This tuna and white bean salad makes a filling lunch without turning on the stove. Lemon, cucumber and olive oil keep it simple, and the beans help stretch the fish into four servings.

Tips for tuna and white bean salad

Start with cooked, drained and chilled beans. Drain tuna well before using; the 15-minute time does not include cooking beans from dry.

MACROS PER SERVING

Estimated

34.2gPROTEIN

340Calories

33.9gCarbs

7.3gFat

8gFiber

Estimated nutrition; calculation review is not complete. Actual values depend on ingredients and portions.

Budget Rating

$ · Budget-FriendlyRelative affordability based on typical ingredients and recipe yield. Actual grocery prices vary by store, location, season, and package size.

High Protein Lemon Tuna and White Bean Salad

Tuna and white beans make a filling lunch without turning on the stove. Lemon, cucumber and olive oil keep it simple, and the beans help stretch the fish into four servings.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

Total Time 15

Course Lunch

Servings 4 portions

Calories 340 kcal

Ingredients

4 (5 oz) cans canned chunk light tuna in water Drain well; use cans yielding about 4 oz fish each.
2 2/3 cups cooked large white beans Measured cooked, drained and chilled.
3 cups cucumber with peel washed and diced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
Table salt to taste; start without added salt if the tuna is salty

Instructions

Drain all four cans of tuna well. Measure the beans after cooking, draining and chilling. The 15-minute time assumes the beans are already cooked and cold.
Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl. Fold in the beans and cucumber until coated.
Add the tuna and gently break it into bite-size flakes. Toss just enough to spread it through the salad without mashing the beans.
Taste before adding salt. Divide into four equal lunch portions and serve cold. Bread, crackers and extra dressing are not included.

Notes

Four equal portions, about 330 g each before any draining during storage. No bread or crackers included. Cover and refrigerate at 40°F or below for up to 3 days as a conservative plan; do not extend the storage life of beans cooked earlier. For better crunch, pack the diced cucumber separately and mix it in shortly before eating. Keep packed lunches cold with ice packs. Do not freeze the assembled salad or reheat it. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Nutrition is estimated and varies with brands and portions. This recipe has not been kitchen tested.

Storage and meal prep

Cover and refrigerate at 40°F or below for up to 3 days as a conservative plan; do not extend the storage life of beans cooked earlier. For better crunch, pack the diced cucumber separately and mix it in shortly before eating. Keep packed lunches cold with ice packs. Do not freeze the assembled salad or reheat it. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.

Ingredient swaps

Canned cannellini or Great Northern beans are practical: rinse, drain and measure 2 2/3 cups, but replace the cooked-from-dry reference with the actual canned label before giving that version a nutrition total. Oil-packed tuna is not equivalent to water-packed tuna. Extra vegetables or a different fish weight need a new calculation. This recipe deliberately uses chunk light tuna rather than assuming every canned tuna has the same label.

About the nutrition

Nutrition is estimated using the listed ingredient amounts and documented reference foods. Actual brands and portions can change the numbers. This recipe has not been kitchen tested.