Description
This Classic Vegan Tuna Salad is a quick and delicious plant-based alternative to traditional tuna salad, made primarily with mashed chickpeas and seasoned with vegan mayonnaise, mustard, relish, and seaweed for a delightful ‘fishy’ flavor. Perfect for sandwiches or salads, this recipe is ready in just 10 minutes and yields 4 hearty servings.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onions
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon mustard of choice
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 sheet finely shredded nori OR 1-2 tablespoons dulse flakes (optional but highly recommended)
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
To Serve
- 8 slices of toasted bread
- Sliced tomatoes
- Thinly sliced red onions
- Lettuce or spinach
Instructions
- Mash the chickpeas: Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to a medium sized bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the chickpeas to your desired ‘tuna’ consistency. For a more traditional texture, keep some chunks intact rather than fully mashing.
- Add the remaining ingredients: To the mashed chickpeas, add vegan mayonnaise, chopped celery, diced red onions, sweet relish, mustard, lemon juice, shredded nori or dulse flakes (if using), black pepper, and salt.
- Mix everything together: Stir all the ingredients thoroughly until well combined. If the mixture feels too chunky, mash a bit more until you achieve the preferred consistency.
- Adjust the seasonings to taste: Customize your salad by adding more nori or dulse flakes for a stronger ‘fishy’ flavor, more vegan mayonnaise for creaminess, or extra mustard and sweet relish to boost zestiness. Experiment until you get your perfect balance.
- Serve and enjoy: This vegan tuna salad can be eaten immediately or chilled for meal prep. Serve it in sandwiches with toasted bread, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and lettuce or spinach for a fresh, tasty meal.
Notes
- The nori or dulse flakes add an umami ‘seafood’ flavor that mimics classic tuna — highly recommended but optional.
- You can store the salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free bread or serve the salad over greens as a salad topping.
- This recipe can be doubled easily for larger gatherings or meal prepping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
