Tuscan Tuna and White Bean Salad

Fagioli e tonno: the no-cook Tuscan lunch that happens to be a protein powerhouse.

Tuscan tuna and white bean salad (fagioli e tonno) combines canned tuna, cannellini beans, red onion, cherry tomatoes and arugula with olive oil and lemon. No cooking, 10 minutes, and 40 g of protein for about 430 calories per serving — the fastest muscle-building lunch in the Italian repertoire.

By RecipeUp Kitchen · Published September 14, 2026 ·

A close-up, overhead shot of a tuna and white bean salad with tomatoes, red onion, capers, and arugula, drizzled with olive oil, next to a lemon and herbs.

Prep10 min
Cook—
Total10 min
Serves2
LevelEasy
Per serving426 kcal · 40P · 32C · 15F

In Tuscany, fagioli e tonno is what you eat at a bar at lunch with a glass of white wine: a plate of soft cannellini, flaked tuna, raw red onion, good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and black pepper. Nothing else. It's been the local answer to "what's quick and filling" for a century, long before anyone counted macros.

It turns out the macros are excellent. Tuna is among the leanest complete proteins there is; cannellini bring plant protein, slow carbohydrate and a lot of fiber; olive oil brings the fat that makes the whole thing satisfying. We've added cherry tomatoes and arugula for freshness and volume, and capers because they belong. Ten minutes, two bowls, done.

Why this recipe works for muscle gain

Muscle gain needs protein at every meal, and lunch is where most people fall short — a sandwich or a bowl of grain rarely gets past 20 g. This salad delivers 40 g with almost no effort, which matters more than any single optimization: the meal you actually make beats the perfect meal you skip. Two protein sources (fish and legume) give a complete amino-acid profile with plenty of leucine from the tuna, and the beans add 10 g of fiber and slow-release carbohydrate that keeps energy steady through an afternoon. Olive oil is the only added fat, and at a tablespoon per serving it's exactly enough to carry the flavors and slow digestion.

Instructions

Tame the onion. Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl of cold water while you prep everything else — 5 minutes is enough to take the sting out. Drain and pat dry.
Make the dressing in the bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the beans and toss gently so they soak up the dressing.
Add the rest. Flake the drained tuna into the bowl in large pieces. Add the onion, tomatoes, capers and parsley and fold together with a spoon — don't stir hard, or the tuna turns to paste.
Serve. Divide the arugula between two plates and spoon the salad on top. Finish with lemon zest and more pepper. Eat with a slice of toasted bread rubbed with garlic if you've trained today.

Tips from our kitchen

Buy solid (not chunk) tuna if you can. It flakes into proper pieces instead of crumbs.
Rinse the beans well — it removes the canning liquid that makes them taste tinny and cuts the sodium by roughly 40%.
Dress the beans first, before the tuna goes in. They absorb the oil and lemon; the tuna just gets coated.
Meal prep: make a double batch without the arugula, portion into containers, and add the greens when you eat. It keeps 3 days and tastes better on day two.

Variations

With tuna in olive oil: drain well and use only 1 tbsp of extra oil in the dressing. About 90 more calories, noticeably richer.
Chickpea version: swap cannellini for chickpeas — same protein, a nuttier flavor.
Add a jammy egg (7-minute boil) for another 6 g of protein and a richer plate.
Sicilian twist: add 10 green olives and a teaspoon of dried oregano; skip the capers.

Storage & meal prep

Refrigerate without the arugula for up to 3 days. Not suitable for freezing. Bring to room temperature for 10 minutes before eating — cold flattens the flavor of olive oil.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrient	Amount	% DV*
Calories	426 kcal	21%
Total fat	15 g	19%
Saturated fat	2.3 g	12%
Carbohydrates	32 g	12%
Fiber	9.9 g	35%
Sugars	4.3 g	—
Protein	40 g	80%
Sodium	1144 mg	50%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Values are calculated from USDA FoodData Central and manufacturer data for the ingredients as listed; they are estimates, not lab analyses. Nutrition disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein is in tuna and white bean salad?

About 40 g per serving in this recipe: roughly 29 g from 4 oz of drained tuna and 10 g from half a can of cannellini beans, plus a little from the vegetables. That's comparable to a chicken breast, from a can opener.

Is canned tuna good for building muscle?

Yes. It's one of the most protein-dense foods available (about 25 g per 100 g drained), complete in amino acids and very low in fat. The practical caveat is mercury: the FDA suggests limiting albacore (white) tuna to about one serving a week, while light/skipjack tuna is lower in mercury and can be eaten 2–3 times a week.

Can I use dried beans?

You can; ½ cup dried cannellini (100 g) soaked overnight and simmered 60–75 minutes gives about the same amount as one can and tastes better. Dress them while still warm.

Is this salad gluten-free?

Yes, as written. Just check that your capers and canned tuna don't include a wheat-based broth (rare, but it happens).

Sources

USDA FoodData Central — tuna canned in water (drained), cannellini beans (canned, drained)
U.S. FDA / EPA — Advice about eating fish (mercury by species), 2021
Morton, R. W. et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength. British Journal of Sports Medicine