This light and refreshing Italian chopped salad with cannellini beans, tuna, and artichokes is bursting with flavor and packed with protein to give you energy all afternoon long.

Let’s talk about lunch. When you meal plan for the week, do you consider what you’ll be eating beyond dinner? Please friends, don’t forget to plan out lunch for the week. By taking 10-15 minutes on a Sunday to get a plan in place you are one step closer to achieving little victories all week long. My Italian Chopped Salad with Cannellini Beans is ideal for prepping ahead on the weekends and enjoying throughout the week.
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce: Affordable, accessible, and mild and crunchy, romaine is commonly turned into salads.
- Celery: Super crunchy and mild in taste, it’s a great source of fiber and other vitamins.
- Cherry tomatoes: Naturally sweet and juicy, they’re a tasty and easy alternative to slicing larger tomatoes for salads.
- Red bell pepper: A perfect balance of sweet and savory in a bright, colorful pepper.
- Cucumber: Can be either slightly sweet, or slightly bitter depending on the cucumber, they have a great crunch and pair wonderfully in salads.
- Parsley: Fresh, peppery, and clean flavor.
- Tuna: Canned tuna is easy to get and easy to prepare, but is a great source of omega-3s and protein.
- Artichoke hearts: Canned artichoke hearts are usually kept in an oil that adds garlicky, salty flavor to this meaty part of the veggie.
- Cannellini beans: A fantastic source of protein, while having a mild, slightly nutty flavor.
- Olive oil: Depending on the type, it can be earthy, nutty, or even spicy in flavor. It’s a classic way to dress any salad.
- Lemon juice: Adds fresh, acidic, bright flavor to the dressing of the salad.
How to Make Italian Chopped Salad with Cannellini Beans

You’ll start your Italian Chopped Salad with Cannellini Beans by washing all of your produce.

Then you’ll chop, slice, and dice all of the veggies to your desired size.

Then in a large bowl or a platter, start with your chopped romaine lettuce.

Next you’ll layer the sliced celery, sliced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, and parsley.

Then you’ll add the cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and the canned tuna fish.

Last you’ll layer with the drained and rinsed cannellini beans.

Finish by dressing your salad with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss everything together.

Serve and enjoy this delicious lunch or side dish!
Switch Things Up
- Switch your bean. You could use switch our the cannellini beans for Great Northern or Navy beans.
- Keep it vegetarian. Just skip adding the tuna and this recipe is vegan and vegetarian!
- Add more veggies. Slice a red onion, or add some Kalamata olives.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are beans good for gut health?
Yes they are! They also reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, so they are overall very good for you.
Do I have to cook cannellini beans to my salad?
If you used canned, you don’t need to cook them. However, if you are using dried, you will need to soak and cook them to prepare them for the salad.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

More Easy Lunches
- Avocado Toast with Cottage Cheese and Tomatoes
- Healthy Tuna Salad Lettuce Cups
- Traditional Greek Salad
- Shish Tawook Pita with Hummus
Did you try this salad? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials. Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your meal.

Just like that, you’ll have an easy lunch in no time. Try my Italian Chopped Salad with Cannellini Beans for yourself, then comment to let me know how you liked it!
Your fork is waiting.

Italian Chopped Salad with Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
- 8 cups romaine (chopped)
- 1 celery stalk (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 red pepper (seeded and diced)
- 1 cup cucumber slices
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- 8 ounces tuna in water (drained)
- 8 canned artichoke hearts (drained and quartered)
- 1 cup canned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 juice of lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place all salad ingredients (romaine through cannellini beans) in a large bowl.
- Drizzle bowl with olive oil and lemon juice then use a pair of tongs to toss well.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
I drank all my water today and started the day with my warm lemon water. Nothing better than that!
Taking my 23 month old daughter to pass out valentines to 2 different places & 10 people!! :)
Wow what a gift ty happy Valentine’s daY
my little victory was going above and beyond my job description at work and using coupons to save 35% off my grocery bill at Kroger after work :)
This looks easy and delicious!
My victory for today was getting several boxes unpacked. we moved last week
I walked while my daughter rode horses!
I lost my best friend this morning but i managed to get out of bed this afternoon and stop crying and smile at my children.
My little victory for the day was getting through the day without junk food by substituting fresh veggies for snacks!