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Mediterranean Tuna Salad Bowl

By Sam Block

Published on June 10, 2025

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Mediterranean Tuna Salad Bowl

Ingredients

1 shallot, sliced thin1½ tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 small garlic clove, minced¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced, plus 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil1 (5-ounce) can solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked½ head Bibb lettuce (4 ounces), torn into 1-inch pieces½ cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed2 celery ribs, sliced thin on bias, plus ¼ cup celery leaves¼ cup pitted kalamata olive, sliced thin2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Whisk shallot, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in sun-dried tomato oil until combined; set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Toss sun-dried tomatoes and tuna with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette to coat. In separate bowl, toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette to coat, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide lettuce among individual serving bowls then top with tuna mixture, beans, sliced celery, and olives. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and sprinkle with celery leaves, pomegranate seeds, and pine nuts.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad Bowl
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad Bowl

Headshot of Sam Block
By Sam Block

Published on June 10, 2025

Save

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 shallot, sliced thin
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced, plus 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
1 (5-ounce) can solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked
½ head Bibb lettuce (4 ounces), torn into 1-inch pieces
½ cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed
2 celery ribs, sliced thin on bias, plus ¼ cup celery leaves
¼ cup pitted kalamata olive, sliced thin
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Ingredients

1 shallot, sliced thin
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced, plus 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
1 (5-ounce) can solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked
½ head Bibb lettuce (4 ounces), torn into 1-inch pieces
½ cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed
2 celery ribs, sliced thin on bias, plus ¼ cup celery leaves
¼ cup pitted kalamata olive, sliced thin
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Ingredients

1 shallot, sliced thin
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and minced, plus 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
1 (5-ounce) can solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked
½ head Bibb lettuce (4 ounces), torn into 1-inch pieces
½ cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed
2 celery ribs, sliced thin on bias, plus ¼ cup celery leaves
¼ cup pitted kalamata olive, sliced thin
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Why This Recipe Works

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes' concentrated sweetness made the perfect enhancement to plain canned tuna, but we also used some of the oil from the jar to prepare a lemony vinaigrette to imbue every bite of our salad with warm Mediterranean flavor. Meaty cannellini beans and briny olives over a bed of tender Bibb lettuce brought salty, savory balance to the tart dressing. And what is tuna salad without some crisp celery? For prominent celery flavor we doubled up and used both the celery ribs and the leaves.

Instructions

  1. Whisk shallot, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in sun-dried tomato oil until combined; set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Toss sun-dried tomatoes and tuna with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette to coat. In separate bowl, toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette to coat, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide lettuce among individual serving bowls then top with tuna mixture, beans, sliced celery, and olives. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and sprinkle with celery leaves, pomegranate seeds, and pine nuts.

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