My Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette recipe is a classic healthy French tuna salad plate with a wonderful melange of flavors, colors, and textures. It’s the very definition of elegant summer eats!
*This Mediterranean tuna salad is sponsored by Genova Seafood
Quick – what do you think of when you hear the words ‘tuna salad’? Probably a soggy lunchbox sandwich, right? This gorgeous Mediterranean tuna salad is going to change your mind, guaranteed!
I’m certainly glad I figured out that coffee doesn’t actually taste like mud, and whiskey is sooooo much better than I thought when I took my first sip as a teenager. Today I’m teaming up with Genova Seafood to convince you that canned tuna packed in olive oil can be the star of a healthy and elegant Mediterranean diet. The diet spans a huge range of cuisines and cultures, from North Africa and the Middle East, to Greece, Turkey and Spain. The through line is an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats — it’s a sunny fresh way of eating, and definitely the way we roll here at TVFGI.
related: Mediterranean Bean Salad
Tuna, canned tuna, is one of the stars of the diet with its heart healthy omega-3s.
And I don’t know if you’ve read about the new Blue Zone’s longevity study, but a research team has made an exhaustive survey of certain pockets of longevity – ‘blue zones’ – around the planet, where populations live longer and healthier lives than the rest of us…and one of the key findings of the study is that “The cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world is the humble bean.” My Mediterranean Tuna Salad is packed with them, along with a little bit of watercress, fresh herbs, some ripe tomatoes, and paper thin shavings of radish, crowned with Genova’s premium tuna packed in olive oil. A piquant tarragon vinaigrette brings it all together into one spectacularly healthy summer meal.
Tuna packed in olive oil is best!
I’m a newcomer to olive oil packed tuna, I’ve been buying the kind in water for years. What I find so interesting is that, while I expected that this wild caught yellowfin tuna would be a lot moister, it’s actually also less ‘fishy’ than what I’m used to. It has a mild flavor which is so much more appealing and lends itself to a wide variety of recipes. There’s no need to drain it, I just lift it right out of the tin and onto my salad.
We all need to be eating more fish
I am a big believer in eating more fish, and I love that I can keep a few cans of this tuna in my cabinet for an easy quick dinner without having to run out to the store for fresh fish. (Which by the way, isn’t always wild caught, sustainable, and as healthy for us as canned tuna can be.)
Mediterranean tuna salad on a summer buffet or as an elegant dinner for two
Whichever way you go, it begs for a nice glass of wine or two. For suggestions I consulted blogging friend and vintner Cathy Kaymark Pollak from Noble Pig Winery. She says “The most important thing when it comes to pairing food and wine is balance…you want to balance the acidity and fat, and that is how you’ll get that magical food/wine pairing when you take a bite.” For this dish she recommends a full bodied wine like a Pino Noir from the Sonoma Russian River Valley or a slightly sweet white wine to offset the acidity of the dish, like a Rose, Riesling or Pinot Gris/Grigio. Cathy says “when in doubt, always pair to the sauce or dressing,” and because of that, the old white wine with fish and red with steak rule is irrelevant. In this case the acidic vinaigrette dictates a mellow, slightly sweet, wine in your choice of white or red.
Tuna and bean salad can be meal prepped
This is such an effortless meal to put together, and it can absolutely be done several hours ahead of time. Canned beans work perfectly, but I rinse them extra well to remove any ‘canned’ flavor. (Be gentle, canned beans are fragile.) I used garbanzo, cannellini, black, and kidney beans which gives a variety of color and texture. Really nice thin green beans and small tomatoes add a fresh touch. I blanch the green beans briefly so they still have some crunch. Scatter a few paper thin sliced radishes across it all and you’ve got a hearty meal in minutes.
Tarragon vinaigrette is one of the highlights of this salad
The vinaigrette isn’t an afterthought, it plays a key role in the deliciousness of this platter. Fresh tarragon can be found along with the other herbs that come in little plastic containers in the produce section. It has a nice zesty licorice vibe and I use lots of it to get a really assertive flavor. No dried herbs, only fresh!
