Inspired by the tuna salads served on the Aeolian Islands in Sicily, this Sicilian-style salad with tuna, white beans, and warm potatoes is a refreshing dish that brings the taste of summer to your plate—any time of the year.
Fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, canned tuna, creamy white beans, and just-cooked potatoes come together in a simple yet satisfying recipe that I first discovered during a trip to these volcanic islands.
I loved it so much that I ended up eating it almost every day during my stay! It even made me fall back in love with canned tuna.
A simple and nourishing Mediterranean tuna salad
One of the things I appreciate most about this recipe is how easy it is to prepare with ingredients you can find at any grocery store year-round.
It’s a great option for a light dinner or a quick, healthy lunch—no fuss, just big flavor.
The mix of crunchy vegetables and Mediterranean staples like capers, olives, and good olive oil gives this salad depth and character without being complicated.
My take on a traditional Sicilian salad
The classic Aeolian version is more pared down—usually just tuna, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, capers, and sometimes olives.
I like to make it a bit more textured and colorful by adding cucumber and celery for extra crunch and freshness.
And while Sicilian cooks often use salt-packed capers (a local specialty), I use the pickled variety because they’re easier to find in most stores.
Cooking potatoes (or skipping them!)
For this recipe to truly shine, the potatoes need to be just right—tender but still firm, and ideally still warm when you toss them in. Fingerling or baby potatoes work beautifully for this.
That said, if you’re in a rush or don’t feel like boiling potatoes, you can skip them entirely. In that case, I simply use the whole can of white beans instead of just one cup.
It’s still filling, still full of flavor—and perfect for busy weekdays.
Sicilian style tuna salad with potatoes and white beans
This recipe is inspired by the tuna salads served on the Aeolian Islands in Sicily, filled with flavor and freshness.
Ingredients
- 7 Fingerling potatoes, unpeeled
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
- 1 stalk of celery
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- 1 tbsp drained capers
- 10 - 12 chopped basil leaves
- 1 cup of canned white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can of tuna (160g), drained
- 1 cup of arugula
Dressing
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- Juice of a lemon wedge
- Salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes, cut them into quarters and boil them for 15 minutes or until tender (see Note 1).
- Meanwhile, mince the onions and soak them in a little cold water to reduce their bite (about ten minutes).
- In a bowl, add all the dressing ingredients and mix well, whisking with a fork.
- Dice the celery and cucumber. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain them well and let cool a little (see Note 2). Drain the onions.
- In a salad bowl, add all the salad ingredients then pour the dressing.
- Mix well and let stand for a few minutes while the flavors of the dressing are absorbed into the rest of the ingredients.
Notes
Note 1: Avoid overcooking the potatoes. We want them tender but still a little firm.
Note 2: This salad is best when the potatoes are added while still lukewarm or at room temperature.
If you prefer not to add the potatoes, just put in all the canned white beans.
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Marie-Noël Ouimet is a writer and content creator specializing in gastronomy, wine, and travel. She is the founder of the digital magazine Urbaine City, where for over 10 years she has been highlighting the pleasures of the table and the destinations that bring them to life. She also holds the WSET Level 3 certification in wines and spirits.