A tuna and bean salad is a complete high-protein lunch you can make without turning on a stove: two cans of light tuna, a can of white kidney beans, cucumber and red onion, tossed with lemon, olive oil and Dijon. It makes two large bowls of about 490 calories and 48 grams of protein each, with around 11 grams of fibre. Ten minutes, one bowl to wash, and it travels well in a mason jar.
Ingredients
Makes 2 large servings. Ten minutes, no cooking.
| Ingredient | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Canned light tuna in water, drained | 2 cans (170 g each), about 240 g drained | 2 cans (6 oz each) |
| White kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed | 1 can (540 ml), about 340 g drained | 1 can (19 oz) |
| English cucumber, diced | 150 g | ½ cucumber |
| Red onion, finely diced | 60 g | ½ small |
| Fresh parsley, chopped | a handful | a handful |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 20 ml | 4 tsp |
| Lemon juice | 30 ml | 2 tbsp (about 1 lemon) |
| Dijon mustard | 5 ml | 1 tsp |
| Salt, black pepper, chili flakes | to taste | to taste |
Method
- If red onion is too sharp for you, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes while you prepare the rest, then drain. This takes the bite out without losing the crunch.
- Whisk the lemon juice, mustard, oil, salt and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Add the beans and stir them through the dressing first so they absorb it.
- Add the cucumber, onion and parsley, then flake in the tuna with a fork. Fold gently so the tuna stays in chunks.
- Taste and adjust lemon and salt. Eat now or pack into two containers.
Per-bowl nutrition, approximately
Values are added up from USDA FoodData Central entries for drained canned light tuna, cooked white beans, cucumber, onion and olive oil, then halved.
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| about 490 | about 48 g | about 49 g | about 12 g | about 11 g |
The tuna provides about 31 g of protein per bowl and the beans about 16 g. That split is why this salad keeps you full longer than tuna on its own: the beans add both protein and fibre.
Light or albacore tuna?
Buy canned light tuna for this. It’s cheaper, and it’s the lower-mercury option. According to Health Canada’s page on mercury in fish, canned light tuna is made from species such as skipjack, yellowfin and tongol that are relatively low in mercury, and most Canadians don’t need to be concerned about eating canned tuna. Its consumption advice for canned albacore (white) tuna is aimed at children and at women who are or may become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Tuna packed in oil adds roughly 100 or more calories per can even after draining, which is why water-packed is the default here.
Variations and swaps
- Chickpea version: swap the white beans for chickpeas and add chopped roasted red peppers from a jar.
- Niçoise-style: add a hard-boiled egg, a few olives and some steamed green beans. One egg adds about 70 calories and 6 g protein.
- Salmon: use two cans of drained pink salmon. More fat and omega-3, slightly less protein.
- More greens: serve over arugula or romaine. Add the greens on the day you eat it so they don’t wilt.
- Wrap it: half the salad in a large whole-wheat tortilla is a portable lunch for the car or the GO train.
Where it fits in a work week
This is the lunch for the day you didn’t plan: a pantry with two cans of tuna and a can of beans is a lunch you always have. Cooked-fish fans can try the salmon traybake, and for a warm option to rotate in, the lentil and chicken soup packs into the same container. More office-friendly ideas are in high-protein lunch ideas for work.
Lunch decided, every day
Most men who say they “eat badly at work” are really eating whatever is closest at 1 p.m. A pantry lunch like this one removes that problem. If you’d like a coach to plan the rest of your week around your targets, monthly 1:1 coaching includes nutrition planning and weekly adjustments.
Questions people also ask
Is it safe to eat canned tuna every day?
For most adults, canned light tuna is low in mercury and Health Canada says most Canadians don't need to be concerned about eating it. Its specific limits apply to canned albacore (white) tuna for children and for women who are or may become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Which beans work best in tuna salad?
White kidney (cannellini) beans are the classic because they're creamy and mild. Chickpeas are firmer and hold up better if you pack the salad for two days. Black beans work but colour the dressing.
Does tuna and bean salad keep for lunch the next day?
Yes, it often tastes better on day two once the beans absorb the dressing. Keep it in the fridge and eat it within two days; add any leafy greens just before eating.