Pan bagnat is a tuna sandwich from Nice, France, it's essentially a Niçoise salad on a bun it's yummy & made from store cupboard staples.

My version combines tinned tuna with olive tapenade, anchovies, garlic, and red wine vinegar. The sandwich is topped with boiled egg, tomatoes, basil, spring onion and radishes.

Pan bagnat (French tuna sandwich) with tomatoes, boiled egg and capers on a bread roll.

French Tuna Nicoise Salad Sandwich

The French do tuna sandwiches a little differently, certainly different to us Brits and our tuna mayonnaise sarnie with its exciting addition of cucumber!

Now I've nothing against old school British sandwiches, I was raised on them and dearly love many of them. I've got plenty of examples on my site, everything from fish finger sandwiches to a corned beef and picallili sandwich and to egg and cress sandwiches, to my favourite sausage and egg sandwich and air fryer ham and cheese toastie.

But the French truly ace the tuna butty, known as pan bagnat, this version comes from Nice. It's pretty much a tuna nicoise salad on a bun, and it's delicious.

As always, this recipe, as I believe all recipes should, represents who I am as a cook and eater. As a result, I have made a change, but its soul is still in the south of France.

Now, I don't like olives, so you'll find no big lumps of olives in my food, but I do add a little tapenade to deliver the flavour without the texture, which I find so egregious.

But the tomatoes, capers, red wine vinegar, basil, radishes and olive oil are not particularly contentious... and of course those perfectly boiled eggs complete this delicious sarnie.

The great thing about this recipe is that pretty much all of these ingredients are shelf-stable and form part of my kitchen "staples" list.

Close-up pan bagnat (French tuna sandwich) with tomatoes, boiled egg and capers on a bread roll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of bread?

Yes, you can use anything you like, it is traditionally made with Pain de Campagne, which is impossible to find in the UK.

I like to use a soft white roll because it allows the juices to soak into the bread. I've seen it made with everything from ciabatta to baguettes and I quite like a crusty cob too.

Can I add mayonnaise?

You can, but traditionally mayo is not to be seen on a traditional pan bagnat and it really does not need it!

Can I omit the anchovies?

If you wish, but they are not a major flavour driver here. They add a meaty umami flavour to the tuna filling, and are not present in big pieces.

Can I add olives rather than tapenade?

Yes, absolutely, that is a far more traditional approach. I do not like the texture of olives and as a result tapenade works much better for me.

Can I make the eggs in advance?

Yes, boiled eggs will last for five days to a week in the fridge.

A NOTE FOR US READERS!

It is not necessary to keep eggs in the refrigerator in Europe. As a result, you may want to boil your eggs for 15-30 seconds longer to get the same results.

Overhead pan bagnat (French tuna sandwich) with tomatoes, boiled egg and capers on a bread roll.

Serving Suggestions

Pan bagnat is the perfect cold lunch sandwich as far as I am concerned and if I were to serve it with anything it would probably be a bag of crisps (chios for you guys in the US).

My tuna sandwiches are pictured here with some delicious salt and cracked black pepper crisps.

If I wanted to bulk these out and make it a heartier meal then I would likely cook some french fries in the air fryer.

Pan bagnat (French tuna sandwich) with tomatoes, boiled egg, basil, radishes and capers.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

Hob/Stovetop.
15cm or 6" saucepan.
Chopping board.
Kitchen knife and bread knife.
Mixing bowl.
Stirring and serving spoons.
Weighing scales and measuring spoons but neither of these are essential.

Pan bagnat (French tuna sandwich) with tomatoes, boiled egg and capers.

Tuna Pan Bagnat Recipe

No ratings yet

Tuna Nicoise salad on a bun is also known as Pan Bagnat, a speciality of the Nice area of Southern France, my version uses tapenade instead of olives and features, tomatoes, boiled eggs, capers and anchovies and it is fantastic!

Lunch

Anglo French

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 23

Servings Servings

Calories 539kcal

Author Brian Jones

Tried this recipe?

If you have made this recipe, please leave a review!

Save Recipe

Ingredients

2 Large Soft White Bread Rolls
2 Large Eggs
1 Small Garlic Clove
3 Anchovy Fillets
2 tablespoon Capers 25g
2 Teaspoons Olive & Sundried Tomato Tapenade
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tins Tuna Steaks in Brine 145g or 5oz Each
1 Medium Tomato 100-125g
4-5 Radishes
1 Spring Onion
10-12 Basil Leaves
Pinch of Coarse Sea Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper

Instructions

Bring a small (15cm or 6") pan of water to a boil, add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes, transfer to cold water and peel when they are cold enough to handle, then slice them.
Peel the garlic clove and then grate it into a small mixing bowl.
Roughly chop the anchovy fillets and add them to the bowl with the garlic.
Add the capers, tapenade, olive oil and red wine vinegar to the bowl and give everything a mix.
Drain the tins of tuna, add them to the bowl and gently mix, trying not to break up the tuna too much.
Top and tail the radishes, then slice them into thin rounds.
Finely slice the spring onion.
Slice the tomato.
Cut the bread rolls in half and build your sandwich.
Begin with the tomato slices and season them with a little sea salt and black pepper, add a few basil leaves, slices of radish and spring onions. Spoon over the tuna mix, add the remaining radish, spring onion and basil. Finally, add the sliced eggs, season them with salt and pepper and get stuck in!