Potato tuna and pesto salad
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Prep Time
15 Minutes
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Cook Time
25 Minutes
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Yield
1
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Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients
- 1 x 185g can Safcol Tuna in oil Italian style, drained
- 500g baby/chat potatoes
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto*
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed & cooked until tender but firm (fried, steamed or boiled)
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- for the optional homemade pesto
- 4 cups basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan with water and add the chat potatoes to the cold water. Bring gently to the boil and cook until tender.
- While the potatoes are boiling, mix the pesto with the olive oil until a whisk and place into a large serving bowl.
- Lay the tuna (with it’s oil), onions and beans on top then scatter the spinach on top.
- Drain the potatoes and while still hot empty onto the spinach, onion and beans.
- Allow to sit for 2 minutes so that the spinach wilts then toss well so that the pesto dressing covers all of the ingredients.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes and toss through. Serve warm with crusty bread.
- * Note A good quality store-bought pesto will work well if you don’t have time to make your own. We’ve included a home made pesto recipe if you do have time. Simply put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
| Servings: | 4 |
| Ready in: | 40 Minutes |
| Course: | Lunch, Dinner, Side |
| Recipe Type: | Salad |
| Ingredient: | Tuna |
Potato tuna and pesto salad
The wonderfully robust flavour combination makes this warm potato tuna and pesto salad a bright, hearty and healthy salad, that is a great addition to any table.
If you need a salad that is bound to be a winner then this is the recipe for you.
Ashleigh Feltham (MNutrDiet)
Starting with the star protein Safcol tuna which adds an essential omega-3 fat. This fat not only promotes optimal heart and brain function but is also an anti-inflammatory fat. It may help to reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. This fat may also help to reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Cheese and Safcol tuna are complete sources of protein that will keep you feeling fuller for longer and allow your body to make and repair cells. Both these foods are also great sources of Vitamin B12 and choline which supports normal central nervous system functioning. Also, iodine and selenium look after the health of your thyroid.
Potatoes often get a bad name when it comes to supporting your health but in their whole form like in this recipe, they give your body gut-loving fibre, potassium, vitamin C and folate. Red onion gives your body vitamin C and quercetin which helps to optimise your immune system function. Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties as well as a compound called allicin which also supports your immune system to work at its best.
Green beans and baby spinach supply more folate which is needed to make and repair DNA. Also, vitamin K is needed for your blood to clot normally and is needed to create strong bones. Tomatoes add more vitamin C as well as lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that keeps your heart and prostate healthy and may reduce your risk of certain cancers. All the vegetables, nuts and herbs in this salad help fight off free radicals with their antioxidants.
Olive oil and pine nuts add more heart-healthy unsaturated fats. These promote healthy cholesterol levels. Pine nuts are also a good source of vitamin K, zinc, vitamin E, iron, and copper. If you were not convinced this was a super salad before you probably are now after reading this.
