Say goodbye to sourdough bread and make tuna sandwiches with this sturdy and tasty bread
Sourdough bread has been a favorite among the celiac community in recent years, but there's another bread that undoubtedly pairs even better with the creamy, flavorful filling of tuna salad. Enter rye bread, a staple from the Middle Ages that has existed since the Iron Age.
Whether you're making a classic cold tuna salad sandwich or the ultimate tuna gratin, rye adds a rich flavor and a firm texture. Tuna salad can get soggy over time, especially if made with mayonnaise, and a sturdy slice of rye holds up better than any delicate white bread. While American and Scandinavian rye breads can be quite different, Jewish rye bread with seeds is an excellent choice if you're looking for that classic deli flavor.
For a cold tuna salad, lightly toasting rye bread gives it a crispy exterior and prevents it from getting soggy. If you're making a tuna sandwich with cheese, rye bread is an even more obvious choice. Spread butter or mayonnaise on the outside, top with the tuna, and add a good melted cheese (Swiss or Cheddar work well) before broiling until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted.
Rye bread has a historical connection with Jewish delicatessens.
This isn't just a passing fad. There's a real precedent for the tuna salad and rye bread combination. Tuna salad is a staple in American Jewish delis, where it's traditionally served with rye bread or bagels. This grain became closely associated with American Jewish delis due to the immigration of Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe, especially to New York, in the late 19th century. This culinary connection developed alongside the rise of delis. Katz's Delicatessen, one of America's finest Jewish delis, opened on the Lower East Side in 1888 and remains a landmark for delis lovers. Its most famous dish is the pastrami sandwich served on seedless rye bread with a generous layer of mustard.
In a Reddit thread about sandwiches, fans agreed: "Rye is the only acceptable bread for tuna scalloped sandwiches," one commented. Another stated, "For me, rye is practically the king of all scalloped sandwiches." What if you don't like tuna in any form? No problem, as rye's firm texture and savory flavor make it the perfect accompaniment to other deli classics, such as liver pâté, whitefish salad, and egg salad. Sourdough bread isn't bad, and it certainly has its own history stretching back centuries. But if you want a tuna sandwich with more character, more depth, and a more unique flavor, rye bread is the ideal choice.
