What goes with tuna sandwiches? - 9 perfect garnishes

Bursting with delicious, juicy tuna, crispy lettuce, and creamy mayonnaise, tuna sandwiches are a staple for many of us.

But what side dishes should you have with your tuna sandwiches? This quick and easy fish feast deserves the best garnish.

If you run out of inspiration to accompany the tuna sandwiches, we have nine perfect side dishes for you!

So what goes with a tuna sandwich?

The best garnish for a tuna sandwich is traditionally a Ni?oise tuna salad, although in this case, it would be without tuna. Other great garnishes for tuna sandwiches include French fries, soup, olives, and crudites.

Tuna is a great option to have in your pantry to make a sandwich at any given time. It’s a handy source of vitamin D, iron, protein, and omega 3s, and of course, it tastes delicious too!

But sometimes an amazing sandwich needs a side dish that does it justice, and also adds a little variety to your diet.

We’re going to take a look at the nine best sides for tuna sandwiches, and give you the ultimate version of each one.

With garnishes to make at home and the best garnishes to throw in your lunch box, there’s no excuse for the same tuna sandwich every day!

The 9 Best Garnishes for a Tuna Sandwich

Here are our favorite garnishes for a tuna sandwich. If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out what to go with your delicious seafood sandwich, look no further!

1. Salad

You may have put some lettuce or another salad on your tuna sandwich, but having a side salad really kicks it up a notch!

Serving the salad separately means you can include ingredients that could drench your sandwich, and add some wacky twists, too.

• The best salad to accompany tuna sandwiches: Try accompanying your sandwich with a Niçoise tuna salad, but without the tuna! This traditional French salad is a delicious mix of crispy salad leaves, salty olives, kidney beans, tomatoes, boiled eggs and potatoes, topped with a fresh lemon-mustard dressing.

2. French fries

Pairing your tuna sandwiches with chips turns this snack into a deliciously satisfying meal. Imagine hot crispy chips, sprinkled with salt, next to your carefully prepared sandwich…

• Best French Fries to Serve with Tuna Sandwiches: Home fries are the ultimate treat and go perfectly with tuna fish sandwiches. Fried or baked potatoes are easy to make, but can be time consuming. If you’re in a hurry, there are also great potato chip options available in the frozen section of your local grocery store.

3. Soup

A cup or bowl of soup with your tuna sandwich is the quintessential comfort food. The best thing is that there are so many soups that you will never get tired of accompanying your tuna sandwich with a different soup every day.

• The best soup to accompany tuna sandwiches: Accompany your tuna sandwich with a hearty minestrone soup to warm up on cold winter days. This hearty Italian vegetable soup is made with tomato, beans, seasonal vegetables, and pasta or rice.

4. Onion rings

Crispy and juicy onion rings can be a great alternative to French fries and are perfect as a side to a tuna fish sandwich. Try putting a couple of onion rings on your tuna sandwich for extra crunch.

• The Best Onion Rings to Serve with Tuna Sandwiches: Making homemade onion rings is quick and easy. Simply coat onion slices with a light batter mixture and fry until golden brown.

5. Crudites

Crunchy crudites are a sublime pairing for your tuna sandwich. Delicious and nutritious, and best of all, they are very easy to prepare with whatever you have in the fridge.

• The best crudités to serve with tuna sandwiches: Your tuna sandwich should be accompanied by a mix of crunchy crudités. We love thinly sliced cucumber, bell peppers, and carrots, with a handful of radishes for a hint of pepper. Adding a fresh pesto sauce will add a new dimension to this great garnish for tuna sandwiches.

6. Olives

Fancy a small snack bowl next to your tuna sandwich?

A selection of crisp, juicy and salty olives make a delicious garnish and make a great addition to your meal. Also, olives are incredibly good for you, as they are high in vitamin E and antioxidants.

• Best Olives to Serve with Tuna Bocadillos: An olive tapas dish is quick and easy to make, and pairs perfectly with a tuna sandwich. Simply put the pitted olives in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Flavor with dried herbs and crushed garlic, season well and leave to marinate for a few hours.

7. French fries

Now there is nothing easier than this! Everyone loves the perfect pairing of chips with a sandwich, and all you have to do is choose your flavor and pop a bag in your lunch box.

