By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 15 minutes
- Rating
- 5(227)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is the most amazing version of tuna and bean salad I’ve ever tasted. It incorporates crunchy green beans, a red onion made a little milder by soaking in water, tuna and a bean of your choice. I’ve used a lush bean called Good Mother Stallard, which really makes this salad stand out. You can substitute borlotti beans, pinto or white beans. If you’re using canned beans, rinse them first. Whichever bean you choose, you’ll have an amazing light and satisfying meal.
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Ingredients
Yield:6 Servings
- ¾pound green beans, trimmed
- 1small red onion, cut in half and sliced in half-moons (optional)
- 25-ounce cans tuna (packed in water or olive oil), drained
- 1½cups cooked Good Mother Stallard, borlotti, pinto or white beans (if using canned beans, rinse)
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2tablespoons chopped chives
- 2teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or sage
- 2tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 1garlic clove, minced or puréed
- 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2tablespoons bean broth
- 6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
260 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 484 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Blanch green beans for 4 minutes (5 minutes if beans are thick), until just tender. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. (Alternatively, steam beans for 4 to 5 minutes). Cut or break beans in half if very long.
Step
2
Meanwhile, place sliced onion, if using, in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak 5 minutes. Drain, rinse and drain again on paper towels.
Step
3
Drain tuna and place in a salad bowl. Break up with a fork. Add cooked dried beans, green beans, onion and herbs. Toss together.
Step
4
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together vinegar, salt, garlic, mustard and bean broth. Whisk in olive oil. Toss with tuna and bean mixture, and serve.
- Advance preparation: This will keep for a day in the refrigerator, but you should keep the green beans separate and toss with the other ingredients just before serving so they retain their bright green color.
Ratings
5
out of 5
227
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Cooking Notes
JJ
Left out the green beans and added more white ones. Added celery for some crunch. Really nice lunch or light dinner fare. Will make again.
kathleen
This is one of our go-to summer meals! We've been quick-pickling the onions in a bit of vinegar, and we love it!
Susana
Really nice, tasty and refreshing! Didn’t have marjoram or sage so added a bit of coriander instead, avocado and black olives and it worked really well
Suzzette
I love this. Very clean but filling. I am not a fan of raw onions, but I think soaking the onion for 5 minutes and also dicing it instead of keeping it in moons was a good idea.
Ms D
Tasty Had Rancho Gordo Mother. Stallard beans - much better than using canned anything. Added a few kalamata olives, which also added a nice counter taste. Maybe add some red pepper flakes to dressing?
sarah mcd
Added 3 soft boiled eggs to the dressing (cooked with the green beans) and a few dashes of hot sauce just for a little extra oomph - so good!
hz
Pickled the onions as some have suggested, since I’m not a huge raw onion fan. I also thought this benefited hugely from the addition of capers. A good summer recipe!
Murphy
Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dressing. Next time I think I'll add kalamata olives.
judith
Do white onion, soaked in water and cut in half moons. Also added small cubes of cake, marinated tomatoes, capers, celery and hard boiled eggs.
Aimee
This was a miss for me. Husband rated it a B. The marjoram was too over powering. Made the recipe as is except cooked the green beans for 6 min and they were still way to raw/crunchy for my husband and I. Was bummed as had high hopes after reading the reviews.
marta
Outstanding. Was a big hit at luncheon March 18
Alice Allen
Improvising from the pantry, I substituted canned black=eyed peas and added capers, topped with ground parmesan and crushed potato chips. Delicious!
gibby
I used water-packed tuna, and then used the tuna water in the dressing instead of bean broth--because I used canned borlottis and rinsed and drained them as instructed. --And also I didn't have green-bean broth, if that was intended, because I used frozen petit peas, as that was all I had on hand. This was great! I like that the fat-to-other-liquids ratio is lower is the case for many salads. I served it with Martha Rose Shulman's Braised Spring Carrots and Leeks With Tarragon. Yum!
Sarah
I added shallot instead of red onion, wholegrain mustard instead of dijon, and a squeeze of lemon.
Irina
Put cucumber and radish instead of the green beans (didn't have those), and used Domingo Rojo beans. Also didn't have chives, only used sage and parsley. Tasted great (light, juicy and filling), but maybe will quick pickle the red onions next time.
Susana
Really nice, tasty and refreshing! Didn’t have marjoram or sage so added a bit of coriander instead, avocado and black olives and it worked really well
Amy
I added tomatoes as it reminded me so much of Salad Nicoise with beans instead of pototes! Next time I'll add olives!
Kunjan
Made this exactly as written - absolutely delicious - made for a fantastic lunch - healthy, light and flavor packed!
kathleen
This is one of our go-to summer meals! We've been quick-pickling the onions in a bit of vinegar, and we love it!
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