White Bean “Tuna” Salad

This briny, mashed white bean salad is a 4-ingredient vegan alternative to tuna salad. Pile it on toast, or tuck it in a sandwich or wrap.

As someone who’s always had a soft spot for classic tuna salad (my mom used to make it a lot when we were kids), I wanted to come up with a plant-based whole-food alternative. There are already a ton of vegan “tuna” salad recipes online, but most of them use chickpeas instead of canned fish. I personally wasn’t thrilled with this idea because the texture and color of chickpeas is quite different. But white beans? They seemed to me a much better fit.

Over the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with my white bean “tuna” and I’m finally ready to share it with you. It’s gone through several iterations and the best version turned out to be the simplest: this salad has just 4 ingredients and requires zero cooking!

This vegan tuna salad is not the fanciest or prettiest meal you’ll find on this site, but it is something you can throw together quickly and enjoy over a couple of days. It’s the perfect thing to pile on sourdough in the morning before heading out the door, or to enjoy as a midday snack.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• White Beans: Instead of canned tuna, this vegetarian salad has a base of white beans. Cannellini are the best here because they are the creamiest.
• Pickles: I know everyone grows up with a slightly different version of tuna salad, but as far as I’m concerned, pickles are non-negotiable. I use Vlasik baby dill pickles here.
• Pickle Juice: The juice from the pickle jar infuses the beans with a similar salty, briny flavor canned tuna is known for.
• Onion + Celery: Add little bits of crunch and amplify that classic tuna vibe. Be sure to cut these into very, very tiny cubes!

How to Make Vegan “Tuna” Salad with Beans

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Mash Half of the Beans

Drain and rinse both cans of beans, and shake off all the excess water. Place half of the beans in a large bowl and roughly mash with a potato masher. (These crushed beans will act as the “glue”, as there is no mayo in this salad.)

Step 2: Add the Other Ingredients

Add the remaining whole beans, plus the diced celery, onion, pickles, and pickle juice.

Step 3: Finish the Salad

Stir to combine all the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

How to Serve White Bean “Tuna”

I love to eat this salad on toasted bread with a bit of arugula or romaine lettuce. You can also put it in a wrap.

Storage Tips

Store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 4 days.

More Ways with Beans…

• Tuscan Beans on Toast
• Herby Cannellini Bean Salad
• Creamy Tomato Beans
• Vegan Black Bean Dip

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.