Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad is one of my favorite go-to lunch dishes to make no matter what time of the year it is. We have it fairly often, so I like to come up with new versions to keep it interesting. There are already a few other variations here on the blog. I think this one just might be my new favorite.
The inspiration for the dressing came from Laura in the Kitchen’s site. I made an adapted version of it for this salad. This Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad with Parmesan Garlic Dressing is great any time of year, but especially in the warmer months when you don’t want to heat up the house. It has seemed more like Spring than Winter around here, so there have been more days where I’m craving lighter dishes. I’m not complaining. Being able to run in shorts in January and February = Awesome!
For this salad, I prefer tuna packed in olive oil, but packed in water works just fine. I just use whichever one I happen to have in my pantry. Soaking the red onions in vinegar helps take a bit of the oniony bite out of them.
Tuna Cannellini Bean Salad with Parmesan Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 small red onion , sliced paper thin
- 5 tbsp red wine vinegar , divided
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 clove of garlic , minced
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 (5 oz) cans of tuna in olive oil
- 1 (14.5 oz) can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained well
- 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 3-4 cups chopped romaine hearts
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss the red onions with 3 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad. This helps take a bit of the oniony bite out of them.
- In the bottom of a large bowl, add the rest of the vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and whisk until combined.
- Add the tuna to the large bowl, and flake it with a fork. Add the beans and kalamata olives and toss together with the dressing. Drain the onions, add to the rest of the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve over chopped romaine hearts at room temperature.
