Heirloom tomato & tuna salad with crispy chickpeas & pepperoncini yogurt

Hi, friends.

I’m a big believer that everyday meals deserve to feel like more than just food. A Monday dinner or quick Wednesday lunch doesn’t have to feel rushed or like an afterthought — it can feel special and elevated. For me, it can feel like self care.

(That’s where the name Saturday Table originally came from, btw — recipes to make any day feel as enjoyable as a Saturday.)

Don’t get me wrong — there are many days when lunch is a pile of deli turkey, dipped right into the mustard jar and shoveled into my mouth between bites of pickles and cheese. But whenever I take a few extra minutes to make something thoughtfully and plate it up so it feels fancy, I swear it turns my whole day around.

And if it can come together as quickly as today’s recipe does, then all the better.

Currently On My Counter

• I splurged on these Sabre butter spreaders and I swear they make making my kids’ breakfast feel like an event (it’s always the little things).

• If I don’t have at least three or four tomato varieties on my counter at once, I feel like I’m not making the most of tomato season.

• Anyone else at the end of their rope with ants right now?! My least favorite part of summer. Send help. (Will spare you the photo.)

• Have officially traded all my cute coffee mugs for insulated Yetis.

Today we’re making tuna salad that’s a far cry from the tuna salad I (and probably you!) grew up eating. Think of it as tuna salad that hopped on a plane and spent a semester studying abroad in Greece. It’s fresh and bright and oh-so-summery, with layers of punchy flavor and not a single speck of mayo in sight.

Lately, I’ve been adding pepperoncini juice to just about everything, and today it’s the ingredient that makes this whole salad. We’re going to add it to some labneh along with salt and garlic to create an insanely delicious spread that will be the base of our salad.

On top, we’ve got gorgeous chunky heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, green onion, herbs, and za’atar-spiced crispy chickpeas (made in the air fryer or oven — chef’s choice), followed by good olive oil-packed tuna.

It’s one of the best things I’ve made in a while, and came together in about 20 minutes using lots of things I always keep on hand. Proof that lunch can absolutely be an occasion.

And coming next week…

A brothy acqua pazza-inspired halibut with burst tomatoes, olives, and chickpeas.

Heirloom Tomato & Tuna Salad With Crispy Za’atar Chickpeas & Pepperoncini Yogurt

Serves: 2

Ready in: 20 minutes

For the pepperoncini yogurt

• 1 cup Greek yogurt or labneh

• 2-3 tbsp pepperoncini brine

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• salt

For the crispy chickpeas

• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and thoroughly dried

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp za’atar

• salt

For the salad

• 1 large heirloom tomato, cut into large wedges

• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced

• 4 pepperoncinis, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup Castelvetrano olives, torn or halved

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 large handful parsley leaves

• 1 small handful mint leaves

• 1 (5-6 oz) jar olive oil-packed tuna

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Splash of red wine vinegar

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing

• Salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• Lemon zest and Aleppo pepper for finishing

Stir together the yogurt or labneh, pepperoncini brine, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Taste and add a little more pepperoncini brine if you’d like it tangier. Set aside.

Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil, za’atar, and a generous pinch of salt. Air fry at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway through, until crisp and golden. (You can also roast them in a 425°F oven for about 25-30 minutes.)

In a large bowl, gently toss the tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoncinis, olives, green onions, parsley, and mint with the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and olive oil, plus a generous pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Right before serving, toss in the crispy chickpeas, too.

Spread the pepperoncini yogurt onto a serving platter or shallow bowl. Pile the salad over the top. Finish with large flakes of the tuna, a generous pinch of Aleppo pepper, plenty of lemon zest, flaky salt, and one last drizzle of good olive oil.

• Use good tuna here, if you can. The Tonino yellowfin in olive oil that comes in a jar is what I used, though I love Fishwife as well. (Fishwife cans are smaller, so you’ll probably need two.)

• I prefer labneh to yogurt, because it makes the spread a little thicker and creamier, but either (or a combination of both!) is perfect.

• Make sure your chickpeas are as dry as possible — the dryer they are, the better they’ll crisp up.

• A good sourdough baguette on the side to mop up all the juices and pepperoncini yogurt is a non-negotiable!! As is, in my opinion, a good bottle of chilled rosé or white wine if you’re having this for dinner.

• This is best fresh but my husband and I had it leftover the next day and it was still so good.