White Bean Tuna Salad
A no-mayo white bean tuna salad with cannellini beans, crisp vegetables, and a simple red wine vinegar dressing. It's a classic Italian pantry combination that gets better the longer it sits.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 31 ounces cannellini beans (white kidney beans) 2 cans, rinsed and drained
- 3 ribs celery finely diced
- ½ large red bell pepper finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
- 5 ounces solid white tuna packed in oil drained
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the finely diced shallot in a small bowl with red wine vinegar. Allow to set while prepping the remainder of the vegetables for the salad. Drain the shallot and discard the vinegar.1 large shallot, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- In a large bowl, gently combine the rinsed, drained beans, celery, bell pepper, parsley, onions, tuna, and the drained diced shallot.31 ounces cannellini beans, 3 ribs celery, ½ large red bell pepper, ¼ cup fresh parsley, 2 green onions, 5 ounces solid white tuna packed in oil
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper for the dressing. Pour over the bean and tuna mixture and toss gently until everything is combined and coated with dressing.3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Use tuna packed in oil for the best flavor; water-packed tuna produces a noticeably blander result.
- Soak the finely diced shallot in red wine vinegar for a few minutes, then drain before adding to the bowl. This softens the sharpness considerably.
- Fold the ingredients together gently to keep the beans intact and the tuna in recognizable pieces.
- Drain the cannellini beans and tuna thoroughly before using; excess liquid waters down the dressing.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. An overnight rest produces an even better salad.
- Taste before serving and adjust with a small splash of red wine vinegar or a drizzle of olive oil as needed.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Stir before serving and add olive oil if the salad looks dry.
- This salad does not freeze well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 379mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g
