The Perfect Addition To Your Dense Bean Salad Is Already In Your Pantry

You might have come across a dense bean salad recipe (or two, or three) on TikTok, while looking for an inexpensive, simple, and delicious lunch or dinner. Yes, it seems that those protein packed, high fiber, and ingredient rich salads have taken over kitchens across America. And for good reason. Dense bean salads area category of salad that features a bean base combined with finely chopped veggies, dressing, and sometimes cheese and meat. They are both delicious and nutritiously rich, and often keep well in the fridge for several days at a time, making it a great choice for those who like to pre-prepare their meals. But don't think that you need to make any extra stops at the grocery store to make your very own dense bean salad. In fact, the ingredients you need may very well be sitting in your pantry right now. One simple and tasty addition to your dense bean salad is the humble can of tuna. 

Adding in a can of tuna, packed in either water or oil, might be just the thing your bean salad has bean missing. For one, the best quality canned tuna can be broken down easily into small chunks or flakes, working well is the homogenized mix of most bean salads. It also tends to be less fishy than most tinned fish, so it won't overwhelm the taste of the dish. It also has a high protein content that only add to the protein and fiber rich bean base. Of course, there are few pointers to keep in mind when adding tuna to the mix.

Pairing tuna with white beans such as cannellini or Great Northern beans keeps the flavor profile light. This works better than using a richer, more flavor dense bean such as black beans or kidney beans, which might clash with the taste of tuna. To further brighten this combination, you can also add lemon juice, or seasonings such as dill. Additionally, incorporating red onions or shallots can give the salad a great punch of flavor. You can also add in chopped eggs, for even more protein, or a drizzle of tahini to give your salad a bit of sesame flavor. 

Tuna makes the perfect addition to a Mediterranean bean salad. Ingredients such as olives, artichoke hearts, cucumber, and feta all help to round out the flavor of your canned tuna while also letting it shine. Now, if Mediterranean fare isn't your thing, you can always go in another direction, by taking on an Asian palate. Adding a miso dressing, for example, works wonders for the flavors of this tuna and bean salad (miso also works wonders on a tuna salad sandwich). To this you can add other adornments, such as sesame seeds, or furikake seasoning. And this is just the beginning of your dense bean possibilities. So get to cracking (open those cans).