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Fish, Busy evenings

White bean and tuna salad

White bean and tuna salad is a cold dish for 4 people, ready in 15 minutes, very easy to make, for about €2.20 per person. It combines canned white beans, tuna and a lemon mustard vinaigrette. The trick is rinsing the beans well and letting them marinate before adding the tuna.

Tonight it's a pantry dinner, white beans, tuna, red onion and parsley in a vinaigrette, ready in fifteen minutes.

White bean and tuna salad
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This salad has the soft texture of white beans, lifted by the crunch of red onion and cherry tomatoes. Tuna brings a savory note, and the lemon vinaigrette wakes everything up without overpowering it. It is a straightforward salad, no fuss, good warm or cold.

You will reach for this one on nights when you do not want to turn on the oven or spend an hour chopping vegetables. Kids who like tuna tend to go for it, and it works just as well for a quick lunch as for a light summer dinner on the porch or by an open window.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned white beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Canned tuna in wateroften in the pantry 280 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red onion 1
  • Cherry tomatoes 250 g
  • Parsley 1 bunch
  • Lemon 1

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Drain and rinse the white beans, then put them in a large bowl.

    Drain them very well in a colander, so the vinaigrette does not get diluted.

  2. Thinly slice the red onion and halve the cherry tomatoes.

    Soak the onion in cold water for five minutes to soften it.

  3. Make the vinaigrette with lemon juice, mustard, oil, salt and pepper.

    Whisk the mustard and lemon together before adding the oil.

  4. Toss the beans with the onion, tomatoes and vinaigrette, then let it marinate. 10 min

    The beans soak up the vinaigrette, so the salad tastes even better after a bit of resting.

  5. Flake the tuna on top, add the chopped parsley and toss gently.

    Stir gently so you do not crush the beans.

Our tips to get it right

  • Make the salad a little ahead, even just thirty minutes, so the beans soak up the vinaigrette properly.
  • Pick tuna packed in water rather than oil if you want to control how much fat ends up in the dressing.
  • Always taste before serving, lemon and salt levels can shift depending on bean size and the tomatoes' acidity.

The variations

  • Swap the tuna for chickpeas or corn for an equally simple vegetarian version.
  • Add black olives or thinly sliced raw fennel for a more Mediterranean touch.
  • For kids, mix the vinaigrette without raw onion and serve the tuna and onion on the side so everyone builds their own plate.

What to serve it with

  • Toasted country bread
  • A cold glass of lemon water
  • Extra hard boiled eggs

Storage

This salad keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It does not freeze well, the beans and tomatoes would lose their texture. Let it sit out for ten minutes before serving so it is not too cold.

Questions about this dish

Can you use dried white beans instead of canned?

Yes, as long as you soak and cook them ahead of time. About 200 grams of dried beans will give you the equivalent cooked weight of the canned amount.

Can this salad be made the day before?

Yes, it is actually better that way for the beans and vinaigrette base. Add the tuna and parsley at the last moment so they stay fresh.

Which tuna works best for this salad?

Tuna packed in water is best, it does not add extra fat to the dish. Drain it well before flaking it into the salad.

How do you soften the sharp taste of raw red onion?

Soak the sliced onion in cold water for five minutes before draining. This removes the sharp bite while keeping the crunch.

How long does it take to make a white bean and tuna salad?

Count 15 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a white bean and tuna salad?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a white bean and tuna salad cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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