Some aperitivos are misses, while others are most definitely hits. When I was living there, our favorite place for aperitivo was Kitsch. They offered a serious buffet full of really good food so this was like a jackpot for a bunch of cheap American college students-- and a handful of our professors that regularly hung out there with us.
One of my favorite items in Kitsch's buffet was this simple and amazing tuna salad. This is not grandma's creamy mayonnaisey tuna, but instead was lightly dressed and mixed with chickpeas. It was still rich and flavorful, but there was something so simple and special about it. I have tried to recreate it for years without a lot of success, but finally realized that the trick is using Italian olive oil-packed tuna. The flavor is so different and good and it truly completes the salad! I added white beans to mine instead of chickpeas-- because I prefer the texture and mild flavor here-- and then added sweet roasted red peppers, spicy red onion, and dressed it all in a tangy lemon vinaigrette. This could not be a simpler salad, but it is so delicious, is actually very healthy, and it takes me right back to Italy...
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. Italian olive oil-packed tuna
- 1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed well and drained *You could use chickpeas here too
- 1/3 cup roasted red pepper, diced *I used the jarred kind and it worked great
- 2 Tbs. red onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Add tuna to a large bowl and use a fork to lightly break up and flake the meat into smaller pieces. Add beans, peppers, and onions to the bowl stir to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and remaining ingredients through salt and pepper. Pour over the tuna mixture and stir to incorporate.
Serve the salad over arugula (my favorite way), with crackers, or on its own.
Do you need another healthy salad recipe? Try Roasted Vegetable and Spinach Quinoa Salad or Brussels Sprouts & Apple Detox Salad!
Looks awesome!!! Pinning for future reference!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katie-- so good I had it for lunch two days in a row!
DeleteAlso happy to hear that someone else employs my "pinning for future reference" strategy!