Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon
- Savory
- Quick
- Italian
- Light
- No cook
A no-cook Italian-style salad of creamy white beans, flaked tuna, sweet cherry tomatoes and peppery rocket, lifted with lemon zest and juice. Light, high in protein and ready in minutes.
- Total
- 15 min
- Prep 15
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Emulsifying · Zesting
Instructions
-
Drain the white beans in a colander and let them sit so excess liquid runs off. Halve the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the red onion.
~5 min
Draining well stops the beans' starchy liquid from watering down the dressing and pooling in the bowl.
Drain the white beans well and pat them dry if they look wet, so the lemon dressing clings to them instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
-
Zest the lemon into a small bowl, then squeeze in 2 tbsp of its juice. Whisk in the olive oil, salt and black pepper until the dressing looks slightly thickened.
~3 min
Whisking disperses the oil into tiny droplets that stay suspended in the lemon juice, creating a stable emulsion that coats rather than separates.
Zest the lemon before juicing it, and only take the yellow layer: the white pith underneath is bitter and will dull the fresh citrus lift.
Emulsifying Whisk the oil in gradually so it breaks into tiny droplets and the dressing turns glossy and slightly thick; if it looks slick and separated, keep whisking harder.
Zesting Grate only the bright yellow peel, turning the lemon as you go; stop as soon as you reach the pale pith, which is bitter and spoils the dressing.
-
Put the white beans, cherry tomatoes and red onion in the mixing bowl and pour over the lemon dressing. Toss gently so the beans stay whole.
~3 min
-
Flake the tuna into the bowl in large pieces and fold it in with a light hand so it does not break up into mush.
~2 min
Folding rather than stirring keeps the tuna in tender flakes, so the salad has texture instead of turning pasty.
-
Add the rocket and toss just until the leaves are glossy with dressing. Taste and add a pinch more salt if the beans need it, then serve straight away.
~2 min
Rocket wilts and turns limp quickly once dressed, so tossing it at the last moment keeps the leaves crisp and peppery.
