Every now and again I get a pretty strong craving for canned tuna, but there are two problems with that: 1) canned tuna has gotten quite expensive and 2) All that mayo can be pretty dangerous. So, I came up with this easy little Tuna and White Bean Salad to solve both of those problems.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
What’s in Tuna and White Bean Salad
White beans (navy or great northern) are pretty neutral in flavor and the texture goes quite well with tuna, so they’re a really great way to bulk out tuna salad for cheap. Instead of using mayo to keep the salad moist and flavorful, I made a light and bright mix of lemon juice and olive oil. Green onions, freshly cracked pepper, and a little salt are all you need to make the flavors pop. This salad is simple, flavorful, filling, and can be eaten on crackers, in a pita, or just plain with a fork. It’s a great way to pack in that protein!
What Else Can I Add?
If you happen to have lemon pepper seasoning on hand, you can sprinkle that into the salad for a little extra pop or in place of the lemon juice and freshly cracked pepper. It will give the same great flavor with one little shake of the bottle! A chopped up hard boiled egg would also be an excellent and inexpensive way to bulk up this salad.
Tuna & White Bean Salad
Servings 3Ingredients
- 1 15 oz. can white beans ($0.86)
- 1 5 oz. can chunk light tuna in water ($0.89)
- 2 whole green onions ($0.19)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.06)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- salt & pepper to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- Pour the can of beans into a colander and rinse with cool water. Allow the excess water to drain off. Drain the can of tuna. Combine the drained beans and tuna in a bowl. Thinly slice the green onions and add to the bowl as well.
- Add the olive oil and lemon juice to the bowl, along with a light sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Taste the mixture and add salt, pepper, or lemon juice to your liking.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Tuna and White Bean Salad – Step By Step Photos
Drain and rinse the white beans. Drain the tuna and thinly slice the green onions. Combine all three in a bowl.
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, a light sprinkle of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. I like pepper a lot, so I added probably about 20 cranks of the pepper mill.
Stir everything together and then adjust the seasoning to your liking. You can see how the tuna and beans were kind of falling apart, which makes it not so pretty. Higher quality beans will stay intact and higher quality tuna will be more chunky than mushy. But it tasted great all the same!
This is my go to for a quick lunch. Sometimes I add a little rosemary and thyme, but mostly I enjoy the recipe as written.
I need to start eating better & getting more fiber & protein in my diet. This tasty little dish does just that, and is so delicious!
Very good, definitely let it get cold first (much better cold). I added a sprinkle of lemon pepper seasoning, I love it!
I don’t know why, but I am obsessed with this. I added lemon pepper seasoning along with everything else and it was SO good. I’m so happy I found this because I want it for lunch a couple times a week. To make it even better, it took maybe five minutes to put everything together, which is amazing for someone like me who lacks motivation to cook. Amazing.
good reipe, I added tahini to it I recently tried Tuna & White Bean Salad with tahini, and it was a delightful surprise! The combination of tender tuna, creamy white beans, and the nutty flavor of tahini created a harmonious blend of textures and tastes. The tahini added a unique twist, enhancing the overall richness of the dish. It’s going to be a regular addition to my meal rotation! #gourmadesoulfulsnacking #tahini
Fantastic, thank you!
Made for my meal prep and put onto a toasted piece of Ezekiel bread! so easy yet so yummy. Thank you for sharing!
I don’t know how you come up with these recipes, but please keep them coming! I was more than a little skeptical about this one, but I was desperate – I’m hypoglycemic, and was fixing to go down. I turned to your website, found this recipe, and I whipped this recipe up because it was so fast. I could not believe how good it was! I’m not going to lie. I honestly thought it was so good because I was so hungry, but when I finished it off the next day, it was even better! The only thing I changed was to add 2 cans of tuna – I have a dog and a cat that KNOW what a can of tuna is even before I even open the can. To keep the peace, I have to give both of them their own can with a small amount of tuna in it. The joys of pets! LOL Thank you! :)
It’s wicked hot today and opening cans was about all I could summon the energy to do. I added about 1/4 cup of fresh basil I had to use, then refrigerated the salad for an hour. Perfect for a nice, light, filling, minimal effort lunch. Thank you!
