What is one of the most popular sandwiches in the UK? A good old fashioned tuna mayo sandwich! Picture biting into a creamy tuna filling sandwiched between slices of bread together with thinly sliced cucumber... You have decadence, you have crunchy fresh veggies and comforting soft bread all in one bite with this Tuna Cucumber Sandwich! These budget-friendly and extremely easy-to-make sandwiches make a delicious lunch, or can be adapted to make fancy finger sandwiches for your next afternoon tea!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Only 4 ingredients are required for this delicious Tuna Mayo Sandwich with cucumber.
- Tuna Mayo filling (also known as Tuna Salad in the US) is possibly the easiest sandwich filling you will ever make.
- There are plenty of things you can add to these regular tuna mayo sandwiches to add a lot of variety and excitement (see sections below).
- Budget-friendly: One tin of tuna will make two sandwiches (or 4 triangles)!
- Perfect sandwich when there isn't much left in the fridge! The only truly fresh ingredient that you'll need is cucumber. Tuna and mayo have long shelf-life and we often thaw some bread we keep in the freezer. Don't have anything fresh? Try our Tuna and Sweetcorn Sandwiches.
Ways To Serve Tuna Cucumber Sandwiches
Office Lunch: Tuna sandwiches make an easy option to take to work and enjoy at your desk, without needing to reheat your food for a delicious lunch.
Hikes and Picnics: The perfect sandwich to take on hikes and picnics. Tuna cucumber sandwiches can stay out of the fridge for a little longer than usual meat-filled options, and they are full of protein!
Open Sandwich: Serve it on small pieces of rye bread for an open sandwich option. Top them with alfalfa sprouts and chives for a fancy presentation and added nutrition!
Afternoon Tea: Small fancy tea party sandwiches are typically made with thinly sliced white bread. Make the sandwiches as normal and stack them on top of each other. Then using a sharp knife, cut the sides of each stack to remove the crusts. In a sawing motion, slice the crustless sandwiches into 4 or 6 pieces to make dainty tuna tea sandwiches.
Don't Fancy A Sandwich? Serve the tuna mayo sandwich filling in a piece of lettuce to make a lettuce wrap. Although, try our Mexican Tuna Salad for lettuce wraps! Alternatively, wrap the filling in a tortilla wrap with some lettuce, or stuff the lot in pita bread! Or make our easy Tuna Rice Salad instead!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Here are the basic ingredients that you will need to make these Tuna Cucumber Sandwiches. However, have a look at the section below for suggestions for great additions to take your sandwich to the next level.
- Canned (Tinned) Tuna: Choose tuna chunks in spring water or brine (not oil). One can is typically 145-160g (105g drained weight). Find more lunch ideas using tuna here.
- Mayo: Both regular and low-fat mayo will work in this sandwich recipe.
- Bread: We love seeded whole grain bread as it adds extra texture to every bite, but white or brown (whole wheat bread) will work just fine.
- Cucumber: We typically use English cucumbers in our sandwiches but short cucumber varieties will also work.
Extras & Variations
Here are some beautiful things you can add to your Tuna and Cucumber Sandwiches:
- Finely chop ⅛ of red onion and add it to the tuna mixture.
- Squeeze in ¼ of a small lemon juice for a tangy taste.
- Substitute half of the mayo with greek yogurt or sour cream to lighten up the filling.
- Add some finely chopped green onions to the tuna mayo filling.
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for extra savoury flavour and warming heat.
- Add capers (capers make everything better, in our opinion).
Method
Drain tuna well.
In a medium bowl, mix tuna and mayo. Season it with salt and black pepper.
Lay out slices of bread. Spread the tuna on two of the slices, making sure to distribute the sandwich filling evenly.
Add the cucumber slices on top, slightly overlapping.
Top each sandwich with another slice of bread. Cut them in half (straight down the middle or into triangles - you choose!).
Enjoy immediately or wrap them in aluminium foil to take them with you for later!
Video
Storage & Making Ahead
Keep your sandwiches refrigerated in an airtight container, or wrapped in aluminium foil or plastic wrap. They should be eaten within 3 days, however, the bread will start getting slightly soggy the longer you leave them. See Recipe FAQs for ways to protect your sandwich from getting soggy.
These sandwiches can stay out at room temperature for up to 4 hours too. So if you are taking them on a longer walk, or don't have a refrigerator at work, keep them in a bag with an ice pack to be safe.
Recipe FAQs
One Tuna Cucumber Sandwich (2 triangles) contains about 300 kcal. Or 235 kcal if made with reduced-fat mayo.
2-3, depending on the size of your bread slices. Having said that, we do like a deep-filled sandwich and use quite a generous ratio of tuna mayo to bread.
If you intend to keep your sandwiches for longer we highly recommend lining both sides of the filling with a piece of lettuce. Alternatively, butter both slices of bread to create a protective layer.
Healthy eating means different things to people. But nutritionists tell us that both fresh and canned tuna fish is a good source of B vitamins and calcium. However, tuna should be consumed in moderation due to potentially high levels of mercury. Cucumbers are a good source of potassium and vitamins K and C as well. One Tuna cucumber sandwich has about 14 g fat (or 6 if light mayo is used) and 16 g protein.
What To Serve With Tuna Mayo Sandwiches?
Whilst these sandwiches can be enjoyed on their own, you may choose some of the popular options to go with it. Serve them with:
- potato chips or fries (or try our Easy Roast Swede Recipe (Roasted Rutabaga).
- crisps.
- a small cup of Pea & Mint Soup.
- a fresh green salad like Courgette ribbon or Arugula (Rocket) Salad.
More Sandwich & Wrap Recipes
Here are some more ideas to help you get out of your lunch rut.
- Tuna Melt Wrap
- BLTA Sandwich (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado)
- Classic Chicken Mayo Sandwich
- Coronation Chicken Sandwich (or Vegan Coronation Chickpea Sandwich)
- Halloumi and Aubergine Panini
Easy Tuna Cucumber Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 can tuna in brine or spring water 145g tin, 105g drained weight
- 40 g mayonnaise
- 100 g cucumber
- 4 slices bread
Instructions
- Drain the tuna well.
- In a medium bowl, mix tuna and mayo. Season it with salt and black pepper.
- Lay out slices of bread. Spread the tuna on two of the slices, making sure to distribute the sandwich filling evenly.
- Add the cucumber slices on top, slightly overlapping.
- Top each sandwich with another slice of bread. Cut them in half (straight down the middle or into triangles - you choose!).
- Enjoy immediately or wrap them in aluminium foil to take them with you for later!
Video
Notes
- Finely chop ⅛ of red onion and add it to the tuna mixture.
- Squeeze in ¼ of a small lemon juice for a tangy taste.
- Substitute half of the mayo with Greek yoghurt or sour cream to lighten the filling.
- Add some finely chopped green onions to the tuna mayo filling.
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for extra savoury flavour and warming heat.
- Add a tablespoon of capers (capers make everything better, in our opinion).
Nutrition
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