Italian Tuna and Bean Salad

This classic Italian summer salad made with canned tuna and cannellini beans is delicious in the warm weather. It's reported to have come from the island of Sardinia, Italy, just west of the mainland. But now you can find it throughout the region including in France. 

Julian's Italian Tuna and Bean Salad

The recipe is flexible and you can add/subtract based on what good, fresh ingredients you can acquire. The original recipe uses only the sliced red onion, but I usually also add some sliced cucumber to the onion as well. Or if I have a bowl of onion and cucumber salad in the refrigerator, I'll just use some of that and stir in the beans tuna gently. I love it served on a bed of farm fresh sliced tomatoes, but that too is optional. A side of good bread and better makes for a perfect, high protein healthy meal. 

Ready to Plate

Ingredients

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 red onion

1 cucumber (English seedless preferred and optional)

1 15.5 ounce can of low sodium cannellini beans

1 can Albacore or Yellowfin tuna packed in oil or water

2 tomatoes 

olive oil

fresh basil, cilantro or parsley leaves

salt and pepper

French or Italian Bread

Butter

Instructions

Mix together the vinegar and sugar until sugar dissolves. Peel the red onion and slice it in half from poll to poll (through the core). Peel and slice the onion thinly on it's side to make strips. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and set aside. After 5-10 minutes, drain any liquid from the onions and add the vinegar mixture and stir to combine.

Slice a cucumber in half and remove the seeds. Sprinkle with a little salt and set aside.

Drain the canned (cooked) cannellini beans and place in a medium mixing bowl. Open and drain the tuna and add it to the bowl with the beans. Gently break the fillet into large chunks.

Drain any liquid from the cucumbers. Toss with the onions to combine.

Slice the tomatoes and lay them on a plate. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt.  Toss the onion/cucumber mixture gently together with the bean and tuna mixture. Add on top of the sliced tomatoes. Slice the fresh herb (basli, cilantro or parsley) and sprinkle over the salad. 

Note: You can make the salad ahead as much as the day before, keeping it refrigerated and covered until 1 hour before serving it over the fresh unrefrigerated tomatoes. 

Serve with crusty French or Italian bread with good quality butter.