I had the weirdest school lunches when I was a kid. While most kids had cool bologna sandwiches smothered with mayo and snack-paks and Capri-Suns, I had yellow rice with chicken and crudités–it was way lame, and embarrassing. On occasion my mom would give in to my begging and whining and make me tuna salad sandwich, a Hi-C and a bag of Lays potato chips. And I always, ALWAYS would carefully open the sandwich and lay the potato chips atop the tuna. It was the only way.
If I ever had a cute lil’ sandwich shop, I’d have a whole section of just “stuff on toast” and I’d totally have sandwiches on the menu that had potato chips inside. It’d be a thing. Adding potato chips gives sandwiches excellent texture and it adds another layer of flavor. My seven-year-old-self knew what was up.
This is a fancy-ass version of my favorite 2nd grade lunch. The caramelized onions aren’t something I would’ve liked then, but I love them now, except for the fact that caramelizing onions takes SO much patience. The first batch of caramelized onions were more burnt than the pretty dark brown I was going for. You need patience to be rewarded.
Also, salt and vinegar chips. Can we have a conversation about how amazing they are and how I die for them? My second year old self would’ve thought they were disgusting, too.
This sandwich is all about me coming to terms with the things I hated in my younger years, while simultaneously celebrating what was special. It’s a play of the one of the best diner kind of sandwiches around, with a bit of a of a grown-up attitude. I’m into it. I hope you are too.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 yellow onion caramelized - dash of salt
- 2 5 ounce cans of albacore tuna, drained
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 small apple diced
- 3-4 turns of black pepper
- 1/2 lemon
- Salt
- 4 slices bread I like it on a sourdough boule
- 3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese I think Monterey jack and cheddar cheese would also work splendidly
- Salt and vinegar chips
Instructions
- To a medium skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 30 minutes more, stirring frequently, and adding more olive oil as needed, or until the onions are a golden brown color. Transfer the caramelized onions to a small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the albacore tuna, mayonnaise, mustard, diced apple, black pepper and juice from the lemon. Mix and salt and pepper to taste.
- On a foil-lined baking sheet, lay out the slices of bread. Divide the caramelized onions among the slices of bread. Top with a few scoops of tuna; and then a liberal handful of provolone. Turn on the broiler and when hot carefully place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook until the cheese is melty and lightly browned. Top with a few potato chips and enjoy.
I had weird lunches too, seaweed in my lunchbox and stuff…having ethnic parents makes you have weird lunches, but also makes you an adventurous eater!
I love, love a tuna sandwich with chips…probably one of my favorite throwback lunch faves ever!
HA! This is so true. Having non-American parents meant you were the weird kid at the lunch table. But I’m so grateful for it now!
My mother was the one who showed me that a tuna sandwich with potato chips on it really *is* the only way. In fact, I’m not really into potato chips on their own, but I can’t eat a tuna sandwich any other way!
Also, I knew a guy in high school who ate the same thing every morning: a bagel with cream cheese and barbeque potato chips on it. He swore by it, but I’ve never actually eaten it myself.
holy moly those look delicious!!! i want one right now! hehe!
hey, I’m doing a giveaway over on my blog with something I think you would love for recipes/parties/etc!!
Salt and vinegar are the best flavour. This sounds amazing, ingenious even!
My boyfriend will seriously not know what to do when I make this for him!
chips in sandwiches whenever you can, and ALWAYS salt and vinegar! the caramelized onions have me craving a sandwich at 10pm…
I never have patience to properly caramelize onions. But yours look so good! I might be induced to try it and use it in a fancy sandwich like you.
OH, YEAH! This sammie is so my jam. I totally used to do the same thing. Open up the sandwich. Layer potato chips. Close sandwich. Chomp. Perfection. This is like the grownup version. Well played! 🙂
I was obsessed with salt and vinegar chips growing up!! It’s been far too long–I imagine them being perfect on a tuna melt sandwich. Hmmm, thinking of it now 🙂
I also had weird lunches as a kid involving self-packed grapefruit juice and pasta with parmigiano.
If you actually opened up a “Things On Toast” sandwich shop I would totally be a regular! That, and chips on sandwiches are a must!
xx Kait
You would love No 7 Sub, here in NYC. http://no7sub.com/
Also I remember that was the only way I’d eat at Subway – if my Doritos went INTO my sandwich.
This is one fancy-ass sandwich and I love it! Chips on sandwiches are always a good idea and I feel ya on the lame lunches in grade school – my mom is a vegetarian so no lunch meat, nothing like that.
xo Jackie
Yep, chips in sandwiches, fries in burgers – it’s all amazing!
One that is a tad decadent but totally drool worthy: Cheetos in a roast beef sandwich. YUM!
Cheetos in a roast beef sandwich?!? You’re a lunatic and I like it!
When I was a kid one of the popular school lunches my mom packed for me was chunky lentil soup. I still remember the kids crowding around me and pointing that it looked like I was eating poop! They all had their perfect packaged lunchables and here I was eating brown mush – man, school lunch discrimination can be rough! There’s something deliciously nostalgic about this tuna melt – I love it! 🙂
OMG chips INSIDE the sandwich!!! The things I missed growing up in Canada!
You’ve paired two of my favourites; tuna melts and salt& vinegar chips. I can’t wait to try it for lunch tomorrow , yum!