Forget more mayo—the one simple swap that makes canned tuna taste better

We’ve all had that “guess I’m having tuna” moment when you haven’t gone grocery shopping. You open the pantry, spot a lonely can, and five minutes later you’re eating tuna salad. But according to Brooklyn chef Delfin Jaranilla, summer is the perfect excuse to break that habit. His secret? Skip the mayo overload and pair canned tuna with ripe tomatoes instead.

At Leland Eating & Drinking House in Brooklyn, New York, where Jaranilla is chef and partner, he serves a Tuna Con Tomate Toast that combines flaky oil-packed tuna with grated peak-season tomatoes, crusty sourdough, red onion, and just enough aioli to hold everything together. The result is lighter, brighter, and exactly the kind of lunch that feels right for summer.

Even better? It comes together in about the same amount of time as your usual tuna salad.

Why tomatoes and tuna are such a perfect pair

There’s a reason the combination shows up all over Spain and Portugal.

“There is nothing better than a peak-season, perfectly ripe heirloom tomato,” Jaranilla says. “Natural sugars, balanced acidity, and natural glutamates (umami/savoriness) all make fresh tomatoes a perfect pairing with tuna.”

His formula couldn’t be simpler: equal parts tuna and tomato. For one serving, he uses 3 ounces of high-quality oil-packed tuna and 3 ounces of freshly grated, seasoned heirloom tomato.

The tomatoes bring brightness and sweetness, while the tuna supplies richness and savory depth (as well as protein)—meaning you don’t have to rely on a heavy mayonnaise dressing for flavor.

Upgrade your tuna before you do anything else

If Jaranilla could convince home cooks to splurge on just one ingredient, it wouldn’t be the bread or the olive oil—it would be the tuna.

Instead of the standard water-packed can, he recommends oil-packed tuna, which stays juicier because it’s preserved in olive oil rather than water.

“The oil suspends the tuna and keeps its natural juices in and concentrated,” he explains. “Water-packed tuna tends to be drier with a more diluted flavor.”

When you’re shopping, look for tins from Portugal, Spain, or Italy, and don’t overlook quality American producers. His favorite mid-priced brands include Matiz and Fishwife.

As for the fish itself? Yellowfin, bluefin, bigeye, and albacore are all excellent choices. But if you spot ventresca—the prized tuna belly—don’t hesitate.

“Get it!” he says. “It will be much more flavorful.”

Don’t stress if you don’t have heirloom tomatoes

Yes, heirloom tomatoes are ideal. No, you don’t need to cancel lunch if your grocery store doesn’t have them.

“Any ripe tomato will do just fine,” Jaranilla says.

The trick is to buy tomatoes that feel soft—but not mushy. If all you can find are firm ones, leave them on the counter for a few days instead of refrigerating them.

“Your patience will be rewarded,” he says.

How to make Tuna Con Tomate Toast

Serves: 1

• 2 medium-large ripe heirloom tomatoes
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 3 cloves garlic, divided
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 slice sourdough bread, 1 inch thick
• 1 to 2 Tbsp aioli or mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup julienne sliced red onion
• 3 oz tuna conserva or high-quality tinned tuna in olive oil, drained

1. Hold the tomato from the top and begin to grate from the bottom on a box grater into a bowl, moving the tomato around, to get the most pulp out.
2. Remove any tomato skin that may have fallen into the bowl, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Discard the tomato water (or save it for another use). Add the olive oil, grate in 2 of the garlic cloves, and whisk together.
3. Season to taste with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Should be tasty and well seasoned!
4. Toast the bread. This should be well toasted and crusty. Rub the remaining garlic clove on both sides of the toast.
5. Spoon and spread aioli or mayonnaise on the top side of the bread. Lay on the red onions. Add your tuna conserva flaked into medium-sized chunks on top.
6. Pour the seasoned tomato mixture on top of the tuna (enough to cover and have a bit on the plate as well).
7. Finish with a little drizzle of olive oil and a few turns of fresh cracked pepper.

Jaranilla recommends enjoying it while the toast is warm and the toppings are at room temperature so every ingredient is at its best.

Not in the mood for toast? The tomato-and-tuna mixture is just as good scooped up with crackers or tortilla chips.

Like a little heat? Finish everything with a drizzle of chili oil, a spoonful of chili crisp, or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Think beyond tuna salad

The biggest takeaway from Jaranilla isn’t really about tomatoes or mayonnaise. It’s about rethinking canned tuna altogether.

“There’s so much more to do with canned tuna than tuna salad,” he says.

This open-faced toast is proof that one of summer’s best lunches doesn’t require a complicated recipe—just a good can of tuna, a ripe tomato, and a loaf of crusty bread.