Pan Bagnat (French Pressed Tuna Sandwich)

Press it and forget it

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Pressing: 16 mins

Total: 46 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Hailing from Nice, France, pan bagnat (pronounced pahn bahn-yah), is essentially a Niçoise salad between two pieces of crusty bread. The perfect sandwich for packing in advance, whether it’s for lunch at your desk, tailgating with your crew, or poolside picnics with the family, this brilliant, olive-oil soaked sandwich gets better with age.

What Are the Main Ingredients in Pan Bagnat?

Tuna and hard-boiled eggs supply the protein for this hearty sandwich, which gets a triple flavor punch, care of briny olives, a zippy vinaigrette, and the sharp bite of raw red onion. Fresh basil and parsley bring in some herbaceous notes and work as a stand-in for lettuce, which would wilt under the pressure of this wrapped-and-pressed sando. This versatile sandwich may also include tomatoes, radishes, fava or green beans, and/or artichokes.

What Does “Pan Bagnat” Mean?

Originally a sandwich for fishermen and other working class folks, pan bagnat shares the stage with the eponymous salad Niçoise as the crown jewels of Niçoise cuisine. The name, which means ‘bathed bread’ in the Provençal dialect of Niçart, refers to the method of bathing stale bread in water to revive it. 

Typically, a crusty, round loaf of bread was used, but any sturdy bread, such as a baguette or ciabatta will work, and instead of water, olive oil provides moisture for this fully-loaded sandwich.

How To Prepare Pan Bagnat

To prepare pan bagnat, combine anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar to make a vinaigrette in which you’ll toss mixed chopped olives. Brush the inside crumb of the crusty bread with olive oil, and then layer chopped olive salad, thinly sliced red onion, tomatoes, tuna, hard-boiled egg, and another layer of olive salad before wrapping the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or wax paper and weighing the whole thing down for about 15 minutes with a heavy book or cast-iron skillet. 

Or, stash the sandwiches in the fridge overnight, and pack them up in a cooler to take adventuring the next day. While the sandwich sits, the briny juices infuse the tuna and egg with extra flavor and create a soft but not soggy texture in the bread. 

What To Serve With Pan Bagnat

This sandwich is a full meal, but if you’re taking it along as part of a picnic spread, you could serve it alongside a mayo-free potato salad and an easy fruit salad.

Tips for Making Pan Bagnat

• Brush the bread with olive oil—Brush the inside of the bread with olive oil before building the sandwich to create a buffer, keeping the bread from getting soggy.
• Fishy substitutes—Substitute cooked or tinned salmon or even sardines for a riff on the theme.
• Don’t toss the tuna oil!—Drizzle some of the oil from your oil-packed tuna into the vinaigrette for an amped up umami flavor.
• Eat them at room temp—If you’ve stored your sandwiches in the fridge, let them come to room temperature before enjoying them.

Make Ahead

Give yourself time to let this one sit—pan bagnat can hold for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of overnight

«I pressed two sandwiches for 16 minutes total and left the other two refrigerated overnight. Both versions were so delicious, but the overnight sandwiches were especially tasty because the ingredients had time to meld together.» —Diana Andrews

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 2 large anchovy filets, minced

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 pinch fine salt

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for brushing

• 1 cup mixed pitted olives, preferably Niçoise or Kalamata, coarsely chopped

• 1 standard size baguette (about 23 inches) halved lengthwise then cut crosswise into 4 equal sections, or 2 mini baguettes (about 11 inches each) both halved lengthwise then halved crosswise to make 4 sandwiches (8 pieces total)

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced

• 2 (5-ounce) cans oil-packed tuna, drained and coarsely chopped

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced

• 16 fresh basil leaves, torn

• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 large cloves garlic, minced, 2 large anchovy filets, minced, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 pinch fine salt. 

   

3. While whisking, slowly pour in 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Continue whisking until emulsified. 

   

4. Set aside 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette, and add 1 cup mixed pitted olives, coarsely chopped to the remaining vinaigrette, stirring to combine.

   

5. Lay out 8 pieces of baguette (to make 4 sandwiches), and brush the cut sides of each with extra-virgin olive oil.

   

6. Divide the olive mixture between the bottom pieces of the baguette, spreading evenly. Top with 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, 1 large tomato, thinly sliced, and 2 (5-ounce) cans oil-packed tuna, drained and coarsely chopped.

   

7. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette, then top with 4 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced, 16 fresh basil leaves, torn, and 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves. Close the sandwich with the remaining pieces of baguette.

   

8. Wrap each sandwich tightly with plastic wrap or wax paper. Place sandwiches on a cutting board with another cutting board on top, and weigh down with whatever heavy thing you have nearby—a cast-iron skillet or some heavy books

   

9. Press for 7 to 8 minutes, flip, and press for another 7 to 8 minutes. Sandwiches may be served right away or refrigerated up to 24 hours before serving.

   

How To Store

Pan bagnat will last for up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

This sandwich begs for personalization. Make it your own by adding:

• Sliced cucumbers
• Sliced radishes
• Peperoncini
• Steamed or blanched green beans
• Drained canned artichoke hearts
• Roasted red peppers
• Drained capers

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	889
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g	48%
Saturated Fat 7g	33%
Cholesterol 202mg	67%
Sodium 1804mg	78%
Total Carbohydrate 92g	33%
Dietary Fiber 6g	22%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 47g
Vitamin C 28mg	141%
Calcium 193mg	15%
Iron 11mg	59%
Potassium 657mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.