Salads for Summer: Tuscan Tuna Salad

By June Duan, Sargent Student, Sargent College

Sargent Choice Tuscan Tuna Salad

Light, indulgent and well-balanced. This northern Italian twist on simple tuna salad will surely leave you licking the mixing spoon. And there’s about a thousand different ways to eat it too. Prepare it whenever you need a refreshingly crisp and creamy dish with lots of lean protein and monounsaturated fat ( the good stuff). Spread out generous pats onto whole-grain crackers or a crunchy bed of romaine lettuce. Tuck it inside a whole-grain tortilla and juxtapose the creaminess with some crispy fresh-cut vegetables and a sprinkling of feta cheese. Be adventurous and replace the scallions with red onions for more crunch. Add a few shakes of oregano for the faintest hint of that classic warm, balsamic aroma.

This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, so you can try all these combinations and more. Go wild. Experiment.

Tuscan-Style Tuna Salad by Dietetic Intern Ashley Packer

INGREDIENTS

2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna in water, unsalted, drained

1 15-ounce can small white beans, such as cannellini or great northern, rinsed

18 cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 scallions, trimmed and sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

1.      Combine tuna, beans, tomatoes, scallions, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1 cup serving)

Calories 260
Fat 9 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Protein 27 g
Carbohydrate 19 g
Fiber 5 g
Sodium 230 mg

MEAL PLANNING EQUIVALENTS

Protein 4 ounces
Oil 1.5 tsp
Vegetables 1/2 cup

Tips and Serving Ideas:

  1. For a sweeter salad, add ¼ cup golden raisins. For added fiber and increased “filling power,” add ½ – 1 cup of chopped vegetables (e.g., bell pepper, zucchini).
  2. Instead of scallions, try using ¼ of a regular red onion. If you have extra red onion left over from the Napa Valley Chicken Salad this is a perfect time to use it!
  3. Serve salad with whole-grain crackers or on a bed of romaine lettuce; you can also make a wrap using a whole-grain tortilla, some lettuce, and a sprinkling of feta cheese
  4. This salad stores well in the refrigerator for several days and can be used for lunches throughout the week!

Recipe from EatingWell.

One Comment

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