Description
This Tunacado recipe is a delicious copycat of the Joe & The Juice sandwich featuring a creamy, flavorful tuna spread whipped to a smooth consistency, layered with ripe avocado, tomato slices, and a spicy pesto aioli. Toasted thin slices of whole wheat flatbread or focaccia add a crispy texture, complemented by the tangy kick of pickled banana peppers for an irresistible sandwich experience.
Ingredients
Scale
For the 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
For the 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, plus 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
- Prepare the Spicy Pesto Aioli: In a small bowl, combine the pesto, mayonnaise, chili crunch, honey, and lemon juice. Stir well and season with fine salt and ground black pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.
- Make the Tuna Mixture: Place the drained tuna, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, capers, anchovy paste or filets, and dill into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on high for about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and has a whipped consistency.
- Season the Tuna Spread: Transfer the tuna mixture to a bowl, then fold in the diced red onion, 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 slices of bread at a time, cut side down. Place a small skillet or pot on top to weigh down the bread and toast until the bread is golden brown and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining two slices.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread a generous amount of spicy pesto aioli on the toasted side of each bread slice. Evenly divide and spread the tuna mixture over two pieces of bread. Layer each with 2 slices of tomato and as much sliced avocado as desired. Add pickled banana peppers for a slightly spicy and briny punch if desired.
- Serve: Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, slice each sandwich in half, and serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- To achieve a crispy texture, use thin slices of your preferred bread, such as whole wheat flatbread, sourdough, or focaccia.
- Adjust the amount of chili crunch in the aioli for your preferred spice level.
- If anchovy paste or filets are unavailable, you may omit or substitute with a small amount of soy sauce for umami, though flavor will slightly differ.
- The sandwich is best enjoyed fresh to maintain the crispiness of the bread.
- Pickled banana peppers add a nice tang and heat but can be omitted or substituted with other pickles if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
