. That approach, you don’t have to chop them whereas out.
Extra Picnic Recipes You’ll Love
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Measurement: 1 sandwich
- 4 giant arduous boiled eggs
- 1 14-ounce crusty loaf bread, equivalent to French bread or ciabatta, ideally entire wheat (I scooped out 3 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pink wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and recent black pepper
- 2 5-ounce cans water-packed tuna, completely drained
- 1/2 cup pitted and chopped olives, a mixture of black and inexperienced is sweet
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 4 anchovy filets packed in oil, drained and chopped (elective however extremely beneficial)
- 1 Persian cucumber, lower into lengthy, skinny slices
- 1 ripe tomato, sliced
- 1/4 small pink onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 cups child arugula
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Exhausting boil the eggs utilizing the range prime arduous boiled eggs recipe or this on the spot pot arduous boiled eggs recipe . Peel and thinly slice the eggs lengthwise.
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Halve the bread horizontally and scoop out about half the crumb from the highest and rather less from the underside half (so it doesn’t disintegrate if you eat it). Save the crumbs to make croutons or bread crumbs. Brush the insides of the bread with the olive oil.
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In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the vinegar and mustard. Season with pepper.
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Add the drained tuna, chopped olives, capers, and anchovies and gently fold into the dressing. Style and add salt if crucial (it is probably not, however the combination ought to be properly seasoned).
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Spoon the tuna combination over the underside half of the bread, all the best way to the sides. Lay the sliced egg on prime, adopted by the cucumber slices, the tomatoes (season with salt and pepper for those who like), the onion, and eventually arugula leaves to cowl the floor of the sandwich. Place the highest of the sandwich over and press firmly.
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Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Put it on a plate to catch any potential drips, and switch to the fridge. Place one thing heavy on prime, like a sheet tray with a can of tomatoes on prime; the extra compressed it’s, the better it will likely be to eat. Refrigerate for no less than one hour, and even higher, as much as in a single day. If you’re able to serve, unwrap, and lower into six servings.
Final Step:
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Serving: 1 sandwich, Energy: 308 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 21 g, Fats: 11.5 g, Saturated Fats: 22.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 146.5 mg, Sodium: 651 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 1.5 g
