Elevating the everyday tuna sandwich
Published Aug 5, 2026 10:23 pm
Filled with tuna, mayonnaise, chopped apple, and Dijon mustard, this Submarine Tuna Sandwich is
as appetizing as it is trendy (Photo: Norma Chikamco/Manila Bulletin)
By Norma O. Chikiamco
Editor’s note:
The Manila Bulletin welcomes its newest columnist, Norma Olizon Chikiamco, to the Lifestyle section. Known as a food writer and author of several children’s books, Norma will be writing the column "Food Done Well." The column will feature recipes which have all been kitchen tested and are doable and affordable. Readers who follow the recipes in this column can be assured of reliable and flavorful results. In addition, Norma will be writing about food finds and the latest in the dining spectrum.
Winner of a Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for her children’s short story “Pan de Sal Saves the Day,” Norma has also won a National Book Award from the Manila Critics Circle and an Outstanding Journalism Award from the Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce. Her children’s book, “Maria Orosa: Freedom Fighter, Scientist and Inventor” from the Philippines won honorable mention in the Freeman Book Awards. A co-founding editor and former editor in chief of Food Magazine, Chikiamco has also written a series of mini cookbooks on Filipino cuisine published by Periplus Editions in Singapore. Her latest children’s book, titled “I Hate My Name” is available on Lazada Philippines and on amazon.com in the US, Australia, and The Netherlands.
Some years ago, a friend in New York told me about a restaurant in Manhattan serving the best tuna fish sandwich. Really? I asked. At that time I couldn’t imagine how a tuna fish sandwich could taste so good. To me it was just a run of the mill sandwich which one makes when in a hurry, or when there’s nothing else to prepare. How could something so ordinary be so delicious?
Unfortunately, my stay in New York was short so I didn’t have time to check out the restaurant. Yet I still kept wondering about this supposedly great tuna sandwich.
Now, I think I have an idea. Researching tuna sandwich recipes, I discovered there are many ways to turn this staple into something more delectable. There’s the French pain bagnat, for instance. With olive oil, capers, olives, anchovies, parsley, hard-boiled egg, wine vinegar, and onions mixed in with the tuna, this is somewhat like Salad Niçoise in sandwich form. I tried preparing it one time, and found it very rich and flavorful. However, it may be a little too fancy to make for everyday lunch (or dinner).
Instead, borrowing some techniques for making pain bagnat, I developed a recipe which elevates the tuna sandwich to another level—but without the added cost and effort. Resembling a submarine sandwich, it looks trendier and more inviting than a tuna sandwich made with ordinary white sliced bread.
For best results, make this sandwich several hours, or even one day, ahead of serving time. Hence make sure to allot enough time for preparing it.
Submarine Tuna Sandwich
Upgrade your tuna sandwich by using a French baguette instead of sliced bread. You can also make this sandwich more delectable by removing the inner crust of the baguette before adding the filling. This creates the space to put in the rather hefty filling. The chopped apple adds some crunch while the Dijon mustard, a sharp flavored mustard from the Dijon region of France, spikes the flavor.
For the bread:
1 baguette
¼ cup good quality olive oil
For the filling:
2 cans tuna chunks or flaked tuna, drained
½ cup chopped onions
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ cup pickle relish
½ apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
1 ½ Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the garnish:
Onion rings, grilled
Lettuce leaves, washed and trimmed
Tomatoes, cut into rounds and seeds removed
Preheat the oven to 375º F (or 190ºC). Slice the baguette in the middle lengthwise. Scoop out some of the middle part of the interior core of the two sides of the baguette so they become partly hollow. This will create some space for putting in the filling so the filling doesn’t easily fall off the sandwich.
Arrange the baguette on a large baking sheet. Toast the baguette in the preheated oven for seven to ten minutes or until crisp. Remove from the oven then brush the scooped out interior of both the bottom part and the upper part of the baguette with olive oil.
Slice the baguette in half, then cut each half in two to make four sandwich portions (Photo: Norma Chikamco/Manila Bulletin)
Make the filling:
Drain the tuna well. If using tuna chunks, flake the tuna with a fork. Add in the chopped onions, sugar, pickle relish, chopped apples, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Meanwhile grill the onion rings until slightly charred. Pat dry the lettuce leaves. Likewise pat the tomato slices dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Assemble the sandwich:
Arrange some lettuce leaves in the hollowed out interior of the bottom part of the baguette. Line the baguette with the tomato slices, from one end of the baguette to the other. Spoon in the prepared tuna filling. Top with the charred onion rings. Cover with the top part of the baguette. (Do not overfill. Use any remaining filling for other types of bread such as pan de sal, ciabatta or hamburger buns.)
Press the baguette slightly then wrap tightly in cling wrap. Put a heavy object such as a cast iron pan or a heavy casserole on top of the sandwich to compress the sandwich and make it more compact. Leave the pan on top of the sandwich for 30 minutes to one hour. Chill the sandwich in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or even overnight, before serving.
Unwrap the sandwich then cut into four equal slices. Makes two servings (two slices per serving).