stephmodo: Italian Tuna and White Bean Salad

Italian Tuna and White Bean Salad

• 12 September 2011

If you're looking for a light dinner or protein-packed lunch, this is a great recipe to try while delicious, garden tomatoes are still available.  This recipe, adapted from Giada's Everyday Italian cookbook (loving the book!  not so much the repetitive shots of her cleavage!), is one of my new favorites.  In fact, I've made this white bean + tuna salad twice in the past two weeks--once with Italian tuna and once with domestic (I'll share my opinion on each below).  The salad is excellent on a good multi-grain cracker, flat, Italian cracker or with a crusty bread.  Bon appetit!

Recipe after the jump...click on "read more" for the recipe. 

White Bean + Tuna Salad with Basil and Cherry Tomatoes
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis' Everyday Italian

2 cans tuna in olive oil*
3/4 teaspoon coarse gray salt
10 swift turns of fresh ground pepper
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
1/2 medium red onion, shaved thin
1/4 cup fresh basil, packed, then julienned
1 heaping cup farmer's market cherry tomatoes
6 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

In a large bowl, add the tuna with its olive oil, gray salt and fresh ground pepper.  Using a fork, break up the tuna (although chances are it may not need a lot of coercion).  Gently toss in the beans, shaved red onion, basil and cherry tomatoes.  Drizzle with the red wine vinegar and then add more gray salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for 15 minutes or so and then plate and serve. 

* Italian tuna is darker and more flavorful like Giada suggests.  Domestic "chunk light albacore in olive oil" is more substantial (like its name it truly is more chunky), but does lack the depth of flavor imported tuna from Italia possesses.  Splurge once on the Italian tuna just so you know what it tastes like and then next time use chunk light in olive oil and see what you think.  If the taste difference doesn't compensate for the price increase then you'll know what to pick up at the store next time!  Not every grocery store carries the Italian tuna, but I've found it at Fred Meyer and Whole Foods. 

image by Stephanie Brubaker for stephmodo

9 comments:

  1. If you guys were here, I'd make it for you :)

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  2. This looks equal parts adorable and delicious!

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  3. Yummy!Cant wait to make this with my grey salt.

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  4. I have some fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden that I can't wait to use in this recipe! Looks delicious!

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  5. Yummm, I'll be making this. Protein is a good thing for my sugar-craving family.

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  6. I've already had lunch, but I'll gladly double up for this delicious dish!

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  7. Wonderful! I hope you love it like we did. I discovered it's best with Italian tuna and within 30 minutes of mixing together.

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