Tuna Salad with White Beans, Lemon, Dill, and Tahini

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Meet my Tuna Salad with White Beans...aka my favorite Tuna Salad when I want to get in protein, healthy fats, and fiber! It's creamy, flavorful, and made with pantry staples for an easy healthy lunch or light dinner. As a dietitian, I like to have it on a slice or two of whole grain bread or sourdough, or with seed crackers or chips. 😊

a white speckled bowl with a brown rim with a slightly vibrant green tuna salad after all the ingredients have been combined together.

Quick Look: Tuna Salad with White Beans

🧁 Serves: 4
⭐ Features: Healthy✓ High Protein ✓ Fiber ✓ Pantry Staples ✓ Meal Prep ✓
⌛️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
🍪 Cook Time: 0 minutes
🕑 Total Time: 20 minutes
👩‍🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
🏆 Why make THIS version? Creamy white beans add tons of flavor and fiber to tuna for a high protein, fiber rich lunch with tons of flavor.

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I've been trying to increase the fiber in my diet recently and have been researching easy ways to do so! And one of my favorite ingredients to use right now is white beans. They're budget friendly, creamy, and an easy way to add fiber and immediately elevate pretty much any recipe. 😊

For this tuna salad with white beans, I got the inspiration from Dr. Rupy, one of my favorite YouTube creators (check out his channel, Doctor's Kitchen)! He does something similar with butterbeans and sardines, and I decided to come up with my own version using flaky tuna and cannellini beans. It turned out so good I've already made it several times since I finalized the recipe, which is saying something because I'm usually always changing things up and experimenting in the kitchen!

If you're looking for more tuna salad recipes, try my Asian-Inspired Spicy Tuna Salad, Creamy Buffalo Tuna Salad, Healthy Tuna Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing, or Mediterranean Tuna Salad

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Quick Look: Tuna Salad with White Beans
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Recipe Variations
How to Make a Tuna Salad with White Beans
Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
How to Serve this Tuna Salad with White Beans
Equipment
Expert Tips
Tuna Salad with White Beans FAQs
More Healthy Tuna Salads to Use That Can of Tuna!
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

This Tuna Salad with White Beans is made with simple ingredients. Below are some notes and substitution ideas. Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements.

labeled ingredients for tuna salad with white beans in individual containers on a gray and white background.

Tuna - canned tuna is one of the main ingredients! I like Wild Planet Tuna. It's high-quality tuna and contains lower mercury content than other tuna brands. Use whatever kind of tuna you like best - solid white albacore tuna or skipjack tuna. I use water-packed tuna for this recipe, but you can use tuna packed in olive oil if you want.
White Beans - creamy white beans like cannellini beans (white kidney beans) are my first choice for this recipe, but you can use Great Northern beans or even chickpeas (garbanzo beans). White beans contain dietary fiber, plant-based protein, and several micronutrients like folate and iron. For this recipe, you'll blend the beans with a few other ingredients and canned beans are an easy option. Just be sure to drain and rinse them.
Fresh Herbs - I like using fresh parsley and fresh dill to add tons of flavor and some antioxidants. Other herbs that would work here are cilantro or basil.
Lemon - fresh lemon juice is a simple way to add tons of flavor and it also adds vitamin C.
Tahini - tahini is a sesame seed paste with a slightly nutty flavor. It adds heart-healthy fats and some fiber.
Red Onion -a little bit of sweet onions add crunch and flavor. Green onions work here too.
Celery -celery adds more crunch and some dietary fiber. If you want a different option, red peppers would work.
Capers - if you ask me, a good tuna salad needs something a little salty! Capers do the trick here. If you don't like capers, some good alternatives would be pickle relish or chopped olives.
Seasonings - this simple salad is seasoned with pantry staples including garlic powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Water - you'll use a little bit of water to thin out the blended beans!

Recipe Variations

The best part about this tuna white bean salad is you can customize it according to your taste. Below are some ideas!