Sooo goood
This is amazing!! I only had chick peas and I did add some jalapeno but I can’t wait to eat this again. The lemon is amazing and makes it really refreshing!! Thank you so much fot making my lunch exciting. Not to mention how easy it was to meal prep.
Made this today for a quick little lunch – ate with some crackers! So so so good!!!
I ate a whole batch of this (on a few slices of toasted sourdough bread) during my ICU double shift. Took 5minutes (max) to put together last night (after another double shift). Super convenient, so good. (I also used Penzey’s “sandwich sprinkle” seasoning on top)
Delicious! I need high protein meals on my lift days, but can’t eat albacore tuna EVERY day! So chunk light tuna works, and this recipe is great. I added Greek Seasoning to it for an extra taste, and it did not disappoint.
I have made this a couple of times and made a few modifications. I double it and quadruple the dressing. I added an extra green onion and chopped Italian parsley for more greens. I also added the zest of one lemon, 3 cloves of chopped garlic, a squeeze of honey and salt/white pepper to the dressing. I then toss the salad and squeezed a little more lemon over the top. Lastly, when I serve it, I add a small bit of mayonnaise and mix it for a creamy texture & it stays fresh in the fridge better without the mayonnaise to the whole bowl. This is a keeper for me!
This is quick and easy, although I may have used cannelloni beans instead. It’s a great snack.
Is there a way to make this into a white-bean/tuna spread for sandwiches? Mash it up and use (a little) may to bind it together?
I think that’s a great idea, Eric!
This is fantastic! What a great combination of flavors!
We really like this recipe! I serve it over mixed salad greens. I like to mix it up ahead of time and take it work for lunch, but we also enjoy it in the summer for a cool and easy dinner.
This is simple and delicious dish! I’ve made this several times for its ease and protein, and I will be making again tonight. Thanks!
This is one of my go-to meal bases, I literally make it all the time. I’v struggled to get enough protein in my diet in the past, and this is a great way to help with that. Sometimes I eat it by itself, but usually I put a couple of cherry tomatoes and a bit of feta with each individual serving to bulk it out (I’ve found that if you mix those into the bowl, they both go a little weird kept in the fridge). This week I decided to shake things up a bit and added a can of chickpeas, a can of sliced black olives, and some marinated chopped artichoke hearts, and that’s really going to stretch it out for a few days!
I love this recipe! How many days can it last in the fridge?
We’d recommend up to three days.
Yum!! With some fresh spinach leaves on a low carb wrap, lunch was delicious. Thanks!
Would this work using dry navy beans? Do you know how many I should soak and cook to make the equivalent of one can? (Thank you!)
I usually get about 3 cans worth from one pound of beans. You could always cook the whole pound and then freeze the rest so they’re ready to quickly thaw and use for your next recipe. :) I’ve been pointing people to this great tutorial from Simply Recipes on how to cook dry beans.
I usually buy tuna in olive oil when it is on sale. When using that would I eliminate or lessen the amount of olive oil added? Can’t wait to try it for lunch this week. Planning to serve it on Naan bread.
I would eliminate the olive oil as you won’t need it with the canned in oil.
This popped up on my instagram feed and looked amazing, so I prepped it for my lunch this week. This is amazing. I replaced the green onion for diced red onion since I already had it on hand, and it’s fantastic. HIGHLY recommend this one. Thanks for being budget-conscious and super flavorful with all of your recipes. You’re one of my top food blogs that I read each week!
Ok, I normally hate when people post about how much they loved or hated a recipe when they changed like half the ingredients BUT I’m doing it now just to demonstrate how versatile this recipe is! I cleaned out my pantry and realized I had a ton of tuna that needed to be eaten. I only had chick peas on hand and purple onions. I mixed the tuna, chickpeas, purple onion and added the other ingredients. I also added some diced jalapeños and cumin and oh my goodness it was sooo good! I was doing it for meal prep but ended up eating half the bowl as I was packing it up! You do it every time Beth!
Forgot to leave the 5 stars!
Tasty – and I love this healthier option to a mayo-based tuna fish recipe. I found it even better with smashed chickpeas and some Trader Joes 21 Seasoning Salute.
