Bruschetta with Tuna and Aioli

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Posted: Aug 24, 2012 Updated: Mar 18, 2023

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Bruschetta with Tuna and Aioli is a gourmet appetizer that is sure to impress. A little bit spicy, a little bit tangy, and a whole lot of delicious.

An Elegant Little Appetizer that’s Easy to Make

This recipe for bruschetta with tuna and aioli came about after my family and I visited one of our favorite restaurants here in Cincinnati. My oldest son Jimmy was in town for a few weeks before he headed back to college in D.C., and he ordered this dish as a first course. It was so good that a few days later he asked if I could recreate it for him.  

Always happy to make the guys in my family a food favorite, I looked up the menu online and read the description of the dish. It really seemed like it was going to be a fussy little dish, but I gave it a try anyway, and to my surprise it was actually quite simple to make. To say it is delicious is a big fat understatement. It’s truly a gourmet appetizer, and you must give it a try!

Is Bruschetta a Healthy Snack?

In general, yes – bruschetta tends to be a healthy snack, made with fresh bread and fresh toppings like tomatoes and herbs. Of course, you can make almost any dish unhealthy by adding processed ingredients and unhealthy fats, but there’s no need for that! This tuna bruschetta is made from scratch using a few flavorful pantry staples. 

What Is Bruschetta Topping Made Of?

If you’re thinking of traditional bruschetta, it’s usually made with tomatoes, garlic, and basil, among other things. This version is sort of a twist on tuna salad, so it has some unexpected ingredients in it! Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Tuna Bruschetta

• Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil: Flake them apart with a fork. I used Tonnino 6.7 ounce.
• French Baguette: Slice it into little rounds.
• Olive Oil: For drizzling. I use extra virgin olive oil.
• Eggs: Boil a few eggs and slice them up. (See this post for How To Boil an Egg!)
• Tomato: Dice up a medium tomato. 

For the Aioli

• Greek Yogurt: True aioli usually gets its creaminess from blending garlic and oil very slowly. Other versions use mayonnaise as a base for a creamy aioli. This version takes a healthier shortcut, using Greek yogurt is an easy way to get that creamy texture.
• Capers: You’ll find capers near the pickles and olives in your grocery store. They add an unbeatable flavor that’s salty and savory.
• Parsley: One bunch of flat-leaf parsley.
• Garlic: A clove of garlic, or two cloves if you like things really garlicky.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh is best, but bottled lemon juice is okay, too.
• Lemon Zest: Another good reason to use fresh lemon juice – you can zest that lemon, too! If you don’t have fresh lemon, omit the zest.
• Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil has the best, strongest flavor. 
• Dijon Mustard: You could substitute another mustard here, but Dijon really has a nice winey fragrance. 

Chili Oil

• Olive Oil: Again, extra-virgin has the boldest flavor.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Crushed red pepper flakes infuse into the oil and give it both heat and flavor.

How to Make Bruschetta with Tuna and Aioli

Okay, now for the easy assembly! This is such a fun recipe to make, and you can do most of the work in advance if needed (see the “Can I Make This Ahead?” section below). Here’s how to make bruschetta with tuna aioli.

• Make the Lemon-Caper Aioli. In a small bowl, measure the aioli ingredients: Greek yogurt, capers, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Stir well to combine, and set aside.
• Make the Chili Oil: Combine the oil and red pepper flakes in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until it reaches 180F, and then remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and transfer to a small bottle. Seal the lid, and refrigerate.
• Toast the Bread. Preheat the oven to 400°F. While it heats, line up your baguette slices on a sheet pan, and drizzle them with olive oil. Toast them in the preheated oven for five minutes or so, until it gets toasty along the edges.
• Assemble the Bruschetta. Once the bread is toasted, take it out of the oven. Drizzle the slices with chili oil, and top with aioli sauce. Add chopped tomatoes, then tuna, and then slices of egg.
• Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

There are a few helpful hints for this recipe that I’d like to share, so read on and enjoy!

• Tuna Quality: Using good quality tuna is key here, and definitely worth a splurge on the good canned or bottled fillets.
• Tuna Amount: Just a little FYI, the tuna will look like there’s not enough, but it goes a long way.
• Salt: You might be wondering, what about salt? You don’t need to add salt to this dish, because the capers are salty enough without it.
• Aioli: You may want to make extra, because this is a great sauce with almost any grilled veggie or fish! Keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Chili Oil: While it’s easy to make your own, you can also find this in the international foods section of your supermarket, where the Mexican cuisine ingredients are stocked.

Ideas for Serving

To serve this gourmet appetizer, I like to follow it with some easy, yet elevated dishes – try these recipes, and you’ll feel like you’re at your favorite restaurant.

• Sweet Pea Ravioli: These homemade Sweet Pea Ravioli are made with fresh green peas and two kinds of cheese. Wonton wrappers make the whole process of making them so incredibly easy.
• Grilled Tri-Tip: No one can resist a hearty, meaty Grilled Tri-Tip with Sicilian Herb Sauce. The vinaigrette-like sauce is so very simple to pull together, but it takes this grilled steak from basic to amazing.
• Peaches and Cream: Grilled Peaches and Cream is a minimalist dessert with maximalist flavor! Nothing beats a juicy grilled peach half, topped with local honey and whipped cream.

Can I Make This Ahead?

You can do a lot of the prep for bruschetta with tuna and aioli in advance. Make the aioli up to two days ahead, and store it in an airtight container in your fridge. Make the chili oil up to one month in advance, and store it in the fridge, too. You can also boil the eggs well in advance, and peel them as well. That just leaves slicing the egg, chopping the tomato, and toasting the bread for the day-of. Easy!

More Irresistible Appetizer Recipes

• Apricots with Goat Cheese and Almond
• Spicy Crab Bites
• Caprese Salad Skewers

Bruschetta with Tuna and Aioli

Bruschetta with Tuna and Aioli is a gourmet appetizer that is sure to impress. A little bit spicy, a little bit tangy, and a whole lot of delicious.

Print Rate Pin

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 -8

Ingredients

TUNA:

• Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil flaked apart with a fork {I used Tonnino 6.7 ounce}
• French Baguette sliced
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 6 Hard Boiled Eggs sliced (How To Boil Egg)
• 1 medium tomato diced

LEMON-CAPER AIOLI: (this is a great sauce with almost any grilled veggie or fish)

• 3/4 cup greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 whole bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Chili Oil

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Lemon-Caper Aioli:

• Combine all ingredients in bowl and combine. Set aside

Chili Oil: (you can also buy this in mexican aisle of your supermarket)

• Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a 4-ounce bottle. Seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

Assembling:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place bread slices on pan, drizzle with olive oil. Toast bread for 5-7 minutes until it starts to toast along edges.
• Top bread with a drizzle of chili oil.
• Top chili oil with aioli sauce.
• Top aioli sauce with tomatoes.
• Top tomatoes with tuna.
• Top tuna with egg slices.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

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