Salmon and Broccoli Raab Pan Bagnat Recipe

Give your picnic or patio lunch a French accent with this flavorful and healthy make-ahead sandwich
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Salmon and Broccoli Raab Pan Bagnat

Photo Terry Brennan, Food Styling Lara Miklasevics

It’s prime picnic season and the perfect time to give your meal a little French accent. Pan bagnat is French for “bathed bread,” and refers to the way the vinaigrette soaks into the bread as it sits under a weight, says Twin Cities chef and cookbook author Robin Asbell, who created this recipe for Real Food. The French classic is usually made with tuna, but here, Asbell uses salmon and adds a hefty portion of leafy greens for extra nutrients. Peppery radishes and fragrant basil make this a sandwich to remember. Plus, you can make it up to two days ahead of your al fresco meal to get a step up on a breezy summer lunch or dinner.

Salmon and Broccoli Raab Pan Bagnat

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

3 cups broccoli raab (or sub Tuscan kale), coarsely chopped
1 (6-ounce) can salmon, drained
3 medium red radishes, thinly sliced
2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons kalamata olives, sliced
1 cup fresh basil, slivered
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped or pressed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta

  1. Set a steamer over simmering water. Steam the raab about 2 minutes. Drain, spread on a clean kitchen towel, and roll up to dry completely.
  2. Break up the salmon into a large bowl and add the cooled greens. Add radish, eggs, tomatoes, olives, and basil.
  3. In a cup, whisk the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes, and pour over the salmon mixture, and toss to mix. Let marinate at room temperature while you slice the bread.
  4. Split the loaf lengthwise. Carefully tear out about ½ cup from the center of the bread to make room for the filling. Place on a large sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Stuff the filling into the bread, close it, and wrap tightly. Place the loaf under a weight like a cast iron pan for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate until time to serve. It can be made up to 2 days ahead. To serve, slice into 4 or 6 portions.

Nutrition info Salmon and Broccoli Raab Pan Bagnat (per serving) Calories: 280, Fat: 10g (Sat: 1.5 g), Cholesterol: 85 mg, Sodium: 670 mg, Carb: 31g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Protein: 15g

Mary Subialka
In her role as Senior Editor on Greenspring’s Custom Publications team, Mary leads Real Food magazine, the nationally syndicated publication distributed through our retail partner grocery stores. She also leads editorial on the nationally syndicated Drinks magazine and writes a weekly blog post focusing on food and drinks for MinnesotaMonthly.com. She rarely meets a chicken she doesn’t like, and hopes that her son, who used to eat beets and Indian food as a preschooler, will one day again think of real food as more than something you need to eat before dessert and be inspired by his younger brother, who is now into trying new foods.

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