No-Cook Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon, Capers and Fennel
No fire or stove needed. Soak sliced onion in lemon juice, whisk in oil and mustard, then toss with white beans, oil-packed tuna, fennel, tomatoes, capers and parsley. Let it sit 10 minutes and spoon it into lettuce cups or onto crackers. Total time is about 15 minutes.
This is a lunch you make with a can opener and a knife. White beans soak up the lemon dressing, the tuna adds salty richness, and fennel gives it crunch. It tastes like a deli salad, only brighter.
It works well on a hot trail day when nobody wants to light anything. The pantry items ride in a bin, and the fresh produce rides in the cooler or a shaded bag. Make a big bowl, because people go back for seconds.
No-Cook Tuna and White Bean Salad with Lemon, Capers and Fennel
- Prep
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- No heat
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler optional
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- Large mixing bowl
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Can opener
- Fork for whisking
- Large spoon
- Small strainer or lid for draining cans
- Camp plates or bowls
Steps
-
Soak the onion
Put the sliced onion in a large bowl with the lemon juice. Let it sit while you prep the rest, about 10 minutes. This softens the bite.
-
Build the dressing
Add the lemon zest, olive oil, mustard and red pepper flakes to the onion. Whisk with a fork until it looks cloudy and blended.
-
Add the vegetables
Add the fennel, tomatoes, capers and parsley. Toss to coat in the dressing.
-
Fold in beans
Add the drained, rinsed beans. Fold gently with a spoon so they stay whole.
-
Flake in tuna
Break the tuna into big chunks over the bowl and fold it in with two or three turns. Keep the chunks large so the salad doesn't turn to paste.
-
Rest and season
Let the salad sit 10 minutes so the beans take on the dressing. Taste, then add salt, pepper or more lemon.
-
Serve it up
Spoon the salad into lettuce leaves, or set the bowl out with crackers. Put leftovers in the cooler within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
Trail Notes
Pack the beans, tuna, capers, mustard, oil and crackers in a dry bin. Bring the lemon, fennel, tomatoes and parsley in a small bag, and keep them in the cooler if you have one. Wash the produce at camp with potable water before cutting.
Skip the lettuce and tomatoes if it's hot. Use celery in place of fennel and serve on crackers. Eat the salad within 1 hour in 90°F heat, and toss any leftovers if it hasn't stayed cold.
Use canned salmon or chickpeas instead of tuna. Use a thinly sliced bell pepper if you can't find fennel. Stir in a spoonful of olives if you like them.
Drain the can liquid into a sealed container and pack it out, along with the empty cans. Scatter dishwater, strained of food bits, at least 200 feet from water. Carry out lemon rinds and fennel scraps.
Campers ask
Can I make tuna and white bean salad ahead of time while camping?
Yes. Mix it up to 1 day ahead and keep it in a sealed container in a cooler at 40°F or below. The flavor gets better, but add the lettuce and crackers just before eating.
Do I have to use oil-packed tuna?
No, water-packed tuna works too. Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil so the salad isn't dry.
How long can this salad sit out at camp?
Up to 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F. After that, put it in the cooler or throw it out.
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