Tuna White Bean Salad with Spinach, Olives, and Basil

This is my go-to salad in the summer, something you can always throw together for an easy but satisfying meal.

Prep time: PT15M

Total time: PT15M

Rating

4.89 stars (9 reviews)

Keywords

basil, beans, canned tuna, cannellini beans, green olives, tuna, white beans

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, (minced)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Kosher salt
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, (rinsed and drained)
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, (quartered)
1/2 small red onion, (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, (coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup green olives ((such as Castelvetrano), pitted and slivered)
1 (5 ounce) water-packed tuna ((see note), drained and broken into large pieces)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, (thinly sliced)
2 ounces (about 4 cups) baby spinach, (for serving (optional, or swap in arugula or scoop into Pita Bread))

Cuisine

Italian

Steps

Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Mix: To the bowl with the dressing, add the cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and olives. Stir to coat with dressing, then gently fold in the tuna and basil, being careful not to break up the tuna too much. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, Aleppo pepper, and lemon juice if desired.
Finish and serve: Divide the spinach among four plates and top with the tuna salad. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 187.2 kcal
Carbohydrates: 5.6 g
Protein: 8.2 g
Fat: 15.4 g
Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
Cholesterol: 12.8 mg
Sodium: 233.2 mg
Sugar: 1.9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12.6 g

Reviews

Neva Mikula on 2026-05-06 (4 stars):
BTW, not only do I HATE mayonnaise, but it causes severe GI issues. I’ve skipped tuna salad for years because using sour cream or plain yogurt really didn’t cut it. I’m so thankful for you and your recipes!
Neva Mikula on 2026-05-06 (5 stars):
This is wonderful. I added some Persian cucumber and topped with micro greens, but otherwise made it as written. It’d probably taste just as good without the tuna for vegan folks.
Noreen Fanella on 2026-03-30 (5 stars):
So delicious. Will never eat tuna with mayo ever again.
Denise on 2026-03-27 (5 stars):
This salad is fresh and delightful! I will be making this again and again. Thank you!
Larry M on 2026-03-27 (5 stars):
Suzy and TMD team - Thank you so much for your work! It is much needed in these days rife with junk food - especially for the young ones growing up! I have spent many cumulative hours in your site, being on a largely Med dietary style, resulting in great annual physical results at my doctor's office. Re: GOOD olive oils, are you allowed to recommend 1 or 2 preferred oils that are not exorbitantly priced? I know what to look for on the labels, but my choices are quite limited in my small home town market place. I might need to travel to shop, or shop on-line. Thank you again for all you do!
Stephanie Marsh on 2025-08-26 (5 stars):
We love this quick, delicious salad. I leave out the garlic (or add a bit of roasted garlic) and substitute arugula for the spinach, but follow all other instructions.
Susan on 2025-08-13 (5 stars):
This is delicious, and especially the dressing. I would note however that a part of the success of this dish is the quality of the white beans. For me, canned white beans are always overcooked regardless of the brand, so this dish is elevated if you cook your own white beans and use them.
MH on 2025-04-07 (5 stars):
Been a long time since I had tuna. This will be a go-to meal. Found Safe Catch Ahi Yellowfin in water - no additives.
Marshmellow on 2024-09-22 (5 stars):
Made this recipe because of the title and had the ingredients. I doubled the dressing so I had extra, but ended up using it all and loved it that way. It was fabulous to have in the fridge to grab to add on a salad or make a sandwich. Would definitely make ahead of time for guests to make it easy to throw together at mealtime.