5.0 from 6 votes
Tuna White Bean Salad with Spinach, Olives, and Basil
This is my go-to salad in the summer, something you can always throw together for an easy but satisfying meal.
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 1872 kcal
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- kosher salt
For the Salad
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup green olives (such as Castelvetrano), pitted and slivered
- 1 (5 ounce) water-packed tuna (see note), drained and broken into large pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 ounces (about 4 cups) baby spinach, for serving (optional, or swap in arugula or scoop into Pita Bread)
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix: To the bowl with the dressing, add the cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and olives. Stir to coat with dressing, then gently fold in the tuna and basil, being careful not to break up the tuna too much. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, Aleppo pepper, and lemon juice if desired.
- Finish and serve: Divide the spinach among four plates and top with the tuna salad. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Leave out the tomatoes and basil and refrigerate overnight. Stir in the tomatoes and basil just before serving.
- Because the olive oil used to pack tuna isn’t always the best quality, I prefer using water-packed tuna and adding my own high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. That way, I control both the flavor and the amount of oil. I try to use wild-caught Yellowfin whenever possible (look for the dolphin-safe label).
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, olives, and Aleppo pepper used in this recipe.
- For longer storage: Leave out the tomatoes and basil and refrigerate overnight. Stir in the tomatoes and basil just before serving.
- Best tuna for this recipe: Because the olive oil used to pack tuna isn’t always the best quality, I prefer using water-packed tuna and adding my own high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. That way, I control both the flavor and the amount of oil. I try to use wild-caught Yellowfin whenever possible (look for the dolphin-safe label).
- A Note on Tuna Safety: Chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller skipjack or yellowfin species, has less mercury than albacore. The FDA/EPA advises that women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children consume no more than 6 ounces of albacore a week; up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna is considered safe. (Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about eating canned tuna.)
Nutrition Information
Calories
187.2kcal
(9%)
Carbohydrates
5.6g
(2%)
Protein
8.2g
(16%)
Fat
15.4g
(24%)
Saturated Fat
2.2g
(11%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1.7g
Monounsaturated Fat
10.9g
Cholesterol
12.8mg
(4%)
Sodium
233.2mg
(10%)
Potassium
304.3mg
(9%)
Fiber
1.5g
(6%)
Sugar
1.9g
(4%)
Vitamin A
2384.6IU
(48%)
Vitamin C
28.3mg
(31%)
Calcium
51.5mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1872
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 187.2kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 5.6g | 2% |
| Protein | 8.2g | 16% |
| Fat | 15.4g | 24% |
| Saturated Fat | 2.2g | 11% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.7g | 10% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10.9g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 12.8mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 233.2mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 304.3mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1.5g | 6% |
| Sugar | 1.9g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2384.6IU | 48% |
| Vitamin C | 28.3mg | 31% |
| Calcium | 51.5mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.