Tuna & Heirloom Tomato Pizza (and Why It Beats That Sad Sandwich)

By Giovanni
·
Mon, Aug 18, 25

Background

Somewhere along the Ligurian coast, someone figured out that canned tuna and ripe tomatoes belong together. It is what Italians call a pranzo veloce — a quick lunch that still feels like real food. Think warm sea breeze, tiled terraces, and a plate that smells like olive oil and salt, not the tuna-and-mayo-on-rye that has been sweating in your handbag since 10 a.m.

This version lands on a Based Pizza base, because life is too short for sad bread. Juicy heirloom tomatoes, anchovies, and red onion bring the coastal punch, while Italian tuna finishes it off with proper protein and attitude. It is bright, messy, and hits harder than it has any right to.

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°C on bake or convection mode with no fan force. If you are using a pizza stone, place it in now to preheat fully.
  2. Dice heirloom, cherry, and beefsteak tomatoes. Quarter the cherry tomatoes and slice the heirlooms. Add them to a bowl with sliced red onion, anchovies, green olives, salt, and a generous amount of olive oil. Mix well and let it sit.
  3. Open your Based Pizza base and top with sliced mozzarella. Bake for 5–6 minutes until the cheese melts and the crust is crisp.
  4. When the base is done, flake Italian canned tuna into the tomato mix and toss gently to coat. Spoon the mix generously over the hot pizza. Add a few extra olives, fresh basil leaves, and another pour of olive oil.

Ingredients

• 1 Based Pizza sourdough base
• 100 g mozzarella, sliced
• 1 small heirloom tomato, sliced
• 6–8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ½ beefsteak tomato, diced
• ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3–4 anchovy fillets
• 1 small tin Italian tuna in oil (such as Sirena)
• 6–8 green olives, pitted
• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for finishing)
• A few fresh basil leaves
• Salt, to taste

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Cooking Instructions

Top.
Cook.
Serve.

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Start by setting your conventional oven to bake mode, avoiding fan-forced. Preheat to maximum, typically 250°C to 280°C, and wait until fully heated. For gas or wood-fired ovens, preheat to 320°C for that signature wood-fired blistered finish.

Step 2: Add Toppings

Make Based Pizza your own. Top it your way, from simple to gourmet. For ideas, click here.

Step 3: Bake to Perfection

In a conventional oven, place the topped base directly on the rack—no tray needed. Bake for about 6 minutes. In a gas or wood-fired oven, cook on the stone for 90 to 120 seconds.

Enjoy simply perfect pizza, effortlessly.

Frequently Asked Questions