Tuna Crunch Sandwiches

Name: Tuna Crunch Sandwiches
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Ingredients: 1 (5-ounce) can solid white albacore or skipjack tuna (see Tip); 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled; 1 celery rib, finely minced; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (see Tip); 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion, shallot or scallions; 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley, chives, tarragon or a mix (optional); 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more for spreading (see Tip); 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish or chopped dill pickles (optional); 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; A few large handfuls of hearty potato chips or corn chips (see Tip); Salt and black pepper; 4 slices thick, soft sandwich bread, such as Texas toast, toasted, if desired; 2 lettuce leaves, such as iceberg, romaine, green leaf or Bibb

By J. Kenji López-Alt

Published April 27, 2022

Tuna Crunch Sandwiches — Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 4(1,279)
Comments: Read comments

A tuna salad and potato chip sandwich may not be quite as classic a pairing as peanut butter and jelly, but it is, anecdotally, many middle-schoolers’ first forays into experimenting with flavors and textures, and no less delicious. Beyond crunch, chips also add stability to the sandwich, holding the tuna salad in place as you eat. There’s no wrong way to make the sandwich, but seasoning tuna salad with red onion and celery, plenty of olive oil and little lemon juice, and using kettle-style salt and vinegar potato chips are especially alluring. There’s the word “optional” next to the most optional ingredients, but consider every ingredient other than the tuna, bread and chips to be adaptable according to your own taste (or how your mom made it).

Featured in: An Especially Good Tuna Salad Sandwich Starts With the Crunch

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Ingredients

Yield:2 sandwiches

1(5-ounce) can solid white albacore or skipjack tuna (see Tip)
1hard-boiled egg, peeled
1celery rib, finely minced
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (see Tip)
2tablespoons finely minced red onion, shallot or scallions
2tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley, chives, tarragon or a mix (optional)
2tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more for spreading (see Tip)
1tablespoon sweet pickle relish or chopped dill pickles (optional)
2teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
A few large handfuls of hearty potato chips or corn chips (see Tip)
Salt and black pepper
4slices thick, soft sandwich bread, such as Texas toast, toasted, if desired
2lettuce leaves, such as iceberg, romaine, green leaf or Bibb

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Open the can of tuna, leaving the lid in place after opening it. Invert the whole can over the sink and press the lid into the tuna firmly to squeeze out as much excess water or oil as you can. (Be careful not to cut your fingers on any sharp edges). Transfer the tuna to a medium bowl.
Step 2
Wash your hands well, then grab the boiled egg and squeeze it through your fingers into the bowl with the tuna. Add the celery, olive oil, onion, herbs (if using), mayonnaise, relish (if using) and lemon juice. Using a fork, gently fold together all the ingredients, trying to leave the tuna in relatively large chunks. Grab a few chips and, using your hands, crumble them into the bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and fold again to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste — more salt, pepper and lemon juice if it tastes bland, and more olive oil or mayonnaise if it tastes dry.
Step 3
When ready for lunch, spread each slice of bread generously with mayonnaise. Place lettuce on each bottom slice of bread, then top each with half of the tuna salad mixture. Add a generous handful of potato chips on top of each (more than seems reasonable), then close the sandwiches. Press down firmly so the chips break and embed themselves into the tuna salad and the bread. Cut into triangles and serve with extra chips on the side.

Tip

You can use oil- or water-packed tuna here; as long as the tuna is well drained, either will work just fine. Save the expensive stuff for other recipes. This recipe calls for extra-virgin olive oil, but for a more classic flavor, omit the olive oil and use up to 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise instead. For the chips, Ruffles, Fritos or kettle-style chips work best (especially salt and vinegar flavor), but again, the ideal sandwich uses whatever chips you happen to enjoy or have on hand.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,279 user ratings

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Comments

Gerry3 years ago

You don't know how much this recipe made me smile. Will be making it this weekend. Spent several years of childhood incarcerated in a convent boarding school in north of England. Our secret treat was Walls ice cream bars layered with potato "crisps" and sandwiched between buttered white sliced bread! We were told, "only bad girls' would eat something like that. Hence, "Bad Girl Sandwiches" , fondly remembered to this day 65 years later.

Alice Casella3 years ago

My cat gets the squeezed out water, (but will not eat tuna???) I get a perfect sandwich with Ruffles, and chopped green olives instead of relish, celery, and onion if I am feeling 'fancy' but always, always, always the olives. If I am out (unthinkable!) of olives I don't make a tuna sandwich. As in period. By the way, I use ordinary, stuffed with pimento, olives in jars from the isle, not fancy olives from an 'olive bar'.

Pizza Quixote3 years ago

I have full faith in Kenji for any recipe (try his Detroit pizza recipe!) but I must add my own tips here. The crunch begins with celery, diced small and added with some diced onion. But complement all the salty/savory elements with the sweet snap of diced apple. The apple transforms good tuna salad into whooooaaa good.

DidiK1 month ago

Tuna sandwiches were a school lunch staple and I always put potato chips in my tuna sandwich. Most of my friends, then and now, thought this was weird so it is very gratifying to see this being promoted by someone like J. Kenji Lopez-Alt!!

Dana1 month ago

@DidiK: My mom taught me to put potato chips into tuna sandwiches too back in the ‘70s.

Talea Alberson1 month ago

My Brother was making these sandwich’s back in the early 60’s. Tuna Sandwiches were a staple in our house. I am going to send him the recipe.. O yes, another thing -Tuna Dip. Tuna with all the water left in and some Miracle Whip to make it “dipable”.

jacquesto1 month ago

I used to squeeze out the oil from the tuna can. But no more. I see nothing wrong with simply using the olive oil in the can. Why put new olive oil back into the recipe?

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