After a few trips to Italy, I DESPERATELY tried to make this beautiful tuna white bean salad that I had at an oceanside café. A few failed attempts later (of overcomplicating things!), I succeeded in recreating this fabulous Italian dish! Simple, clean, lemony, and ever-so summery: crisp Bibb lettuce, tender white beans, chunks of good-quality tuna, and the sharpness of fennel and onion. It’s a “don’t miss” summer dish of Italy.

Go all out and listen to “Evening in Roma” as you enjoy a little slice of Italian paradise in your own backyard! Impress even the toughest Italian food critics.

 

Makes: two portions

The Ingredients

2 heads Bibb lettuce, separated and washed

1 fennel bulb, cored

1/2 Vidalia onion (sweet onion)

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 jars tuna in olive oil (high quality tuna here is SO important! I recommend “Tonnino Tuna Ventresca in Olive Oil”)

1 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Salt and pepper to taste

 

The Steps

On two dinner-sized plates, make a one-layered bed of Bibb lettuce.

Take the fennel bulb and make thin slices using a mandolin. Evenly spread slices from bulb to each plate.

Take your 1/2 Vidalia onion, and cut into paper-thin slices. Spread onion slices on two plates evenly.

Add drained and rinsed Cannellini beans to plates (1/2 can per plate).

Take tuna, drained, and break up in slightly smaller chunks in the center of each plate.

Squeeze 1/2 lemon evenly over each plate. Beware of seeds!

Generously drizzle olive oil over each plate.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I personally like quite a bit of pepper on this!).

Let the tastes of Italy fill your soul!

 

The Steps with Pictures

On two dinner-sized plates, make a one-layered bed of Bibb lettuce.

 

Take the fennel bulb and make thin slices using a mandolin. Evenly spread slices from bulb to each plate.

Take your 1/2 Vidalia onion, and cut into paper-thin slices. Spread onion slices on two plates evenly.

Add drained and rinsed Cannellini beans to plates (1/2 can per plate).

Take tuna, drained, and break up in slightly smaller chunks in the center of each plate.

Squeeze 1/2 lemon evenly over each plate. Beware of seeds!

Generously drizzle olive oil over each plate.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I personally like quite a bit of pepper on this!).

Let the tastes of Italy fill your soul!