When writer, producer, actor and tuna sandwich enthusiast Phil Rosenthal joined Taste of Home’s Great American Sandwich Show to flex his sandwich-making muscles, we knew we were in for a treat—even though Phil starts by warning that he’s not a professional in the kitchen, he just eats every day (we do, too!). His sandwich comes from his cookbook, Phil’s Favorites, and it’s one of those concoctions that’s simple by design to let high-quality ingredients shine.
Phil uses his favorite canned tuna, which is packed in a beautiful Spanish olive oil, he says. Because the olive oil is so good, he skips mayo. But he doesn’t skimp on herbs. Phil always sprinkles on dill—it was his mother’s favorite, and he adds it as a tribute to her.
The Great American Sandwich Show host Lindsay Ames, who’s competing with her own version of the classic lunchtime sandwich, takes a big bite of Phil’s Failsafe Tuna Sandwich and declares it delicious, and it becomes the episode’s winner.
Check out the episode on YouTube.
Recipe excerpted from Phil’s Favorites: Recipes from Friends and Family to Make at Home. Copyright © 2025, Phil Rosenthal and Jenn Garbee. Photography Copyright © 2025 by Andrea D’Agosto. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
Dining and Cooking