Chickpea Tuna Salad
Chickpea Tuna Salad – This classic vegan ‘tuna’ salad is the BEST and so easy to make! It’s creamy, satisfying, and a tried-and-true favorite, loved by all types of eaters!
The Best ‘Chickpea of the Sea’ Tuna Salad
‘Chickpea of the Sea’ Tuna Salad is incredibly easy, healthy, and it’s sustainable too. It’s been one of my favorite sandwich and wrap fillers, and it seriously never disappoints!
Of course, it’s not going to taste exactly like tuna, but it will give you the mouth feel and fullness that its predecessor, tuna salad, gave you. Add some nori sheets or flakes for a more sea-like flavor.
This is a wonderfully simple mock ‘tuna’ salad that can be served in a variety of ways! Enjoy it alone, as a sandwich filler, topped on crackers, with leafy greens, or fresh veggie slices for scoopers.
My favorite part of sharing recipes is trying all these different foods and sharing them here in hopes of inspiring others seeking new inspiration. And with recipes like this, it’s not difficult eating a plant-based diet — in fact, it’s a joy!
I never tire of these simple recipes, and I think you’ll love this fantastic chickpea tuna salad as much as I do!
Ingredient Notes
Here is everything you’ll need to make the best vegan tuna salad. Includes optional add-ins as well.
- Chickpeas – Use canned or freshly cooked.
- Onion – Use red or green (scallions), both work great.
- Celery – Adds nice texture, but optional.
- Vegan Mayo – This will be the binder; you can sub with thinned hummus as well.
- Salt + Garlic Powder – Salt brings out the flavors, and garlic powder is a flavor booster.
- Nori Sheets – An optional way to add ‘sea flavor’.
- Chia Seeds – Will add a dose of heart-healthy omega-3s, also found in tuna.
How To Make Chickpea Tuna Salad
Making chickpea tuna salad is easy as can be! Here’s a quick look at the process for reference.
Mash the chickpeas. Roughly mash the chickpeas with the back of a fork or potato masher; about 3/4 of them are good. Mashing the chickpeas helps hold the salad together; once the binder is added and everything is mixed, it will be a nice, thick mixture.
Combine all the ingredients. Add the celery, onion, garlic powder, vegan mayo (or hummus mix), lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Feel free to add any extra ingredients you like. Alternatively, you could use a food processor, starting with the beans, pulsing a few times, then adding the remaining ingredients and pulsing a few times again until the desired consistency.
And that’s all it takes. Told you it would be easy! :)
This chickpea tuna salad is my kind of wonderful! It’s healthy, versatile, quick, easy, and most of all delicious!
Key Tips For Success
- Change up the binder. I love using thinned plain hummus in place of vegan mayo. If using thick store-bought hummus, add a few heaping tablespoons to a small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the desired thinness is reached. It works perfectly!
- Add a sea flavor. Try adding a little seaweed, such as a sprinkle of dulse flakes or crushed nori sheet, to the mix for a taste of the sea.
- Add heart-healthy omegas. Tuna is full of omega-3s; add 1 tablespoon or so of hemp hearts or chia seeds to the no-tuna mix for added nutrients.
- The recipe can easily be doubled. The one shown is a double batch. Feel free to double up; you’ll be glad to have leftovers.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir well before using.
- Meal prep: Make the salad as directed, then refrigerate it. Meal prep with leafy greens, or make sandwiches or wraps.
Serving Suggestions
This vegan tuna salad is versatile and can be served as is or used as a filler. Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Salad: Serve on a bed of leafy greens with sliced tomatoes and pumpkin, hemp, or sunflower seeds sprinkled over top.
- Wraps: We love making tortilla wraps, stuffing pita bread, and especially making fresh lettuce wraps (my personal favorite!).
- Sandwiches: Another favorite is using it as a sandwich filler or serving it open-faced. Try it with a slice of our homemade Artisan Bread!
- Crackers: Scoop up with a variety of crackers, pita chips, or rye crisps. Try these gluten-free Almond Flour Crackers.
- Veggie sticks: It’s delicious with fresh, sturdy vegetable sticks for scooping. Red bell pepper, celery, carrots, cucumber, and zucchini all work great!
More Easy Chickpea Salads!
Because you can never have too many variations of creamy mashed chickpea salads, try these other wonderful recipes. You may just find a new favorite for the meal rotation!
- Cranberry Walnut Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Chickpea Avocado Salad Sandwich
- Vegan Sonoma Chickpea ‘Chicken’ Salad
- Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich (The Original)
- Curried Chickpea ‘Chicken’ Salad Sandwich
- Mediterranean Smashed Chickpea Salad
- Chickpea ‘Egg’ Salad Sandwich
If you try this vegan tuna salad recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Total Time: 10 min
- Yield: Serves 3
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This ‘chickpea of the sea’ tuna salad is a delicious vegan salad made with mashed chickpeas for an easy, satisfying meal. We love its versatility – use it as a filler for sandwiches and wraps or scoop it up with crackers or sturdy veggies (bell pepper & cucumber). Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- juice of 1/2 lemon + some zest if you like
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup of vegan mayo (or 3 – 4 tablespoons hummus or white bean hummus + 2 – 3 tablespoons water)
- 1/4 cup celery (about 2 small stalks, leaves ok too), chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion (about 1/2 small), chopped
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- himalayan salt & cracked pepper, to taste
- dash of cayenne, optional
Other optional ingredients:
- crushed nori sheets or dulse (seaweed)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or hemp hearts for some omega 3 & 6
- sweet or dill pickle relish
To Serve
- 6 slices whole grain, sprouted whole grain flourless or artisan bread, to serve
- leafy greens, to serve
- nori sheets, to serve (optional)
- pickles, optional
Instructions
Mash chickpeas: Drain and rinse chickpeas, place in a medium-size bowl, and roughly mash about 3/4 of the chickpeas with the back of a fork or potato masher until the desired consistency.
Assemble the salad: Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, adding any extra ingredients you like. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to start with the beans, pulse a few times, then add the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times more until the desired consistency.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Ways to serve:
- Serve on bread of choice, along with some leafy greens and the optional 1/4 sheet of nori.
- For a gluten-free meal, you can also serve it on bibb or romaine lettuce like a wrap instead of bread.
- Try serving with sliced fresh scoopable veggies like cucumber, red bell peppers, zucchini, etc.
- Lastly, pair it with your favorite crackers.
Salad serves 3 generously
Notes
Store: Leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.
If using thick store-bought hummus, thin it with water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring, and repeating until the desired consistency. This will make for a really nice, creamy binder. If using the hummus recipe link in the ingredient list, omit the cumin.
The chickpea of the sea salad is great on leafy greens as a wrap. It’s cool and crunchy!
Nutrition facts are for the salad only (bread not included). Using the right bread may add another 10 grams of protein. Not too bad for a vegan sandwich!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Category: Entree, Lunch, Salad
- Method: mix
- Cuisine: American
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This was so good! I haven’t had tuna in probably 10 years, but if my memory serves me correctly it tastes so similar (even though I didn’t use nori). This is going to become a staple I my diet! Such a fun way to get my protein and eat the chickpeas I always buy but never know what to do with!
Oh my god. This is so amazing. I ate it in one sitting. I wish i would have gotten more cans of chickpeas to make more. The lemon zest really enhances the flavors. I also added a dash of mustard powder, turmeric, cayenne, cilantro, and some dill pickles. Im going to make this again very soon. Thank you for the recipe