Reinventing the Classic Tuna Sandwich

Tuna, Hummus, Kalamatas on Multi-Grain 1 3648x2736For the past few months, I’ve spent hours in the kitchen with my talented assistants working on a new soup book. Not only have we tested countless brodos, bisques, gazpachos, and potages, we’ve been creating sandwiches to serve alongside them.

One special creation—a tuna salad combo prepared with hummus, kalamatas, and cucumbers—got high marks from the book’s testers. For the dressing, I replaced much of the mayonnaise in the usual versions with hummus, and seasoned the salad with lemon, cumin, and a touch of mint. Other additions included the classic duo of chopped onions and celery.

This new tuna mixture is delicious on toasted multi-grain slices, but you could serve it just as easily solo as a salad without the bread. One of the testers wrote, “This is an uptown version of the old-fashioned tuna salad sandwich with easy ingredients!” I think he nailed the description! I hope you’ll try it the next time you pull out a tin of tuna!

 

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Tuna, Hummus, and Kalamatas on Toasted Multigrain

1/2 cup plain (not seasoned) hummus
3 tbsp mayonnaise (not low-fat)
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp lemon zest
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
Generous 1/2 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 cup diced celery
3 tbsp chopped onions
9 to 10 ounces solid white albacore tuna, packed in oil or water, and drained well
1/2 cup unpeeled, seeded tomatoes, cut into 1/2-in dice, drained well
1/3 cup peeled, seeded cucumber, cut into 1/4-in dice
1/3 cup chopped mint
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crisp lettuce leaves, such as Romaine
12 slices crusty, country-style multigrain bread, toasted

1. In a medium bowl, stir the hummus, mayonnaise, 1tbsp lemon juice, zest, and cumin together until blended. Then stir in the olives, celery and onions. Stir in the tuna, tomatoes, cucumbers, and mint, mixing well. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and add up to 1/2 tbsp lemon juice more if you like.

2. Divide the tuna salad and mound on 6 of the bread slices. Top with lettuce, and then with the remaining bread slices. Cut in half and serve immediately. Makes 6 sandwiches.
Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2015

4 thoughts on “Reinventing the Classic Tuna Sandwich

  1. Hi Betty,I just made this today, it was fantastic! I would have never thought to add hummus to tuna! I did see another tuna salad recipe with sesame oil and other unusual ingredients. . I’m not sure if it was on this site, or one of your cookbooks I had bought, I’ll probably try it next! But this one is so good!
    Thanks for posting it. I am also a big fan of your cold salad recipes too. Stacy

    • Thanks, Stacy, for your note! I’m so glad you like the tuna sandwiches with the hummus and some of those other unexpected ingredients.
      Nothing like giving a classic a little update! The recipe is on my latest book, Soup Nights, and also on my blog Thanks again! Bettty

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