It’s the official Sandwich of Summer! Just in time for picnic season. Packed with rich canned fish, mounds of fresh veggies and the tastiest dressing as a finishing touch. Here comes the sun!
A pan bagnat is a type of sandwich that originates from the Provence region in France. If you’ve ever enjoyed a niçoise salad, the flavors will be familiar! This French sandwich typically consists of a baguette that is hollowed out a bit and filled with tuna, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, and olive oil.
I moved to Portugal in 2021 and, since then, canned mackerel has rocked my world. These magical cans hold rich, firm fish fillets – a far cry from the shredded and minced canned fish of my youth. And mackerel offers a much milder flavor than tuna or canned sardines, lacking a lot of the “fishiness” that can be off-putting.
For all those reasons, canned mackerel is the dreamiest fit for a pan bagnat sandwich. Break the fillets of mackerel into smaller pieces when building your sandwich or leave them whole – both are delicious!
If you’ve been looking for an easy way to incorporate more seafood into your diet, save this one, friend! You’ll be making this delicious meal all year round.
What you’ll need to make Pan Bagnat Sandwich using Canned Mackerel:
For dressing:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The backbone of our dressing and the rich undertone for the sandwich.
Red Wine Vinegar: The balancing acid in our perfect dressing. Substitute lemon juice or lime juice, or a wine vinegar of your choice.
Fresh Garlic: Fresh is best, but substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, if necessary.
Dijon Mustard: It’s creamy and sharp and just a little bit will do. If mustard isn’t your jam, omit.
Anchovies: Canned or jarred anchovies are a rich, umami flavor explosion! Substitute diced capers, if you must.
For sandwich:
Baguette: I love a fresh baguette for this sandwich, but if you can’t find a good one, 4 ciabatta rolls are a good substitute.
Canned Mackerel: Boneless mackerel canned in olive oil is ideal for this sandwich. Tuna in olive oil can be substituted for tinned mackerel. You can also sometimes find tinned mackerel in a spicy tomato sauce, but I haven’t tried that in this recipe.
Red Onion: Substitute yellow or white onion, or even diced green onions, if you prefer a milder onion flavor.
Roasted Red Peppers: The subtle sweetness of red peppers adds a lovely balance to this dreamy, savory sandwich. Grab a jar at your local grocery store – no need to roast your own at home 😉
Mixed Olives: Traditional Pan Bagnat is made using niçoise olives. I love a good mix of nicoise, kalamata, Spanish or Castelvetrano. Let your heart be your guide!
Hard Boiled Eggs: I prefer slightly jammy, medium-boiled eggs in this sandwich. It’s a great way to add a creamy texture to this epic sandwich. But hard boiled will do the trick, too!
Ripe Tomato: One large ripe tomato is all you need. Dice cherry tomatoes would also work, though they may be a little harder to wrangle when eating.
Fresh Basil Leaves: You can’t imagine how much flavor fresh basil adds to this sandwich work of art. Please don’t skip it!
Salt and Black Pepper: To taste!
Full measurements and directions included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions for making Pan Bagnat with canned mackerel:
To begin, make the dressing for your sandwich. Combine grated garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard and anchovies in a small bowl. Mix well. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
Next, slice your baguette (or rolls) and hollow out a little of the bread to form a tunnel of tastiness for all our fillings. Drizzle a generous amount of the dressing on each open side of bread.
Starting from the bottom, layer olives, mackerel, red pepper, red onion, sliced hard boiled eggs, fresh tomatoes and basil leaves.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of dressing over the vegetables, then close the sandwich. Wrap the baguette or rolls tightly in plastic wrap. Let the sandwich sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
Slice and serve.
FAQ’s and Serving Suggestions:
Yes, a pan bagnat sandwich can be made in advance, it actually tastes best once it’s had time to sit and marry all the flavors.
Yes, canned tuna can be used in place of canned mackerel. Try to find tuna in olive oil and then be sure to drain the tuna before using it in the sandwich.
Some traditional ingredients include olives, capers, bell peppers, and onions. But you can customize the sandwich by adding optional toppings or your favorite vegetables, spreads and even cheeses.
Of course! A vegetarian version can be made by omitting the mackerel and anchovies and replacing them with additional vegetables, such as bell peppers, artichokes, or zucchini.
A simple spread of chips and fruit salad would be perfect. Throw in a Crunchy Slaw for bonus points.
When buying canned mackerel, look for products that are low in sodium and free of preservatives and artificial additives. Mackerel canned in olive oil is exceptional, and is always my first choice. Be sure it’s olive oil and not vegetable oil or soybean oil, which can be high in unhealthy fats and carry a much different flavor.
Hungry for more delicious tinned fish dishes? Try these recipes next!
Homemade Salmon Patties Recipe
Easy Pan Bagnat Sandwich (Canned Mackerel Recipe!)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For Dressing:
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 anchovies, minced
For Sandwich:
1 16-inch baguette
2 cans mackerel fillets in olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 jarred roasted red peppers, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup mixed olives
3 eggs, medium boiled
1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, whole or roughly torn
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
To begin combine grated garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon and anchovies in a small bowl. Mix well. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
Next, slice your baguette (or rolls) and hollow out a little of the bread to form a tunnel of tastiness for all our fillings. Drizzle a generous amount of the dressing on each open side of bread.
Starting from the bottom, layer olives, mackerel, red pepper, red onion, sliced hard boiled eggs, fresh tomatoes and basil leaves. Pour a few tablespoons of dressing over the vegetables, then close the sandwich.
Wrap the baguette tightly in plastic wrap. Let the sandwich sit at room temperature for at least an hour. Slice and serve.
Notes
Substitute a quality canned tuna in olive oil for mackerel, if desired.
- Prep Time: 20
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American, French
Keywords: what to do with canned mackerel, canned mackerel recipe, pan bagnat recipe
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