White Bean and Tuna Salad

An easy recipe for a healthy White Bean and Tuna Salad dressed with a lemony Mediterranean dressing and loaded with ingredients high in protein and fibre.

This salad takes 15 minutes to make, uses pantry staples, fills you up and keeps you satisfied until your next meal.

My favourite salad recipes are those that are quick and easy to make, are filling enough for lunch and can even double as a light main meal.

This White Bean and Tuna Salad or even this Mediterranean Kale Salad are excellent examples of such salads.

And if you happen to be looking for tasty Mediterranean diet recipes, this bean and tuna salad is full of heart-healthy ingredients that are part of the diet.

What are Cannellini Beans

Cannellini Beans are white Italian kidney beans. They have a creamy, fluffy texture and a mild earthy taste. They absorb much of the flavour of the sauce they are cooked in or in the case of salads, the dressing they are tossed in. They are great for use in salads, soups and stews.

They are high in protein and fibre while remaining low in calories which makes them an excellent choice for keeping you feeling full longer. One serving of cooked kidney beans (about half a cup) contains about 125 calories, 8 grams of protein and 6 grams of fibre.

If you can't find canned cannellini beans in your grocery store, look for white kidney beans. And if you need a substitute, Great Northern beans are a good alternative.

And if you happen to have a can of chickpeas in your pantry you can use that instead because a chickpea and tuna salad would be just as delicious.

How to Make it

Made with pantry staples, this healthy White Bean and Tuna Salad comes together quickly and easily. This recipe is made to serve two, but the ingredients can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more.

Ingredients Overview:

• Mixed spring greens or salad greens of your choice.
• Cannellini beans or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained. For convenience, I like to use canned cannellini beans. If you prefer to use dried beans, you'll have to plan ahead since you'll need to soak the beans overnight, cook and then allow them to cool before using in the salad.
• Tuna packed in olive oil.  For the best flavour, use jarred or canned tuna that is packed in olive oil. Drain the oil from the tuna and reserve it to use in the salad dressing.
• Tomato or a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes
• Red onion
• Parmesan cheese shavings. Use a peeler to make thin Parmesan strips
• Fresh parsley (optional)

For the Mediterranean Salad Dressing:

• Olive oil (this can include the oil from the tuna jar.
• Fresh lemon juice
• Garlic
• Salt, pepper, dried oregano or basil (if desired).

Steps Overview:

1. Wash and dry your greens and split them between two salad bowls.
2. Chop the tomatoes and red onion.
3. Add the cannellini beans, tuna, chopped tomatoes and red onion to the bowls.
4. I added freshly chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese shavings to finish the salad. You can also use Feta or goat cheese instead of Parmesan or leave out the cheese entirely.

How to Serve

Serve the salad with the dressing on the side or if you prefer to toss the salad with the dressing, simply add all of the salad ingredients to one large bowl, add the dressing, toss and serve.

Storing Homemade Dressing

Any leftover salad dressing can be stored in a sealed mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before using and shake well before dressing the salad.

Enjoy!

More Filling Salads

• Fattoush Salad (Pita Bread Salad)
• Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
• Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad
• Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Citrus Tahini Dressing
• Southwestern Quinoa Salad

This post wast originally published in May 2019. It has been updated. The recipe remains unchanged.