Quick Tuna Salad Bowl
Lemony tuna, creamy white beans, red onion, parsley, a glug of olive oil. A pantry lunch that keeps well for the week.
This is a lunch for the days that call for something resembling a meal without any actual cooking. Everything comes from the pantry, it's ready in the time it takes to make a coffee, and it holds up well until dinner.
Spring for the good tinned tuna in olive oil. It is the one ingredient that earns its keep.
Ingredients
- 2 × 120g tins good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained
- 1 × 400g tin cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ small red onion, finely sliced
- Small handful of parsley, chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus zest
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional: capers, halved cherry tomatoes, a soft-boiled egg
Instructions
- Soak the sliced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow its bite, then drain.
- Combine the tuna, beans, onion and parsley in a bowl, breaking the tuna into chunks but not flaking it to dust.
- Whisk the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, salt and pepper, and pour over the salad.
- Toss gently. Top with any of the optional extras you have around. Eat as is, or spoon over toast.
Cooking tips
- Tinned tuna in olive oil is silkier and tastier than tuna in brine. It is worth the small upgrade.
- Make a double batch and pack it for lunch — it improves overnight.
- Mash half the beans with the dressing for a creamier texture without adding mayo.
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