Tuscan Tuna Salad

This Tuscan tuna salad is light and healthy, layered with fresh Italian flavors, and great for a meal prep salad high in protein! Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen. A Fresh New Spin On Tuna Salad

One thing I love about tinned fish is how well it presents itself in a classic tuna salad. But since many of you have been asking for a no-mayo option, here it is — an exciting riff with lots of bright and fresh Tuscan flavor. From briny olives to sun-dried tomatoes to an abundance of herbs and lemon juice, it’s an easy salad recipe I know you’ll make often. Especially since you all love my creamy Tuscan chicken! But here are a few other reasons to love it:

• It’s a tasty variation of a chopped salad. Like my Mediterranean chickpea salad, all the ingredients are chopped into uniform bits. This makes it hearty enough to enjoy on its own and allows you to savor all the flavors in one bite.

• It’s perfect for meal prep. Since there are no leafy greens, this salad can last 3 to 4 days in your fridge. Who doesn’t love an easy meal prep?

• It’s packed with protein. This salad has about 24 grams of protein per serving thanks to the combination of tuna and white beans.
  

Watch Video

Yield

About 5 ½ cups

Serves 5 servings

Prep Time15minutes mins

Total Time15minutes mins Ingredients:

• 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna

• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans

• 10 green olives, sliced

• 3 sundried tomatoes, finely diced

• 1 large roasted red pepper , drained and chopped

• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion

• ½ English cucumber , small diced

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained

• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped basil

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ lemon, juiced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)

• kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• optional: crumbled feta cheese or grated parmesan
  

• Tuna: For quality pieces of tuna (rather than mush), go for cans of Wild Planet albacore tuna. It’s a brand I highly recommend and is linked in the recipe card.

• White Beans: Any white bean variety will work for this salad, but I like using navy beans. They’re a bit smaller and usually hold their shape better when coming straight from the can.

• Jarred Vegetables: Grab a jar of green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and capers. If you’re not a fan of olives, you can swap them with artichoke hearts.

• Fresh Vegetables: Red onion and cucumber give this salad a refreshing, crisp bite.

• Fresh Herbs: Parsley and basil enhance that Tuscan flair, but any tender herbs work.

• Lemon Juice and Olive Oil: Just a little bit of each is all you need. But if your salad is still a bit too dry, feel free to add more! You can also swap in my lemon vinaigrette.

• 

  NWMH staff, please modify the recipe to fit individual food textures or dietary orders. Instructions:

• 1. Add the first set of ingredients. In a large bowl, add the tuna, white beans, green olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, red onion, cucumber, capers, parsley, and basil.
  

• 2. Add the finishing touches. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Then top with optional crumbled feta cheese.
  

Lisa’s Tips

• Any white bean will work for this recipe, but I like the texture and size of navy white beans. They don’t break apart as easily and come out as mushy from the can.

• If you don’t like olives, swap them for artichoke hearts, roughly chopped.

• This pickle jar strainer is a game changer for separating the liquid from the olives!

• I love to meal prep salads like this in these Weck ½ Liter jars for individual, grab-and-go servings. Plus, they can be used for other things such as freezing soups in the winter or storing pantry items.  

  
  

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 451mg | Potassium: 1015mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 7mg

Ways To Enjoy This Salad

• Serve it over leafy greens: Make an even more bountiful salad by serving this over your favorite leafy greens. I love to use mixed greens, baby spinach, or massaged kale.

• Turn this into a tuna wrap: Layer a tortilla with baby spinach and a few dollops of this salad before rolling it up. If you prep this a day before, this is another great option for a grab-and-go lunch.

• With your favorite crackers: I often scoop up the salad with some gluten-free crackers for crunchy goodness. I’m currently loving these multi-grain crackers, super seed crackers, and garlic and herb crackers.
  

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

Recipe Info