Pan Bagnat is a protein-packed tuna sandwich from Nice, France. Perfect for picnics or lunch prep, like the Nicoise salad, which you can eat without potatoes!
Pan Banya
We get asked for picnic ideas and cold lunch recipes that don't require heat, and these sandwiches are a great choice. Pan Bagnat is a staple in French bakeries, markets and beach stalls. It looks fancy, but it's actually pretty simple to make. Key ingredients include tuna, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, olives, tomatoes, and olive oil, but not mayonnaise. I added cucumber and arugula to add some more vegetables. You can add whatever you want. Because it's premade and doesn't contain mayonnaise or dairy, it's great to take to the beach or park where coolers aren't available. For more canned tuna recipes, don't miss my Tuna Egg Salad and my favorite, Tuna Melt.
What does “Panbanya” mean?
Think of pan bagna as a Nicoise salad sandwich without the cooked potatoes. The name translates to “bath bread,” referring to the olive oil that permeates the bread.
Why we think Pan Bagnat is perfect for the beach or picnic
Now that it's officially summer, it's time for picnics, beach trips, and boat trips. Pan bagna sandwiches make the perfect lunch on the go. Here are a few reasons why I love this French Tuna Salad Sandwich:
- It's easy to carry and eat. No tools required! You can hold it in your hand and enjoy it without worrying about spills or sand getting mixed up.
- Stay ahead: The longer you sit (up to 24 hours), the better the effect.
- Not in May: If you don't like mayonnaise, you'll love this sandwich.
- Easy high-protein lunches: Protein extracted from eggs and tuna, along with about 20g of protein, vegetables, and bread combine to make a satisfying lunch.
Things that you need
panbanya ingredients
Here's what you need to make this sandwich: (Check the recipe card below for exact measurements).
- Large Egg: Follow the directions for stovetop hard-boiled eggs or the Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs method.
- bread: Use hard bread such as French bread, baguette, or ciabatta. I prefer whole wheat, but white will work too.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Drizzle over the bread to coat it.
- dressing: Toss the tuna in a vinaigrette made from red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and black pepper.
- tuna: Drain 2 cans of tuna soaked in water. You can also use tuna oil, but it adds a little more fat.
- olive: You can use any type of olive you like. I usually use a mixture of black and green, but Kalamata would also be good.
- capers Add some salty, tangy flavor.
- Anchovy Fillets Included in traditional pan bagna recipes. Optional, but highly recommended.
- vegetable: Crunchy Persian cucumbers and juicy tomatoes contrast nicely with peppery arugula and sharp red onions.
How to Make Pan Bagna
This easy pan bagna recipe doesn't take long to make. Here are step by step photos: (Scroll to the recipe card below for full instructions.)
- egg: Boil the eggs using one of the above methods, then peel and slice lengthwise into thin slices.
- bread: Divide the bread in half horizontally, scooping out about half of the top and less than half of the bottom. Then apply olive oil.
- Tuna mixture: Combine vinegar and mustard in a medium bowl and season with pepper. Add the tuna, olives, capers, and anchovies (if using) and mix into the dressing. The mixture should be well seasoned, but sprinkle more salt if needed.
- Sandwich Assembly: Spoon the tuna onto the bottom half of the bread, then top with the egg, cucumber, tomato, onion and arugula. Place another slice of bread on top.
- Flatten and refrigerate: Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, place it on a plate, and place it in the refrigerator. Place something heavy on top, such as a small sheet pan of canned food. Compressing your sandwich makes it easier to eat. Refrigerate until flavors meld, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- How to Serve: When ready to eat, unwrap and cut into 6 pieces.
transform
- Egg allergy? Skip it.
- tuna: Substitute with canned salmon.
- Vegetarian Pan Bagnat: Leave out the tuna and add more vegetables.
- vinegar: Replace red wine vinegar with balsamic or white wine vinegar.
- Brine elements: Substitute artichoke hearts for capers or olives.
- Herb: Adding fresh basil leaves is popular, and you can also mix parsley or oregano into the tuna.
- onion: Use pickled red onions instead of raw onions.
- cucumber: If you don't have Persian or English cucumbers, peel and seed a regular cucumber.
- greens: Substitute spinach or romaine lettuce.
What comes with Pan Bagnat
save
- Meal Preparation: You can prepare this sandwich a day ahead of serving, but if refrigerated it will last for a total of about 3 days.
- Picnic Tips: If you're taking these sandwiches on a picnic, you can cut them individually, wrap them, and refrigerate them. This way you don't have to cut it while you're out and about.
More Picnic Recipes You'll Love
Produce: 6 Servings
Serving Size: One sandwich
- 4 large in size boiled egg
- One 14 ounces hard bread, French bread or ciabatta, ideally whole wheat (I scooped out 3 ounces).
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Kosher salt and fresh pepper
- 2 5 ounces canned water packaging tuna, completely drained
- 1/2 cup Olives, seeded and chopped, The combination of black and green is pretty.
- One tablespoon capers, Drainage
- 4 Anchovy fillets packed in oil, Drained and chopped (optional, but highly recommended)
- One persian cucumber, Cut into long, thin pieces
- One ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1/4 small red onion, It's sliced very thinly.
- 2 cup baby arugula
-
Boil eggs to hard boil using the Stovetop Hard Boiled Eggs recipe or Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs recipe. Peel the eggs and cut them into thin slices lengthwise.
-
Cut the bread in half horizontally, scooping out about half of the crumbs from the top and a little less from the bottom (so they don't fall apart when you eat them). Save the crumbs to make croutons or breadcrumbs. Apply olive oil to the inside of the bread.
-
Whisk together vinegar and mustard in a medium bowl. Season with pepper.
-
Add the drained tuna, chopped olives, capers, and anchovies and gently mix into the dressing. Taste and add salt if necessary (you may not, but the mixture should be well seasoned).
-
Spoon the tuna mixture onto the bottom half of the bread, up to the edges. Top with sliced eggs, then top with cucumber slices, tomatoes (seasoned with salt and pepper if desired), onions and finally arugula leaves to cover the surface of the sandwich. Place the top of the sandwich on top and press firmly.
-
Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Place on a plate and transfer to the refrigerator to prevent any splattering. Place something heavy on top, like a sheet tray with a can of tomatoes on top. The higher the compression ratio, the easier it is to eat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or better, up to overnight. When ready to serve, unwrap and cut into 6 servings.
Last step:
Please rate and comment if you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive and we can continue to provide you with high quality recipes for free.
clothing material: One sandwich, calorie: 308 calorie, carbohydrate: 29 g, protein: 21 g, province: 11.5 g, Saturated Fat: 22.5 g, cholesterol: 146.5 mg, salt: 651 mg, fiber: three g, sugar: 1.5 g
