While I love a classic, deli-style tuna salad sandwich, this recipe has become my go-to tuna salad for a healthy and satisfying weekday lunch. It’s got lots of crunch and the lemon and herbs make it feel super fresh and springy.
Lately I’ve been cooking beans “from scratch” to have on hand, but you can also use canned beans for a super quick lunch. (If you do want to cook your own beans, I highly recommend these Chivo Blanco beans from Masienda.)
This is also a great salad to make in advance – the longer it sits, the more the beans and tuna absorb the delicious lemony dressing. I like to eat it with some crackers or a nice piece of toasted bread on the side, if I’m feeling fancy. But it’s also great eaten straight out of the mixing bowl with a fork. I won’t tell.
Team tuna, this one’s for you!!
Tuna, Celery, and White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil, plus for more serving
- Zest of one lemon plus 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups cooked white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini (or two 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)
- 2 cups thinly sliced celery (3 to 4 large ribs)
- 1 (6-ounce) jar tuna filets, drained
- ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, shallots, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Whisk vigorously then set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Combine the white beans, celery, tuna, parsley in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss again.
- Transfer the salad to a large serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle the lemon zest and mint over the salad. Season with salt and black pepper and serve at room temperature. Copyright 2023, Lidey Heuck, All Rights Reserved.Recipe updated 4/20/23
I made this today for lunch for two friends and it was a smashing success. I’ve never bought tuna filets this way, and I will never go back to even really good canned tuna. The brand was Tonnino, and I chose the filets packed in olive oil. The recipe was really easy and delicious. I did cook asparagus because I had it and cut it up. I placed it on a bed of lettuce greens on a platter, then placed the asparagus on top of that, then placed the tuna salad on top with spicy micro greens. Great recipe Lidey!