Fresh Mediterranean White Bean and Tuna Salad

I never thought much about canned tuna until I saw my neighbor tossing it into a fresh salad one summer afternoon. Growing up, tuna meant mayo-heavy sandwiches that sat in my lunchbox until noon. But watching her mix it with white beans and Mediterranean flavors changed everything.

That’s because this isn’t your typical tuna salad – it’s a lighter, fresher take that feels more like a proper meal than a sandwich filling. And the best part? It comes together in minutes with ingredients straight from your pantry. For busy weekday lunches, it’s exactly what I need.

What Kind of White Beans Should I Use?

For Mediterranean salads like this one, you’ve got several great white bean options that’ll work perfectly. Cannellini beans are probably your best bet – they’re creamy, hold their shape well, and have a mild flavor that plays nicely with tuna and Mediterranean ingredients. Navy beans or Great Northern beans are good alternatives if that’s what you have in your pantry. When using canned beans, just make sure to give them a good rinse under cold water to wash away the excess sodium and starch. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can cook dried beans from scratch, but honestly, canned beans are totally fine and will save you tons of time.

Options for Substitutions

This Mediterranean salad is pretty flexible and you can make several swaps based on what you have in your pantry:

• White beans: Any white beans work great here – cannellini, navy, or great northern beans. You could even use chickpeas if that’s what you have on hand.
• Tuna: While tuna is classic in this dish, you can use canned salmon, sardines, or even cooked chicken breast. If you’re vegetarian, try using mashed chickpeas instead.
• Romaine lettuce: Feel free to swap with any crispy greens like butter lettuce, mixed greens, or even baby spinach.
• Kalamata olives: Any Mediterranean-style olive works well – try black olives or green olives. If you’re not an olive fan, you can leave them out.
• Red onion: Regular or pickled red onions both work great. You could also use shallots or sweet white onions if that’s what you have.
• Wine vinegar: Either red or white wine vinegar works fine, or you could use apple cider vinegar. If needed, just use extra lemon juice instead.
• Fresh herbs: No fresh herbs? Use dried ones – just remember to use about 1/3 of the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this Mediterranean salad is not draining and rinsing the white beans thoroughly, which can leave you with a slimy texture and excess sodium – give them a good rinse under cold water until the foam disappears. A common error is adding the dressing too early, causing the lettuce to become soggy and wilted – instead, toss the dressing with the beans and tuna first, then add the fresh vegetables just before serving. To keep your salad crisp and fresh, make sure to pat dry all vegetables after washing, especially the lettuce and herbs, as excess water will dilute the dressing and affect the overall taste. For the best flavor development, let the dressing ingredients marry together for at least 30 minutes before using, and remember to taste and adjust the seasoning since canned tuna and beans can vary in saltiness.

What to Serve With Mediterranean Tuna and Bean Salad?

This protein-packed Mediterranean salad works great as a complete meal on its own, but there are several tasty ways to round it out! A slice of warm pita bread or crusty baguette is perfect for soaking up the tangy dressing at the bottom of your bowl. If you’re serving this for dinner, you might want to add a cup of lemon orzo soup or a light tomato-based soup on the side. For a fun appetizer pairing, set out some hummus and fresh veggie sticks, or add some crispy homemade pita chips for crunch. The bright Mediterranean flavors in this salad also pair wonderfully with a glass of chilled white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This Mediterranean salad stays fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best results, store the dressing separately from the salad ingredients. This way, the lettuce stays crisp and the vegetables maintain their texture. When you’re ready to eat, just give the dressing a quick shake and drizzle it over your portion.

Meal Prep: Want to prep this ahead? Layer the ingredients in mason jars with the dressing at the bottom, followed by the beans and tuna, then the harder vegetables, and finally the lettuce on top. This keeps everything fresh and prevents the greens from getting soggy. You can make 3-4 jars at once for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

Dressing: The homemade dressing will keep well in a sealed jar or bottle in the fridge for up to a week. If it solidifies a bit (olive oil does that in the cold), just let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and give it a good shake before using.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	0-0 minutes
Total Time	10-15 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2500
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-120 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 jars or cans of solid or chunk tuna (water-packed or oil-packed)
• Cherry tomatoes, halved
• Cucumber, sliced
• Romaine lettuce, chopped or shredded
• Parsley, chopped
• Basil, chopped
• Kalamata olives, pitted
• Artichoke hearts, halved
• Red onion, thinly sliced or pickled
• Capers
• Scallions, thinly sliced

For the dressing:

• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables and Condiments

• cherry tomatoes, halved
• cucumber, sliced
• romaine lettuce, chopped or shredded
• parsley, chopped
• basil, chopped
• kalamata olives, pitted
• artichoke hearts, halved
• red onion, thinly sliced or pickled
• capers
• scallions, thinly sliced

Start by prepping the fresh ingredients: halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber and scallions, chop or shred the romaine lettuce, chop the parsley and basil, halve the artichoke hearts if needed, pit the olives, and thinly slice or pickle the red onion.

This makes it easy to assemble the salad quickly and ensures an even mix of flavors and textures.

Step 2: Combine Beans and Tuna

• 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 jars or cans of solid or chunk tuna (water-packed or oil-packed)

In a large bowl, add the drained and rinsed white beans and the tuna (drained if necessary).

These protein-rich ingredients create the hearty base for your salad.

Use your hands or a fork to gently break up the tuna into bite-sized pieces, but be careful not to mash the beans.

I like to keep the tuna in larger flakes for a more rustic texture.

Step 3: Assemble the Salad

• beans and tuna from Step 2
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• cucumber, sliced
• romaine lettuce, chopped or shredded
• parsley, chopped
• basil, chopped
• kalamata olives, pitted
• artichoke hearts, halved
• red onion, thinly sliced or pickled
• capers
• scallions, thinly sliced

To the bowl with beans and tuna from Step 2, add the prepared vegetables and condiments from Step 1: halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped or shredded romaine lettuce, chopped parsley and basil, pitted olives, halved artichoke hearts, sliced or pickled red onion, capers, and sliced scallions.

Toss gently to combine, making sure not to crush the beans.

Adjust quantities of vegetables and condiments based on your preference or serving size.

Step 4: Dress and Toss the Salad

Drizzle your favorite vinaigrette or salad dressing over the combined salad ingredients.

Toss everything gently to ensure even coating; be careful not to break up the beans or tuna too much.

I like to let the salad sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature before serving, which lets the flavors develop further.