Tuna and white bean salad recipe by Rosie Reynolds

I love a recipe that relies on store-cupboard ingredients, especially when it tastes this good. This is my ultimate working-from-home lunch, but I also love it in a buffet. Leave out the rocket and the bean and tuna base will be good in the refrigerator for a couple of days; just refresh with a drizzle of oil before serving. For a stylish lunch for friends, just pile on top of good-quality toasted sourdough and, voilà , it’s ready.

Serves 2
red onion ½, peeled and cut into half moons
lemon juice of ½, or 1 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
white beans 1 x 400g tin, drained
tuna in oil 1 x 110g tin, some of the oil reserved for drizzling
jarred roasted red pepper 1, drained and torn into strips
capers 1 tbsp
black olives a handful, whole or roughly chopped
rocket a handful

Add the onion to a bowl and pour over the lemon juice or vinegar. Season with plenty of salt and leave to stand for a few minutes.

Add the beans to the onions followed by the tuna, torn pepper, capers, olives and a drizzle of oil from the tuna. Taste for seasoning, add the rocket, then toss to combine. Serve immediately.

TIP You can swap the ingredients for similar ones, such as using chickpeas instead of the white beans, spring onions instead of the onion, green olives instead of black, and sardines for the tuna … you get the picture. It works.

From The Shortcut Cook by Rosie Reynolds (Hardie Grant, £15)

The Observer aims to publish recipes for sustainable fish. For ratings in your region, check: UK ; Australia ; US