Allergens: Legumes
Get your lunch plan squared away quickly and easily with this delicious vegan staple recipe!
It’s great for one meal or doubling to batch for several days.
Tuna fish has never been something I enjoy either eating or being around. As you probably know, it smells disgusting and also, it’s fish. So before I was vegan I never ate it, and now I just try to stay out of range of the smell if someone nearby is having it. For a long time my wife ate it though, which was difficult for me for both reasons I mentioned above. But thanks to this Chickpea Tuna Salad recipe (not to be confused with this Easy Chickpea Salad recipe), she said she’s not only never going to eat tuna again, but will most likely fully convert to veganism. I wish I had known this recipe was all it would take; I would’ve worked on it much sooner!
The reason I was reluctant to try this dish for so long was because I associated it with tuna. Would it smell bad? Would it taste awful? I didn’t know and I didn’t want to find out. But after trying it at the vegan restaurant called Terri here in NYC a few months back, I was immediately convinced that chickpea “tuna” salad was my new favorite thing. It didn’t have any of the gross things I associated with actual tuna.
This particular version of the recipe is very simple. It’s not too far off from that of a standard tuna salad. I’ve made a few adjustments and, of course, subbed the chickpeas for the fish, and I think it’s really wonderful. Plus it’s really easy to make, so this could be a quick lunch, served up as a sandwich, or thrown on top of a salad. It’s really versatile, which makes it even better. And if you want to get a little fancy with it, try this Chickpea Niçoise Salad Sandwich version!
Tell Me What You Think
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you make it. So drop me a comment below, and be sure to tag @nutfreevegan on social media if you’re posting photos. Plus, it’s always super fun to see these dishes out in the wild!
Chickpea "Tuna" Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cans 15.5 oz. chickpeas, drained
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 large stalk celery minced
- 2 Tbsp. red onions minced
- 3 tsp. dill chopped
- 1 tsp. garlic minced
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Drain chickpeas and place in large mixing bowl. Mash with fork until nearly smooth.*
- Add lemon juice, celery, onions, dill, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir until mixed well.
- Fold in mayonnaise and mustard until everything is evenly mixed.
- Serve on bread with lettuce, tomato, avocado and more mayonnaise if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
I love Terri’s chickpea tuna and I am so glad I found your recipe (if you know the recipe for their potato salad, please post. Its so addictive). It taste EXACTLY the same, even better because I can adjust the amount of mayo I put it. I make this for my vegan coaches at the gym in batches. They LOVE it with a little buffalo sauce. Thanks a million. I have also made your easy chickpea salad. Next experiment is the jackfruit recipes.
That’s so great to hear, and I love that vegan coaches are eating this! I hope you enjoy the jackfruit recipes just as much!