This salad recipe isn’t terribly unique, but it’s a simple and healthy salad with lots of flavor, which I love, made up primarily of cannellini beans and tuna.

It’s a quick and hearty salad similar to ones I’ve made for myself after a vacation, before getting the chance to buy produce at the market. I always keep canned beans and canned tuna on hand. But I like ventresca, which is tuna belly – extremely tender.

The salad recipe comes from the book Cucina Povera by Giulia Scarpaleggia, published in 2023. The beautiful cookbook was gifted to me by my girlfriend; she knows I love great cookbooks.

The author writes: “The Italians call it l’arte dell’arrangiarsi, or the “art of making do with what you’ve got.” This centuries-old approach to ingredients and techniques, known as cucina povera, or peasant cooking, reveals the soul of Italian food at its best.”

From the author: “If you use good-quality tuna packed in olive oil, don’t drain it and omit or reduce the amount of oil you add to the salad.” Good tip, and it worked perfectly!

I’ve included some radishes and olives to the salad. Hard-boiled eggs, feta cheese, and capers would also be welcome!

Tuna and Bean Salad
Insalata di Tonno e Fagioli
Serves 4

1 small red onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 salt-packed anchovies or 8 oil-packed anchovy fillets
4 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans(I used canned beans)
2 – 5 ounce cans good-quality tuna, drained
1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 celery heart, thinly sliced
A few radishes, thinly sliced
Castelvetrano olives, pitted
Salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of fresh basil leaves

Put the onions in a small bowl and pour the vinegar over them. Let stand for 10 minutes; this will tame their pungent taste and infuse the onions with vinegary notes that will complement the salad. Drain the onions before using; if you want an extra boost of flavor, reserve some of the vinegar and drizzle it into the salad when you dress it.

If you are using salt-packed anchovies, rinse them under cold running water. Gently remove the backbones, opening up each anchovy and separating it into 2 fillets. Lay the fillets on a paper towel to dry. If you have oil-packed anchovy fillets, just drain them.

Transfer the beans to a big bowl. Flake the tuna with a fork and add it to the beans.

Mince the anchovies and add them to the beans and tuna, along with the onions, cherry tomatoes, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle in the olive oil and mix well.

Add the basil and stir to mix, then taste again and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Cover the bowl, transfer it to the refrigerator, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

I added the radishes and olives on top right before serving.

The salad was delicious, and it was good somewhat chilled.