Italian-Style Tuna Salad Recipe
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Servings:
4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 large lemons
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • ¼ cup capers in brine, pat completely dry
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 3 (4-ounce) tins or jars oil-packed white tuna
  • 2 teaspoons Calabrian chile paste, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 bulb fresh fennel, trimmed and cored, shaved thin (reserve a few of the fronds to garnish)
  • ¼ cup shaved red onion
  • ½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved lengthwise
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped Italian parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon leaves
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 10 radicchio leaves (or as many as needed to serve)
  • 2 large vine-ripened gold or red tomatoes, sliced into wedges
Directions
  1. Use a zester to remove the entire peel from 1 of the lemons.
  2. Finely mince the zest.
  3. Juice both lemons.
  4. In a small saucepan, combine the zest, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the salt.
  5. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the juice has reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  6. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a small skillet over medium-high heat.
  7. Once the oil is hot, add the capers and fry for about 2 minutes, until crispy.
  8. Quickly transfer the capers to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  9. Wipe the skillet clean, then add the pine nuts over low heat.
  10. Stirring frequently, toast the nuts in the pan just until they start to become golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they will burn easily.
  11. Once toasted, transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl to cool.
  12. Open the tins or jars of tuna and drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the packing oil.
  13. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons packing oil, the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the quick preserved lemon, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and the Calabrian chile paste.
  14. Add the shaved fennel and onion to the vinaigrette, tossing to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  15. Add the olives, red bell pepper, parsley, tarragon, black pepper, and toasted pine nuts to the bowl. Toss well to coat.
  16. Break the tuna into large flakes and add to the salad, gently folding in to preserve the chunks.
  17. Line a shallow bowl or serving dish with radicchio leaves.
  18. Spread the tuna salad out over the radicchio leaves. Garnish with crispy capers, fennel fronds, and a spoonful of Calabrian chile paste, if desired. Arrange the tomato slices around the salad and serve.