Thanks for this delicious recipe! I know I will be eating this regularly.
This is super fresh and quick to put together. I only had red onion in so used that and some cherry tomatoes that needed using up. It was delicious, I had it with crackers to add some texture
Thank you Kate!
I blended half of the beans with the olive oil, lemon juice and some water. I then stirred in the rest of the beans and all the other ingredients. Also added some hot sauce. Made for a nice creamy sandwich filling together with some spinach and tomatoes
Hooray!
This was super yummy! I had never tried anything like this before, but I thought to myself–well I like tuna and I like beans so let me try this! I made it Sunday night and then had it over spinach for three of my lunches this week! Will absolutely be making this again and again! Thanks for sharing!
What is the single-portion size (in either cups or ounces)?
About a half cup.
This was so yummy, filling and quick to prepare. Will do again! One question where can I find the nutrional values for this recipe. Could see on the webpage?
Thanks!
Loved this! Made it for lunch last night to let the flavors blend together and that really helped. Put this over a bed of spinach leaves and it made for an excellent filling lunch! Also added minced garlic and other seasonings than salt and pepper. Would definitely recommend cheap and filling!
This is an EXCELLENT way to stretch tuna! I live in NYC, so things are always pricey, but my beans were close to 2.00 and the tuna was on sale for $2.50, so this helps a lot. If tomatoes are in season, I recommend cutting up a bit of a nice beefsteak and adding it to the salad for a great lunch! Very good recipe!
I love this fresh recipe! Impressed thoroughly. Threw in some chopped, juicy tomatoes and some granulated garlic and was satiety. Thanks for a budget friendly recipe on a lean diet.
This is incredibly easy and filling and I have made it, no lie, for at least three weeks’ worth of meals over the past two months. It’s become my new go-to because it’s simple and cheap and filling. Usually when I eat it I also add a handful of grape tomatoes and some fresh feta (I can get it for pretty cheap at Lidl) to each individual serving to bulk it out, and I’ve also swapped in chopped red onion instead of green onion and it’s been just as delicious! This meal has really been a lifesaver this summer.
Delicious and easy lunch. I changed the green onion for celery and loved it!
I normally just tolerate tuna salad, and it’s hard for me to enjoy it even though I know it’s so good for you. I just have to say, this was the first time I ever enjoyed a tuna salad!! Something about the beans and the tuna really work well together. I will be making this over and over as it’s a great way to get in lean protein. Thank you so much!!
Yet another amazing recipe! I added orzo to bulk it up for meal prep, and added some white vinegar to zest it up a bit. Canned salmon instead of tuna, and served it over arugula with chopped grape tomatoes, my own pickled jalapenos, and fresh avocado!
Was looking for something different for lunch and came across this recipe. I really thought it was going to be bland but it was very refreshing and delicious. Definitely a keeper.
Easy and delicious. Tastes like it would be fattening but it’s not. Used red onions instead, since that’s what I had.
Thanks!
I was happily surprised at how good this recipe turned out. I am not a fan of canned tuna but wanted to try and increase my protein intake. This was delicious. I did add some granulated garlic and made it the night before so the flavors blended.
This was great!! I totally agree with other reviewers on here that once you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, the flavors really pop. I added extra lemon juice to mine — probably closer to 2 tbsp. I also added some chopped celery for a little crunch, which was a really nice addition! I think I might try adding some roasted garlic next time. At any rate, this is a super fresh and versatile lunch recipe, and it comes together SO quickly!
Another winning recipe!
Everyone turns their nose up at chunk light tuna like it’s the step child of food, but using anything other than chunk light in this recipe would ruin the creaminess of it. I love tuna salad, but mayo repeats on me and so tuna salad had become a special treat these days, but now that I’ve found this recipe, tuna salad is now back in my life.
There is the right ratio of tuna, oil, and lemon, that makes this recipe creamy like your traditional tuna salad. And I believe onions in a tuna salad, generally red, but they’re strong and can overpower, but green onions add the onion taste, without overpowering the entire dish.
Winner, winner, tuna salad dinner!
