From The Essential James Beard Cookbook by James Beard (2012). The quantities are flexible. A version appeared in an earlier James Beard book so we have been eating this wonderful salad since the mid-1980’s.
If you are shocked by so much olive oil, use less and see if you like it. You might add a little more red wine vinegar, too.
About 6 cups of cannellini beans (or white beans)
(three 20-ounce cans)
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
Two 6-ounce cans good tuna, flaked
(if water-packed, drain off the water)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
Mix together. You might get away with less olive oil. Personally I like a little more red wine vinegar.