Mediterranean Tuna Salad is a fast and healthy recipe perfect for lunch or dinners with no cooking. This recipe is light, satisfying and packed with flavor. It’s the perfect meal to keep you in your skinny jeans.
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When I told my husband I was going to create this Mediterranean Tuna Salad using cannellini beans, olive oil and lemon juice he wrinkled up his nose in displeasure.
He often jokes that because he is from the midwest he tends to like simplicity and is hesitant when something sounds like it might have too much flavor.
This always makes me giggle because what he loves most from my cooking, are the meals packed with flavor.
Needless to say, what started out as hesitancy ended up with him telling me “this is really good”. Neaner, neaner, neaner…told you so!!!!
In all seriousness, what I love about this meal in addition to its wonderful fresh flavor due to the dill, chives and citrus, is it is so fast to make and there is no cooking.
Additionally it is extremely healthy with the heart healthy olive oil (1), vitamin packed watercress (2) and protein/fiber rich cannellini beans (3).
Mediterranean Tuna Salad will help keep you in your skinny jeans while packing in a high level of nutrition and will fight off hunger.
Tips about Mediterranean Tuna Salad:
- You may be asking yourself what on earth does watercress taste like? It has a mild peppery taste similar to arugula. Pro Tip: The secret with watercress is to buy the younger, fresher picked leaves as the larger/older leaves tend to have more of a bitter taste to them. Ideally, if you can purchase these health packed leaves in the living state, nutrition levels will remain intact and their taste will be out of this world.
Living watercress for Mediterranean Tuna Salad.
Living watercress with roots attached for Mediterranean Tuna Salad.
- Make this Mediterranean Tuna Salad your own by adding your favorite variations such as tomatoes, cucumbers, capers and/or feta. The beauty of cooking is taking a recipe and making it your own.
- My favorite part of this salad is the dill. I love how refreshing this herb is and is perfect for dressings, salads, dips and sauces. Simply Organic is one my all time favorite brands because the dill is always fresh and amazing tasting. (affiliate)
- Stuffing a tomato or avocado with this recipe is perfect for those trying to keep their carbohydrate levels down or needing gluten free. This tuna salad also tastes wonderful on bread or with crackers and/or organic tortilla chips.
- If you need a break from cooking and still want to eat healthy this is the meal for you. It literally takes 10 minutes to throw it together. Completely low stress with zero guilt. For another wonderfully healthy no cook meal check out Summer Smoked Salmon Sandwiches.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp stone ground brown mustard
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1/4 cup finely diced chives
- 3 cups loosely packed watercress *roughly chopped
- 15 oz can cannellini beans *rinsed & drained
- 10 oz wild caught albacore tuna
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl measure olive oil. Whisk in vinegar, lemon juice and mustard until emulsified. Stir in dill and chives. Add watercress, beans and tuna, toss gently. Salt to taste.
- Serve on favorite bread, in a tomato or avocado or with your favorite crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for more savory inspirations.
If you love quick, healthy and flavor packed meals than check out these recipes:
Lauren Gaskill says
I could probably eat this every day! So good!
Heather says
Thank you Lauren! Easy recipes like this are so helpful after holidays.
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
I love watercress!
Heather says
I do too. Watercress is so under utilized and yet is so good for you.
Kristen Chidsey says
Don’t you just love when your husband makes the decision to not like a dish before he even tries it? Mine does it too and I LOVE to prove him wrong!
Heather says
Hee hee hee. All in good fun but it is very enjoyable when that happens. ?
Brandy Myers says
That’s a huge does of protein into one dish. I love it! It would be such a quick lunch or dinner that would leave me full for hours.
Heather says
I am definitely one of those that needs filling meals. I hope you enjoy it. ?
Ann says
This is such an easy and delicious meal during the summer. I make it often when we go camping because of its simplicity.
Heather says
I love it fro the simplicity also but I love how good I feel after eating it. Thank you for giving the recipe a try!