Great recipe amd easy to do,
Tip: Refrigerate and let it sit until cold for the flavors to incorporate! I made this for lunch and at room temp it tasted merely okay and kinda meh, not something I’d make again if I wasn’t searching for a way to use up a can of white beans. However when I came back to the leftovers later the cold made the flavors super crisp and bright, taking it to “OMG I definitely have to make this again!”. Thanks Beth!
Love this!!!!!!! I just poured random amounts of olive oil and lemon juice in and added chopped cilantro bc I had some to use up. Very happy with my yummy, satisfying, nourishing lunch!
I love tuna and use canned tuna regularly, but this was a miss for me. There weren’t enough other flavors to balance the fishy taste (I used a really nice can of tuna too). The lemon seemed to enhance the fishiness. Maybe i’m just not a fan of cold bean salads or non-mayo salads :( I wish I did because it’d be gentler on my wallet.
I have made this salad three times in the last couple of weeks. The first time I loved it and the other times were because I couldn’t stop craving it! Also it was just what I needed to get back on track after so much heavy holiday food. Thanks, Beth!
Pretty yummy. Turned out a lot better than I expected.
hello, this is really a good salad!
but… i love garlic, then, I gave also 1 clove of garlic and 2 pickled cucumbers ;) And for my taste, the salad taste now even better!
Thanks for the recipe :)
What a fantastic substitute for mayo. Can’t wait to try this, it looks brilliant!
The Tuna White Bean Salad is absolutely delicious. I didn’t have fresh lemon juice and green onions on hand, so I used lemon pepper, extra virgin olive oil and red onion instead. I’m excited to enjoy this recipe for lunch to work, instead of sandwiches and wraps. Thank you so much, Beth!!! :-)
This is one of my go-to recipes. It’s even more fabulous with addedchopped basil from the garden.
Instead of green onions and lemon juice, try balsamic vinegar and celery leaves (you know, the parts that usually get thrown away) and black pepper!
This is my new go-to lunch. I am trying to go go veg, but I’m eating fish until I use up a large pack of tunaI bought at Costco and this recipe is perfect. I sometimes add feta if I have it around.
I make a similar dish but include arugula, sometimes switch to garbanzo beans and add feta, cucumbers and quinoa. I mix a quick honey dijon dressing separately and add per serving. Love this with sliced grapes and sunflower seeds sprinkled on to finish 😊
Oh yum! This sounds delicious! I love tuna and have been sad that the price has jumped so much on it over the last several years. This recipes looks like a great way to get my tuna fix without hurting the budget to much…plus I love how healthy it is!
This is awesome! I’m way late to commenting on this post but I just had to say how awesome it turned out. The best part is that it’s totally healthy too. I’m eating it over a bed of spinach with a big huge squirt of sriracha for dinner. I’ll definitely be making this again and again!
To quote George Takeai “Oh My!” I just finished off a batch of this tuna salad. I mashed some of the navy beans to make it just a bit creamier and added a splash of basalmic vinegar. Light, healthy, filling and wonderful tasting.
Hahaha, love the Tekeai reference. :)
Today with the heat index at 107F, this recipe came in handy. So delicious and no cooking!
I am DYING to try this Tuna and White Bean Salad, because I am a HUGE fan of tuna! Is it possible that I can use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe?
Yep, you sure can. :)
thinking about throwing this in a food processor for a spread on crackers. Anybody already tried this that can tell me if it turned out good?
Yum! I made this with good tuna (Chicken of the Sea’s Tonno in olive oil) and Great Northern beans. The tuna is definitely NOT budget, at over 2 dollars a can, but it held together beautifully. So simple and delicious, and perfect for July! I’m serving it on a bed of baby spinach, with some feta and cucumber.
Loved this! We added feta cheese, because we had some, and it was great! Great for a hot summer night.
So happy!
My suddenly picky child ate it up quite happily (well, after I persuaded him to just Try A Bite).
I was out of green onions, so I added a bit of garlic powder and dill (for color) instead. Then, I served it with spinach and kale chips and it was so yummy!
