It’s been a long winter. In one day we had snow, rain, sleet, hail, and sun (for a nanosecond). So when the weather in Oregon gets me down, I think about other places that uplift my mood. Where would that be? Almost anyplace in Italy.
When in Tuscany last year I enjoyed a delicious tuna and white bean salad. It was light, yet flavorful, dressed with just olive oil and lemon juice. With a glass of wine and Italian garlic crackers, it was a perfect lunch.
Today was the day to recreate that salad and bring back the warm memories of that day.
Easy to construct this salad, just mix ingredients together and let sit for a day so the flavors can marry. Although I couldn’t wait. I had to have a small dish to taste test. Yep, it passed the test!
I added parsley and toasted garlic chips as optional garnish.
Yields 4 servings
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna, drained
- 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped - Optional for garnish
- 1 tablespoon shaved toasted garlic - Optional for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 15-ounce can small white beans, such as cannellini or great northern, drained and rinsed
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine tuna, beans, tomatoes, scallions, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Stir gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To make shaved toasted garlic - thinly slice 1-2 garlic cloves. Lay flat on foil, drizzle with olive oil and toast in oven or on stove for a few seconds. Be careful not to burn - it will make the garlic bitter.
- Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.