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Herbed Tuna and White Bean Salad

4 lunch portions Active 20 min Total 20 min

Tuna and white beans make a useful salad from two pantry cans, but the finished plate should still taste fresh. Lemon, parsley, and chives do that work, with celery providing a crisp contrast. The beans carry most of the dressing, while the tuna stays in larger flakes. Serve it over romaine rather than stirring the leaves through, which keeps each portion tidy and gives the soft ingredients a crunchy base.

Jump to the ingredients

Tuna and white bean salad with celery, herbs, and romaine.

Keep the flakes and beans intact

Drain canned tuna well, then loosen it gently with a fork before adding it to the bowl. Mashing it into the dressing makes the salad pasty. Rinsed cannellini beans need a moment in a sieve, too, so excess water does not dilute the lemon and oil. Toss the beans, celery, and herbs with the dressing first, then fold in the tuna with just a few turns. The lemon zest is especially useful because it gives citrus aroma without requiring more liquid. Choose plain tuna packed in water and check that no pepper or chili seasoning has been added. This salad needs no resting time, although ten minutes in the refrigerator is helpful if your pantry ingredients began at a warm room temperature.

Ingredients

  • 2 cans (5 ounces/142 g each) plain tuna in water, drained
  • 2 cans (15 ounces/425 g each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
  • 4 cups (160 g) chopped romaine lettuce, washed and dried

Set out

Fine-mesh sieve, Mixing bowl, Fine grater

Allergens

Fish (tuna). Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Drain the tuna and loosen it into bite-size flakes with a fork. Drain the rinsed beans thoroughly in a sieve.
  2. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add the beans, celery, parsley, and chives. Toss gently to coat.
  4. Fold in the tuna with a few gentle turns, keeping some larger flakes intact.
  5. Divide the romaine among 4 plates, spoon the tuna-bean salad over it, and serve.

A useful detail

If your tuna is packed in oil, drain it and reduce the dressing oil to 2 tablespoons. Use plain unseasoned tuna in either case.

Make it your own

  • Replace half the parsley with chopped dill.
  • Use butter lettuce instead of romaine for a softer leaf.

Keep it well

Refrigerate promptly at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days, keeping lettuce separate. Do not leave out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Freezing is not recommended for this assembled salad.