Spicy - if you like a spicy tuna salad, add red pepper flakes or some hot sauce to the mixture.
More Vegetables - some other vegetables that would go great with this are red peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, or chopped snap peas. You can also serve it over spinach or peppery arugula for a delicious lunch!
Tuscan - if you're into tuscan cooking, add sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of fruity olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Mashed Beans - if you don't want to pull out your blender, you can mash the beans with a fork and then combine them with the other ingredients and mix really well!
Creamy Avocado Tuna Salad - add creaminess, extra fiber, and potassium by mixing in half of a mashed avocado.

How to Make a Tuna Salad with White Beans

Below are the directions for how to make this recipe with photos I hope are helpful. Check the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.

a thick green blend of white beans, dill, parsley, tahini, and seasonings in a glass blender.

Step 1: To a high speed blender, add the drained and rinsed white beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, water, and half the dill and parsley. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes, pushing down the sides as needed with a spatula. If it's too thick, add a bit more water or lemon juice.

A white speckled bowl with brown rim with tuna, chopped red onion, chopped celery, chopped capers, and dill.

Step 2: Drain the tuna well, then flake it in a large bowl. Add the chopped celery, red onion, capers, and chopped remaining dill and parsley. Stir to combine.

blended white bean mixture on top of tuna, red onion, and celery.

3. Step 3: Top with the blended white bean mixture.

a white speckled bowl with a brown rim with a slightly vibrant green tuna salad after all the ingredients have been combined.

4. Step 4: Stir until well combined. For best flavor, let the salad rest 10-15 minutes before serving, then taste and adjust salt or lemon juice one more time.

Hint: wait to add more salt after everything is combined and sits for a few minutes to let all the flavors meld. Then, if it needs more flavor, a bit of extra salt should do the trick.

Mallory's Dietitian Tip!

Eating a balanced lunch that contains protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats is a great way to ensure you feel satisfied! It can help decrease late afternoon cravings and also supports hormone health. Tuna is a source of healthy fatty acids and protein, and white beans add fiber and plant protein. I suggest pairing this healthy tuna salad with crackers, or serving it in a sandwich for a balanced meal.

How to Serve this Tuna Salad with White Beans

With Your Favorite Crackers or Chips - eat this tuna salad is with my favorite seed crackers from Mary's Gone Crackers, Wasa Crispbread, or Simple Mills Rosemary Crackers.
Tuna Toast- add a couple of scoops of this healthy salad on 2 slices of bread with some mashed avocado and arugula. Top it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze. Sourdough bread is my favorite kind to do this with but any sturdy bread works.
Tuna Wraps - turn it into tuna wrap by adding it to a tortilla or pita wrap for a quick lunch.
Lettuce Wrap or on a Bed of Fresh Greens - for a low carb option.
Tuna Pasta Salad - cook some of your favorite pasta and turn it into a pasta salad for a light dinner.

a human hand holding a slice of seeded toast with tuna salad with white beans on it.

Equipment

You'll need a blender for this recipe. I have a Ninja Blender and a Beast Blender and love them both.

Expert Tips

Dice the veggies and herbs into small pieces.
I drain the tuna for this recipe.
If you want to cut down on the sodium in this recipe, add less kosher salt.
If the white beans aren't blending smoothly, add an extra 1-2 tablespoon of water. If it still needs more liquid, add 1-2 extra tablespoon of lemon juice.

Tuna Salad with White Beans FAQs

Is this Tuna Salad with White Beans healthy?

While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Tuna is a lean protein, and a source of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids that can help to lower cholesterol and support brain health. Tuna also provides iron, vitamin B6, vitamin D, and potassium. White beans provide plant protein, dietary fiber, and iron.

Can I meal prep this Tuna Salad with White Beans in advance?

For sure! It will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. I typically prep it at the beginning of the week and have it for the first half of the week.

How do I store leftover Tuna Salad with White Beans?

Store leftover tuna salad with white beans in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover tuna salad is good for 3-4 days.

More Healthy Tuna Salads to Use That Can of Tuna!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian