Tuna and Bean Salad

Name: Tuna and Bean Salad
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a starter
Cuisine: mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 small or 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar; 1 (6 1/2-ounce) can water-packed tuna, drained; 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans or borlotti beans, drained through a strainer and rinsed; 3 fresh sage leaves, slivered; 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 small or medium garlic clove, finely minced; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt (or omit and use 4 tablespoons olive oil); 1/2 Japanese cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced, for garnish

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated June 6, 2024

Tuna and Bean Salad — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: About 15 minutes
Rating: 5(1,227)
Comments: Read comments

This is a mainstay in my house, something you can always throw together for an easy light meal. The authentic version would call for tuna packed in olive oil, but I actually prefer water-packed tuna. The salad packs a lot of protein, not just from the beans, but also from the tuna, which is also an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a starter

1small or ½ medium red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1(6½-ounce) can water-packed tuna, drained
1(15-ounce) can cannellini beans or borlotti beans, drained through a strainer and rinsed
3fresh sage leaves, slivered
2tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1small or medium garlic clove, finely minced
½teaspoon Dijon mustard
3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1tablespoon plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt (or omit and use 4 tablespoons olive oil)
½Japanese cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Place the onion in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of the vinegar and cold water to cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then dry on paper towels.
Step 2
In a medium bowl or salad bowl, combine the tuna, beans, onions, sage, and parsley.
Step 3
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the remaining vinegar, salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Whisk in the olive oil and the yogurt. Toss with the tuna and beans and serve, garnishing each plate with cucumber slices.

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,227 user ratings

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Comments

Melissa7 years ago

My parent, now deceased, took an Italian freighter from New York to Italy in the early 1950s. They ate with the crew. One of the dishes they brought back from that trip was tuna, beans, and onions: canned tuna, beans (either giant limas cooked from dried, or canned cannellini), and diced sweet onions or scallions. Put them on a plate with twice the beans to tuna and onions, pour on a spoonful of good olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped parsley. Sop up the juice with italian bread. Yum!

Max7 years ago

Use Italian tuna in oil. Don't drain completely -- let some of the oil mix in.

Can substitute arugula for parsley

FoodandWhining6 years ago

The choice of water-packed tuna here goes against a Julia Child commandment. The oil is what the tuna was poached in so avoiding it (or, worse, discarding it) is throwing away flavor.

Cindy4 years ago

Quick lunch.

Sam4 years ago

Didn’t have the onion so made without. Came out delicious! A new household favorite. Look forward to trying with the onion next time.

shellshell404 years ago

I subbed canned salmon for the tuna (trying to avoid the mercury in tuna). Since salmon has a stronger richer flavor that tuna, I thought it needed more of a punch of salt/ acid. I added Spanish olives chopped in half. Really delicious. I also tripled the recipe for a summertime lunch with friends.

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