The only question is: do you prefer fries on the side or in your sandwich?

• Best Fries to Serve with Tuna Sandwiches: Everyone has their favorites, but we think you can’t go wrong with some simple salt and vinegar fries alongside a tuna sandwich.

8. Coleslaw

A crisp, juicy and colorful coleslaw is a refreshing accompaniment to a tuna fish sandwich. Simple to make and easy to store, adding coleslaw as a side dish will add maximum nutrition to your meal.

• Best Coleslaw to Pair with Tuna Sandwiches: A vinaigrette coleslaw will make a perfect contrast to your mayonnaise-laden tuna sandwich. Cut the carrot, cabbage and onion into thin slices, season and dress with cider vinegar and olive oil. Add more flavor with mustard and caraway seeds.

9. Fruit

Fruit doesn’t usually come to mind when we think of sandwiches, but a fruit salad can be a great accompaniment to tuna fish sandwiches on a warm summer day. Fresh fruit will add an extra bit of goodness and provide you with a well-balanced lunch.

• Best Fruit to Side with Tuna Sandwiches: A chopped salad of crisp apple, juicy red berries, tangy orange, and honeydew melon makes a very refreshing garnish for tuna sandwiches. If you prepare lunch ahead of time, squeeze some orange juice to prevent the fruit from turning brown.

Related questions

Now that we’ve had a chance to talk about our favorite tuna sandwich garnishes, let’s take a second to answer a few questions we think you may have had while reading this article!

How do you prepare a tuna sandwich?

There are a number of variations on the iconic tuna sandwich, and people prefer to add a ton of different toppings. But why mess with a classic? Here’s how to make the perfect tuna sandwich:

• Pick Your Bread – A crispy brown bagel with whole grains makes a great tuna sandwich, but a couple slices of soft white bread can also be sublime.
• Rinse and drain a can of tuna and pour it into a bowl . Add the mayonnaise, season well and mix well with a fork.
• Now you have to add something crunchy! You can put some chopped bell peppers in the tuna mayonnaise mixture, or add crispy slices of lettuce or cucumber to your sandwich.
• Put the tuna mayonnaise on the sandwich and serve it.

What to accompany with the sandwiches besides the fries?

Bored of the same old fries with sandwiches? Perhaps you want to vary your lunch menu, or do you want to find more nutritious side options? Luckily, there are some delicious side options to serve with the sandwiches, in addition to the fries.

• Salad
• Cabbage salad
• Pickles
• raw
• Soup
• potato wedges
• Onion rings

What is a good accompaniment for melted tuna?

Crispy toasted bread, topped with tuna salad, tomato and melted cheese: who doesn’t love melted tuna! But the question is, what do you serve it with?

We think crispy potato wedges and a fresh salad are the perfect accompaniments to tuna melt.

The light and fluffy potato chunks will soak up the flavorful juices oozing from the melted tuna, and the salad leaves and tomato will add a fresh, crunchy element to the dish.

What are the ingredients of tuna salad?

The tuna salad starts with a mixture of canned tuna and mayonnaise. Other ingredients are often added for crunch and flavor: gherkins, celery, onion, or bell peppers.

One of the most famous tuna salads is the Ensalada Niçoise. There are many variations on the traditional recipe, but most contain tuna, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, green beans, and olives.

What can I mix with canned tuna?

Looking for inspiration on what to mix with your canned tuna? Perhaps you have leftover tuna leftovers from making a sandwich, salad, or melt? Here are some great ideas for what to mix with canned tuna:

• Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Salad - Add olives, capers and cheese to cooked pasta and canned tuna.
• Tuna Burgers – Mix canned tuna with breadcrumbs, egg, and herbs to make this family favorite. Shape the mixture into patties and gently fry them until golden brown on both sides.
• Tuna Salad Stuffed Avocados – Sick of tuna salad snacks? Just make a basic tuna salad and put it in a halved avocado. A drizzle of seafood sauce finishes off this delight perfectly.
• Tuna and Pepper Enchiladas: Add canned tuna to a stir-fry of onion and garlic, and add some passata. Season well and flavor with cumin and paprika. Put the mixture in tortilla wrappers, roll up and cover with grated cheese. Bake in the oven until golden brown and bubbly.