Protein Salads

Tuna White Bean Salad

This tuna white bean salad is a protein-packed pantry dinner you can build without turning on the stove — good canned tuna, creamy cannellini beans, red onion, and parsley in a lemon-olive oil dressing. It is a rustic Italian classic that stores well, travels well, and tastes better after the beans soak up the dressing. Keep the ingredients on hand and you always have a fast, filling lunch ready to assemble.

Tuna White Bean Salad
10 minPrep time
10 minTotal time
4Servings
340Kcal / serving

Ingredients

  • 2 cans quality tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper

Instructions

  1. Soften the onion

    Soak the sliced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes to take off its raw bite, then drain.

  2. Dress the beans

    In a bowl, toss the beans with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Let them sit a few minutes to absorb the dressing.

  3. Fold in the tuna

    Add the tuna in large flakes, along with the onion, parsley, and capers. Fold gently so the tuna stays in chunks.

  4. Rest and serve

    Let the salad rest 10 minutes for the flavors to meld, then taste for lemon and salt before serving.

Finish it with a homemade creamy tahini dressing, or pair it with our Steak Cobb Salad for a bigger spread. New to building bowls from scratch? Start with our Salad Meal Prep Guide guide.

The MakeSalads secretSpend a little more on olive-oil-packed tuna — its texture and flavor carry this simple salad in a way that water-packed tuna simply cannot.

You might also like

High-ProteinGrilled Chicken Avocado Salad
30 min2 serv.480 kcal

Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad

Grilled chicken avocado salad with juicy charred chicken, creamy avocado, tomatoes and greens in a lemon-Dijon

View Recipe →
Omega-3Salmon Quinoa Salad
35 min4 serv.460 kcal

Salmon Quinoa Salad

Salmon quinoa salad with flaky roasted salmon, fluffy quinoa, cucumber, dill and spinach in a lemon-honey dres

View Recipe →
HeartySteak Cobb Salad
30 min2 serv.560 kcal

Steak Cobb Salad

Steak Cobb salad with seared steak, jammy eggs, crispy bacon, avocado and blue cheese in a buttermilk dressing

View Recipe →