Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon-Dijon Dressing Recipe
This Tuna and White Bean Salad is a vibrant, protein-packed dish combining tender cannellini beans, flavorful tuna, and a zesty homemade lemon dressing. Enhanced with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh parsley, and a touch of honey and mustard, it makes a perfect light lunch or a refreshing side that’s quick to prepare and full of Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1 lemon (zested and juiced to yield 1/4 teaspoon zest and 1 tablespoon juice)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (Hellman’s/Best Foods recommended)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salad
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna in olive oil, drained
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
Instructions
- Make Dressing: Zest and juice the lemon to obtain 1/4 teaspoon zest and 1 tablespoon juice. Combine the lemon juice and zest with olive oil, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a jar. Shake vigorously to emulsify and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare Veggies: Finely chop the fresh parsley, dice the red onion, and coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Measure these ingredients after chopping to ensure accurate quantities.
- Make Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, drained tuna, chopped parsley, diced red onion, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently mix everything together to combine flavors without breaking up the beans or tuna.
- Serve: Serve the tuna and white bean salad immediately. It can be enjoyed on its own, wrapped in lettuce leaves, or spooned onto toasted bread. Note that this salad is best served fresh as it does not store well.
Notes
- This salad is best eaten fresh and does not store well because the beans and tuna can become mushy over time.
- For serving, try it in crisp lettuce wraps or spread over toasted bread for a satisfying meal.
- You can substitute sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil with those packed dry, but rehydrate them slightly for best texture.
- Adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste just before serving.
Keywords: tuna salad, white bean salad, cannellini beans, lemon dressing, Mediterranean salad, easy no-cook recipe, healthy lunch, light meal
