Tunacado Sandwich

This Tunacadao sandwich is my take on a viral recipe inspired by the spicy tuna sandwich from Joe & The Juice cafe. Creamy tuna filling, spicy pesto, thinly sliced avocado and tomato are perfectly sandwiched between thin crispy bread slices, creating a juxtaposition of textures and flavours. 

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What is a tunacado sandwich?

Tunacado is a fun word play on tuna avocado sandwich, which originated somewhere on TikTok or Instagram, however, the recipe inspiration comes from the spicy tuna sandwich made at Joe & the Juice cafe. It’s one of their most popular items on the menu and I tried it a couple of times while living in London, way before it took over the Internet.

I have recently seen this tuna sandwich pop up in my social feed so I decided to make it at home.

🥪 If you love a good sandwich, try my avocado turkey sandwich, crispy fish burger sandwich or the vegetarian lemongrass eggplant banh mi.

Tunacado Sandwich Parts

Let me break down the tunacado sandwich for you. Find full measurements in the recipe card below.

• Crispy bread – Joe & the Juice uses super thin, super crispy brown bread, that feels almost like a cracker; I believe it’s baked by them or for them specifically so not something you can find at a supermarket BUT I recommend using something like sliced focaccia or sourdough, sliced and flattened so the pieces are quite thin, then toasted or pan-fried until really crispy.
• Tuna – the original sandwich has a whipped mousse-like tuna filling; it’s super tasty and I can think of tonnato (of Vitello tonnato) as the inspiration behind this part of the sandwich. It’s canned tuna blended with red onions, anchovies, dill, lemon, capers, mustard and mayo. It’s fluffy and gorgeous and I can eat with a spoon!
• Spicy pesto – while you can use regular pesto, my tunacado version features a spicy aioli version made with additional mayo and Sriracha sauce. It’s fab, try it!
• Avocado and tomato – thin slices of avocado add extra creaminess and nutiness, while the tomato freshens up the whole combo.
• I think the original sandwich also featured jalapeños but I skipped those as I find that spicy pesto adds enough heat for my tastebuds. Feel free to add a few sliced chili peppers if you like.

I love tuna sandwiches and this one is pretty high up on the list of the tastiest I’ve made.

How To Make Tunacado Sandwich

• Place the tuna filling ingredients (except for the chopped onions) in a food processor or a high-speed blender. Blitz it a few times, until the ingredients are processed into a smooth-ish puree consistency. It doesn’t have to be completely blended like a paste; in fact, I like it to have a little coarse texture. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the onions and set aside.

• In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, pesto and Sriracha sauce until smooth. Set aside.
• Using a skillet or frying pan, toast the bread or focaccia slices until crispy. Use a spatula to press down the bread so it’s flattened to get it as toasty as possible. Pro tip: the crispier the bread, the better it will hold against the creamy tuna. If the bread isn’t toasted, it will get wet and soggy.
• Slice tomatoes and avocado thinly. Now we are ready to assemble.

• Spread a little pesto on each side of the bread. Follow with a couple of tablespoons of creamy tuna mixture. Don’t add too much tuna or it will squeeze out from the sides and the whole sandwich will turn into a mess. Follow with tomato and avocado slices, sprinkle with a little sea salt and pepper and you’re ready to eat.

Watch The Video

Can I make this sandwich ahead of time?

I think this is the kind of sandwich that is best made just before serving. You can make all of the elements ahead of time. For example, if you want to take this to the office, I would simply store the ingredients in one container and bring the bread separately, then assemble it when you’re ready to eat.

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