What kind of tuna is best for white bean tuna salad?

I like to use albacore white flaked tuna as it mixes easily into the salad, but you can also use solid white tuna and break it apart with a fork. Solid or flaked light (as opposed to white) tuna works too. I used tuna packed in water, but you can also used tuna packed in oil for extra flavour. If you use a low sodium tuna, you will need to add more seasoning to the salad.

Can you eat white beans from the can?

Absolutely. Just make sure they're drained and rinsed well before adding them to the salad. No need to heat them first.

Can you use dried white beans in this recipe?

For a quick recipe, I recommend canned white beans but if you have dried white beans and have time to cook them, you can definitely use them in this recipe. Just follow the package instructions for cooking the beans and make sure you have about 4 1/2 cups for the salad.

Can you make this bean salad in advance?

This salad is best enjoyed within a few hours of making it. This gives the flavours a chance to blend, but the ingredients still remain fresh and crisp. You can prep your ingredients a day in advance, and even combine the beans and veggies (except the arugula) with salad dressing. Since canned tuna is best enjoyed fresh and the greens wilt quickly, I would wait to add them to the salad until a few hours before serving.

How long will this tuna white bean salad last?

While I think it tastes best the same day it is made, without the tuna and arugula, it will actually last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. With the addition of tuna and greens, I would make sure to eat it within 1-2 days.

White Bean Tuna Salad

Description

White Bean Tuna Salad is a quick and easy salad with creamy white beans, flaky tuna and crunchy veggies. It comes together with just a few pantry staples and some fresh veggies. Enjoy it as an entrée, side dish or on a sandwich!

Ingredients

2 cans (540 ml) no salt added white beans (about 4 1/2 cups), drained and rinsed
1 can (184 g) white flaked tuna packed in water, drained
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups loosely packed arugula
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

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Instructions

In a large bowl, add the beans, tuna, celery, pepper, onion and arugula.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour over the bean mixture and toss to combine.
Season with additional salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

The recipe makes 4 entrée sized servings or 6-8 side salads.
This salad is best enjoyed within a few hours of making it. This gives the flavours a chance to blend, but the ingredients still remain fresh and crisp.
Leftovers will last for 1-2 days but after that the tuna and greens will not taste fresh. Without the tuna and arugula, this salad will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
The recipe calls for no salt added white kidney beans or cannellini beans. Navy beans or great northern beans will work too.
If you use beans with salt added, you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the salad.
The tuna I used was not low sodium as it didn’t add enough flavour to the salad. If you use low-sodium, you may wish to add more seasoning to the recipe.
The salad dressing makes enough just to coat the salad. If you like extra salad dressing, just double the recipe and reserve half to add to the salad before serving.
Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.