Next time, I think I will try blending up half the beans, for more of a dip texture. I’m so excited about the possibilities! :)
Hi Beth! I have been a fan for a while now and have made many of your recipes. But i think this is my first time commenting. I loved this recipe, simple and quick when you are hungry and have not many options in the fridge :) I only switched the type of bean because I didnt have the white bean but it was delicious no matter what.
Thank you
Hi, do you think it’s okay to make this the day before?
thanks!
Yes, I enjoyed this quite a bit after it refrigerated.
So simple! So yummy! Good to keep a batch in the fridge for when you just need a bite of something to tide you over. Thanks!
I saw this on Pinterest. It’s a great recipe! I subbed blue cheese dressing for the lemon juice and added dried cranberries and extra green onions.
Delicious!
This would be great in a wrap I am going to add it to our meal plan for the upcoming week. It’s budget friendly, too!
Ok, making this for the 2nd time already… this is a perfect HIGH PROTEIN post workout lunch. Just wanted to say that. :)
Was looking for really quick and healthy dinner recipes since I usually come home late and this is one of the really wonderful and easy recipes I’ve come across. Time and money saver! But tastes great nonetheless.
Made this with dried beans. Fantastic! Will keep as a regular in my rotation.
I thought this was bland because it lacked color. Well, it tasted really great.
I just made this because I happened to have everything on hand (minus the lemon) and it was fantastic! I didn’t even have enough green onion according to the recipe, so I’ll definitely try it again with the lemon juice and more onion…still awesome, and so fresh without the mayo :) Thanks, Beth!
So simple and so fast. Really delicious!! I did accidentally eat the entire recipe in one sitting though :)
This was great! I was out of green onion, so I added some onion powder. I had some leftover cilantro, so I threw it in there for color and brightness and it was incredible. I threw mine into a whole grain wrap with some fresh spinach and sliced tomatoes – good stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Shannon – I love you right now! That looks like the best salad I’ve ever seen! I can’t wait to make my own version! :D
Thank you for posting this, Beth! I think I’m going to try this with the suggestions from purrlgurrl. I have some leftover white wine vinegar that I’ve been wondering what to do with, so this is perfect! Beth, here’s another bean salad recipe that you might be interested in. It’a a black eyed pea salad with sriracha vinaigrette…very yummy: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/3172
Had it for lunch/added diced celery, more onions (next time I will use red onion fine dice) and a little more olive oil and lemon juice. LOVE IT!! Thank you for another superb recipe.
LOVE this no mayo tuna salad version. I don’t care for raw onions of any variety, so subbed finely diced celery for a bit of crunch–would have used fresh radishes for a sharper taste had I any in my fridge–no added salt because canned beans are loaded and we are trying hard to reset our tastes to the new guidelines of only 1500 mg of sodium per day. Thanks for another taste and budget winner!
Didn’t miss the mayo at all with this. Made 2 very tasty quesadillas (thinking one wouldn’t be enough) and was so full! This is now my new favorite super-quickie meal. Thanks, Beth! :)
So yummy looking!
wow! this recipe looks delicious! i am so glad to have found you…our websites are very common. i look forward to more of your recipes. :)
You used the cheapest products for your ingredients and yet the pictures of your creation look beautiful…
Funnily, I’ve found that store-brand or generic-brand tuna is often higher-quality in terms of chunk size than the brand-name tuna (Chicken of the Sea, Starkist.) So maybe do a little comparison shopping at your local grocery store before you decide to get the stuff in vacuum packs. :)
Purrlgurrl – Love it! That version sounds even easier and tastier!
Been doing this for years (learned from Mom) using canellini beans, white wine vinegar, olive oil packed tuna (no extra oil needed and, sorry, it really tastes soooooo much better than water packed, which is sawdust in a can), diced red onion, salt and pepper, and fresh thyme leaves to taste.
This looks awesome! And it makes me (a known mayo-hater) very happy to have something healthier to substitute with!
This looks incredible. I think I may add in a tiny bit of relish and spicy brown mustard, because both my husband and I are mustard fiends. I never ever thought to make a tuna salad with beans! What a delicious way to add a bit more protein and a bunch of fiber. Beth, you’re a genius.
Tuna and bean sounds like such a perfect Mediterranean salad. :) I also must tell you that I now really, really want a box of Trscuits!