Pan Bagnat Nice Tuna Sandwich

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Pan Bagnat is the legendary pressed sandwich from Nice on the French Riviera, where a rustic round loaf is layered with olive-oil-packed tuna, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, olives, and crisp vegetables, then weighted down so the bread drinks in the bright Provençal dressing. It is essentially a Niçoise salad stacked into a portable loaf and tastes even better after a good long press.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 590 kcalCalories
• 30 gFat
• 5 gSaturated Fat
• 48 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 880 mgSodium
• 560 mgPotassium
• 140 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 22 mgVitamin C
• 240 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the bread

• 2 round rustic loaves (about 7 inches / 18 cm across), or 1 large ciabatta
• 2 garlic cloves, halved
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

For the filling

• 2 cans (5 oz / 140 g each) good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained with 2 tbsp oil reserved
• 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
• 2 ripe Roma or vine tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 small green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (75 g) pitted Niçoise or small black olives, halved
• 8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

For the dressing and finishing

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and cook the eggs for 10 minutes; transfer to an ice bath, peel, and slice once cooled. Slice the bread loaves in half horizontally and rub the cut sides all over with the cut garlic cloves, then sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
2. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, reserved tuna oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a generous grind of black pepper until emulsified.
3. Drizzle about a third of the dressing over the bottom half of each loaf, letting it soak into the crumb. Layer the sliced tomatoes over the bread and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the sliced hard-boiled eggs over the tomatoes, followed by the tuna broken into chunks. Tuck in the anchovy fillets, sliced onion, bell pepper, olives, and basil leaves, distributing them evenly across the loaf.
5. Drizzle another third of the dressing over the filling, then close the sandwich with the top half of the bread. Press gently so the dressing begins to soak through the upper crust as well.
6. Wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, set a cutting board on top, and weight with a couple of heavy cans or a cast-iron skillet. Press for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.
7. Just before serving, unwrap the sandwiches, brush any remaining dressing over the tops, and slice each into 4 wedges with a serrated knife. Serve at room temperature with extra olives alongside.
8. Use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion so the layers stay intact and the soaked bread does not tear as you cut through the wedges.

Cook’s Notes

• Use tuna packed in olive oil rather than water; the flavor and texture are essential to an authentic pan bagnat.
• Pressing is non-negotiable: the bread needs time to absorb the dressing, which is what transforms this from a sandwich into pan bagnat.
• If you can find it, choose a pain de campagne or similar rustic round loaf; ciabatta works but absorbs dressing faster and can turn soggy if pressed too long.
• Niçoise olives are traditional, but small black Gaeta or pitted Kalamata olives are excellent substitutes when Niçoise are unavailable.
• Pan bagnat is picnic-perfect: assemble the night before, press overnight in the fridge, and slice just before serving for the best flavor and texture.

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