Tuna White Bean Salad (Italian Style)

This Tuna and white bean salad is a protein-packed, nutritious, and delicious meal option that’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. This salad combines the goodness of tuna, and white beans, all tied together with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. It’s a tuna salad made Italian style without mayo that actually feels like a complete meal: salty, briny, bright, and rich in just the right places. It’s packed with protein, full of flavor, and only gets better the next day. A great pantry recipe. You can serve this salad on its own or on top of a bed of baby spinach or any greens. It’s also a great option for meal prep, as it can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Why You Will Love This White Bean Italian Style Tuna Salad

• Easy to make
• Quick to make
• Flavor packed - salty, briny, bright, and rich
• A great base for extra add ins if you wish to add more
• Protein packed & fiber rich
  
  

White Bean Tuna Salad Recipe Ingredients

• TUNA: Feel free to use canned tuna or tuna in a jar. I prefer either canned tuna packed in olive oil or in glass jars. The difference between canned tuna and tuna preserved in glass jars is that the one in the jar retains a firm, flaky texture. It’s also less dry, and flakes into nice large pieces. Some brands of canned tuna can be mushy depending on how it’s processed. If you opt to use canned tuna or tuna packaged in pouches, look for yellowfin tuna packed in olive oil. This type of tuna will give you the best flavor and quality, or use one you like the flavor of.
• WHITE BEANS: I love using white beans or cannellini beans for this recipe but you could also use butter beans or chickpeas as well. Feel free to use canned beans or beans in a jar - drain and rinse them well and they are good to add to the salad. If you would like to cook your own beans from dry you can.
• FRESH PARSLEY: Yes of course you could add more herbs like fresh basil or even some dill but I like this one with freshly chopped parsley. You can def do more than one too.
• SHALLOT & GARLIC: If you prefer to use red onion over shallots you absolutely can and feel free to add more garlic to the dressing if you want it extra garlicky.
• OLIVES: I like the briny salty flavor they add and I like to use a variety of them - I prefer them pitted so they are easier to eat.
• CAPERS: They also add a lovely briny umami flavor that goes super well with tuna. Skip if you are not a fan.
• OLIVE OIL: Extra virgin olive oil is what I use. I mention this in the recipe instructions - but usually I start with ¼ cup of olive oil and add more to taste. I kind of treat this almost like marinated white beans and usually end up using ⅓ cup. I like to dip my bread into the delicious dressing. Feel free to adjust amount to taste. I also mention that if you are using tuna in oil and want to use some of the oil from the can or jar you are welcome to.
• LEMON JUICE & LEMON ZEST: Fresh lemon juice and zest is always a good idea for best flavor.
• DIJON MUSTARD: It adds just enough flavor and funk to the dressing and also goes so well with tuna.
• SPICES: I usually add a little dried oregano or Italian seasoning and a pinch of chili flakes if I want to add a subtle amount of heat. If you prefer adding something else like rosemary or thyme - that would work too.
  
  

How To make Italian Tuna Salad

This really could not be easier to make! To make this salad, you’ll need canned tuna, cannellini beans, shallots or red onion, fresh herbs, olives and capers. Simply MIX all the ingredients together in a bowl, WHISK together the dressing made from lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil, and a few simple herbs and spices. DRIZZLE over salad ingredients, TOSS well to coat and ENJOY!!

White Bean And Tuna Salad Add Ins

This is such a great base recipe for a Mediterranean style white bean and tuna salad. Here are some other delicious ingredients that you could add to it for extra crunch and flavor:

• Sliced cherry tomatoes
• Sliced cucumbers
• Sliced celery
• Baby greens like arugula, lettuce, spinach
• Roasted red peppers
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Chopped marinated artichoke
• Boiled chopped potatoes
• Feta Cheese or Parmesan cheese
  
  

Enjoy This White Bean and Tuna Salad With:

• In a sandwich
• Open faced sourdough toast
• In a wrap or a pita pocket
• With crackers or crostini
• In lettuce cups
• Over top of salad greens