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 5 oz Genova Yellowfin Tuna, packed in olive oil
- 1 handful watercress, rinsed and dried
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1/2 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1/2 cup fresh green beans
- 4 radishes, sliced paper thin (I used a mandolin slicer)
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- several basil leaves
- fresh thyme sprigs
- fresh tarragon sprigs
- lemon wedges
tarragon vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp fresh tarragon
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp champagne vinegar, or other mild white vinegar
- 1 tsp grainy mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Drop the green beans in a pot of boiling water and let blanch for a minute or two, depending on the size of your beans. You want them to be bright green and just starting to get tender. Fresh beans cook up very quickly. Drain them and immediately immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Let sit until cold, then drain and pat dry,
- Choose a plate or platter large enough so that each element of the salad has a spot of its own and arrange the canned beans in sections around the outside of your plate.
- Put a small mound of watercress in the center and top the the tuna. Remove it from the can carefully, trying not to break it up too much.
- Arrange the tomato halves and green beans on the plate. Scatter the radishes and fresh herbs across everything. Tuck in the lemon wedges and maybe a sprig or two of tarragon.
- Just before serving, drizzle liberally with the vinaigrette.
- To make the vinaigrette, remove any thick stems from the tarragon and place it in a small food processor. Pulse to finely chop it, scraping down the sides of the machine as necessary.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and puree. Taste the dressing and adjust any of the elements to your liking.
Nutrition
Don’t forget to pin this Mediterranean Tuna Salad!
This salad is gorgeous Sue. I’m not familiar with Genova but will certainly seek them out. I too have typically used tuna in water but this sounds so much better.
I think this will be my new favorite way to use tuna What do you do with the extra canned beans? Double the recipe maybe?
I must add I’ve been stuck in a shopping rut. Costco/trader joe’s for years, I’m not familiar with the Genova brand or tuna packed in olive oil. Thanks, I’m putting this on my list of must trys.
Actually, this is exactly what I think of when the word tuna salad is mentioned. It is so easy to put together a meal using tuna packed in olive oil and it has become one of my favorite staples for a quick lunch or dinner.
I love tinned tuna and what a colourful Mediterranean plate you have created it looks wonderful. And that lovely dressing makes it perfect.
Love that tuna salad Sue! Salad is actually one of my favorite ways of eating tuna, along with a tuna souffle that my mother used to prepare, and tuna sandwiches (tuna with mayo and chopped celery). 🙂
Tuna melt with Swiss on Rye. When we were kids my mom made Tuna Casserole at least twice a month sometimes more. That was my fave then. But this looks wonderful! I never thought of using canned tuna in salad, I always used fresh tuna. We like beans too so this will perfect for a light dinner. Thank you for posting this.
Your salad looks great and can’t wait to try it. Reminds me of an antipasto.
Canned tuna in olive oil, small red onion diced, garlic cloves chopped to make a tuna salad mixture ( you can add your favorites), add Italian breadcrumbs till it all sticks together loosely. Prepare artichokes – remove the thick leaves and trim point on top. push open leaves and drop in tuna salad mixture. Steam about 40 minutes and serve.
I don’t have an exact recipe…. I just do it as I go along.
That’s a really unusual recipe Terry – I’m going to have to try it!
If I make this salad will I suddenly find myself dining alfresco beside the Mediterranean?! I sure hope so ;). Gorgeous!
Our family always enjoyed tuna salads of a similar style. With a Lebanese father and British/Italian Mother,our salad was tossed garden vegetables and the dressing consisted of fresh lemon,chopped or dried mint, oil, a bit of garlic and s&p. Over the years, the quality and flavor of canned tuna chan!ged and I found I could eat it less and less. When it was recommended that I try Genova,I was amazed to find myself enjoying the long forgotten flavor and texture! I am so happy I tried it and tuna is once again a favorite pick in my pantry. I am never without Genova tuna. Your version of a mediterranean tuna is simply delicious and a new favorite at home.
I’m so glad to hear from so many of you who know Genova!
Tuna i a favorite in our house. it’s so versatile! My husbands favorite is old fashioned tuna and noodle casserole. I go for the tuna melt! Yum! The Mediterranean salad looks scrumptious. We’ll be trying this one for sure. Pinned it!
Have everything here but green beans,so my salad will have asparagus instead. My usual fave is tuna with balsamic and dash of olive oil, sliced dill pickles, then topped with cheese and just seconds under the broiler. Since it’s in the 90’s, your COOL combo wins for dinner!! thanks for having giveaway- healthy summer ahead!