Tuna-White Bean Salad

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We’re totally hooked on this Tuna-White Bean Salad with sun-dried herby tomatoes, fresh Italian parsley, creamy white beans, tangy red onions, olive-oil-packed tuna, and a zippy vinaigrette!

This Tuna-White Bean Salad is an incredibly quick meal to make and is loaded with protein! Serve it over toasted sourdough bread or eat it in lettuce wraps for a great low-carb meal.

Extra white beans? Try this phenomenal vegetarian white bean soup, white bean salsa, or white bean and sausage soup!

Overhead view of Tuna-White Bean Salad in a serving bowl.

Tuna-White Bean Salad

If you’re looking for a low-carb and high-protein explosion of flavor, this is just the recipe to make. It whips together quickly, is zippy and tangy, and loaded with nutritious ingredients. I love a good creamy tuna salad a ridiculous amount, but when I’m in the mood for something lighter, this totally fits the bill.

As I’ve shared before, tuna is a long-time lunch staple at my home. When there’s “nothing in the fridge,” there are always trusty cans of tuna in the pantry to rely on. And we’re further relying on pantry staples of white beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and most of the dressing ingredients.

This salad is the perfect easy and light lunch option for when you’re focusing on quick, low-carb options.

Views of the dressing ingredients before and after combining.

Ingredients In Tuna-White Bean Salad

  • Tuna: I prefer tuna packed in olive oil but tuna packed in water works just fine. Be sure to thoroughly drain it before using.
  • Veggies: Make sure to get flat leaf Italian parsley opposed to curly for this recipe. 
  • Dressing: The dressing makes this salad flavorful and creamy, adjust the mayo depending on how creamy you like it.

 

Process shots: combine salad ingredients; drizzle on dressing; stir gently; serve.

Tuna-White Bean Salad tips

  • Use canned tuna packed in olive oil for the best flavor. My personal favorite is Genova’s® albacore tuna. Tuna packed in olive oil is richer and has a fresher flavor.
  • Toast the bread or bagel. If you serve this in a sandwich or on a bagel, try toasting the bread first. This tuna salad will make un-toasted bread soggy in a hurry!
  • Make sure to get flat-leaf Italian parsley, as opposed to curly for this recipe. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and curly parsley is used more commonly as a garnish.
  • I like to get the sun-dried julienne-cut tomatoes with herbs. The herbs in the tomatoes add lots of flavor (so we don’t need additional ingredients) and the julienne-cut tomatoes save chopping time.

QUICK TIP

Prep in advance. You can prepare the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate for up to five days. It’s likely the dressing will solidify (clump) as it sits in the fridge– that’s what olive oil does at cold temperatures. Simply let the dressing stand at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes and then shake to re-combine.

Variation ideas

  • Add a drizzle of olive oil. If serving Tuna-White Bean Salad on toast or a bagel, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on top of everything.
  • Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. To add a little heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes on top of the salad.
  • Replace the sun-dried tomatoes with roasted red peppers. If you’d prefer peppers instead of tomatoes, they work great in this salad too.

View of Tuna-White Bean Salad on toast.

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Tuna-White Bean Salad

5 from 4 votes
We're totally hooked on this Tuna-White Bean Salad with sun-dried herby tomatoes, fresh Italian parsley, creamy white beans, tangy red onions, olive oil-packed tuna, and a zippy vinaigrette!
Print Recipe

Tuna-White Bean Salad

5 from 4 votes
We're totally hooked on this Tuna-White Bean Salad with sun-dried herby tomatoes, fresh Italian parsley, creamy white beans, tangy red onions, olive oil-packed tuna, and a zippy vinaigrette!
Course Dinner, lunch, Salad
Cuisine Healthy
Keyword Tuna White Bean Salad
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings (on bread; 2 from the bowl)
Chelsea Lords
Calories 177kcal
Cost $5.81

Ingredients

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (we love Hellman's/Best Foods)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon EACH: Dijon mustard & honey
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (~1 teaspoon)
  • Fine sea salt & cracked pepper

Tuna Salad

  • 1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cans (5 oz. EACH) tuna (preferably packed in olive oil), drained
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in herbs)
  • For serving: toasted plain bagels or sourdough bread, lettuce wraps, or enjoy as is!

Instructions

  • DRESSING: Add all the dressing ingredients to a Mason jar. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Seal the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Refrigerate while preparing the salad. Shake again before pouring over the salad.
  • PREP: Finely chop the parsley, dice the red onion, and coarsely chop the tomatoes. All measurements that are indicated are taken AFTER ingredients are chopped.
  • SALAD: Drain and rinse the beans. Thoroughly drain the tuna. Add both to a bowl with the parsley, red onion, and sun-dried tomatoes. Drizzle dressing on the salad and gently stir to combine. Taste and add additional seasoning if desired.
  • SERVE: Enjoy as is, in lettuce wraps, on toasted bagel or bread, or in lettuce cups. Best enjoyed the same day it's made (this doesn't store very well).

Video

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information does not include any bread or bagel that may be used.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1914IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and used lettuce wraps and it was delish! Paired nicely with carrot tomato soup for dinner.

  2. 5 stars
    This was delicious! My whole family loved it. Definitely a make again recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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