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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Tuna White Bean Salad with Basil and Lemon

    Published: Jan 30, 2019, Last updated: Jan 30, 2019 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This Cannellini White Bean Salad is incredibly delicious, made with tuna, fresh basil, and zingy lemon. It's light, fresh and ready in under 10 minutes, perfect for lunch or as a healthy side dish.

    An overhead shot of a white bean salad with tuna and basil on an oval plate

    Salads don't get much easier than this and even although it's made with super simple ingredients (and few of them) it's FULL of flavour and I love it for 3 main reasons:

    • It's fast - the only bit of effort you need to make is finely chopping an onion so this salad is ready in under 10 minutes, yup now you definitely can't beat that!
    • It's fresh and healthy - the lemon juice, zest, fresh basil, and onion all give this salad the most delicious freshness, flavour and it's packed with protein and is extremely good for you.
    • It can be prepped ahead of time - you can whip it up in advance and enjoy it for lunch on the go or serve it up at barbecues or picnics plus the flavours get a chance to develop!

    The Best Beans To Use

    Cannellini beans are my bean of choice, I just love the texture, creaminess and flavour especially if you buy high-quality ones. Whilst living in Italy I came across these white beans sold in jars and not just canned.

    Once I tried them I could not believe the difference in flavour and texture (so much more creamy and so much more delicious). If you can't find jarred ones, use higher quality canned ones and don't go for the cheapest ones.

    Tip: If you want to switch things up you could also use butter beans but the texture will be slightly different.

    How to Make White Bean Salad - Step By Step

    Drain and rinse the cannellini bean and add to a large mixing bowl (photo 1).

    Drain the tuna and add that to the bowl alongside finely chopped onion, lemon zest, and juice (photos 2-4).

    Step by step photos for making a white bean salad with tuna

    Drizzle over some olive oil and season with salt and pepper, finally add some chopped basil and toss to combine (photos 5 & 6).

    Super easy, right? There's no dressing to make, it all just mixes together and tastes incredible. You can also prep this salad in advance and just keep it in the fridge until you need it.

    Top Tips for Making White Bean Salad

    • Use good quality tuna and make sure it's from a sustainable source.
    • Quality also goes for the cannellini beans, don't go for the cheapest as they tend to be harder and not as tasty.
    • Make sure to rinse the cannellini beans before adding to the salad.
    • You can use tuna canned in water or oil.

    A side shot of a white bean salad with tuna and basil on a white serving plate

    More Healthy and Fresh Salads You Might Like:

    • Classic Caprese Salad
    • Warm White Bean Salad - Tomato, Prosciutto & Baby Mozzarella
    • Green bean Salad with Mustard and Garlic Dressing
    • Fennel Courgette Salad with Smoked Scamorza & Chilli
    • Summer Easy Bean Salad

    If you’ve tried these Tuna White Bean Salad or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

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    5 from 4 votes

    Tuna White Bean Salad

    This Cannellini White Bean Salad is incredibly delicious, made with tuna, fresh basil, and zingy lemon. It's light, fresh and ready in under 10 minutes, perfect for lunch or as a healthy side dish.
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 260kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 5.6 oz (160g) tuna , in oil
    • 1.5 lbs (720g) cannellini beans (2 cans)
    • 1 red onion
    • a large handful of basil
    • zest of 1 lemon
    • ½ lemon juice , freshly squeezed
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • salt and pepper to season

    Instructions

    • Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and place in a large bowl then drain the tuna and add to the bowl.
    • Finely chop the red onion and add to the bowl with the cannellini beans and tuna. Grate the zest of 1 lemon over the tuna and beans then squeeze over the juice of half the lemon. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Finely chop the basil and add to the bowl along with 2-3 tablespoon olive oil (add more if desired). Stir everything until combined. Enjoy.

    Notes

    Top Tips for Making White Bean Salad

    • Use good quality tuna and make sure it's from a sustainable source.
    • Quality also goes for the cannellini beans, don't go for the cheapest as they tend to be harder and not as tasty.
    • Make sure to rinse the cannellini beans before adding to the salad.
    • You can use tuna canned in water or oil.
    • Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 4.4mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Salads

    • Mozzarella Bocconcini, Pesto and Sun Blushed Tomatoes
    • Arugula Salad with lemon and Parmesan
    • Italian Tuna Potato Salad
    • Chickpea Tuna Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ausra

      May 14, 2019 at 10:20 pm

      I like beans and I like tuna and now, I love this salad! 😊🌷5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        May 19, 2019 at 9:49 pm

        So happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Angela

      February 03, 2019 at 12:29 am

      I just love this! So simple but super duper tasty!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        February 03, 2019 at 5:46 pm

        It's so quick and easy too, thanks so much!

        Reply
      • Nancy

        December 09, 2022 at 3:14 pm

        This recipe is a keeper! I used dill instead of basil but followed exactly otherwise. I tasted it so much (just checking the flavors) there was probably only two thirds left by the time I was finished. Really yummy. Thanks for sharing.5 stars

        Reply
    3. Lorraine

      August 29, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      So simple but absolutely loved it!5 stars

      Reply

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