Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad

Name: Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 29 oz canned organic chickpeas, no salt added (rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked garbanzos (chickpeas)); ¾ cup red onion (diced ); 3 slim celery stalks (diced, approximately ¾ cup); ½ cup vegan mayo; 1 nori sheet (crumbled (approximately ½ cup loosely packed)); ¼ cup relish; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately ½ a lemon); 1 tablespoon capers; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon sea salt

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This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad recipe is here to satisfy all your cravings for a delicious vegan sandwich! In just 10 minutes, you can whip up this tasty and nutritious chickpea "tuna" salad made with plant-based mayonnaise, chickpeas, and nori, which gives it a sea flavor. It's fantastic with your favorite sandwich bread, or you can add it to a salad, stuff it in a pita, or make a wrap for on the go!

I love garbanzo beans and wanted to create a chickpea sandwich filling as a healthy, plant-based alternative to tuna salad sandwiches. Be sure to try these other vegan lunch favorites: Tofu Salad Sandwich and Vegan Caprese Sandwich.

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Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
How to Make This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad
Expert Tips
How To Serve
Recipe FAQs
Related Vegan Recipes
Recipe
Comments

Why This Recipe Works

This flavorful and filling Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad is an easy lunch recipe for busy days and when you're on the go. It's great for picnics too!
It's also great for meal prep since you can make it beforehand.
It only takes ten minutes to make!
It is perfect to make over the summer when you don't want to turn on the oven!

This was absolutely delicious!! I didn't add the nori because we had just ran out, but I definitely want to add it next time! I highly recommend this recipe, regardless if you're vegan/vegetarian or not!

- Willow

Ingredients

You can make the best chickpea tuna salad with simple ingredients you likely have on hand. Read on for notes on the ingredients.

Canned chickpeas - I like to boil dried chickpeas, which are also known as garbanzos, but it's handy to have a few cans for convenience. I prefer unsalted canned chickpeas. Chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber.
Toasted Sushi Nori Sheets - This edible seaweed adds the "tuna" or seafood taste. Crumple up a nori sheet with your hands - this amounts to a half-cup, approximately. You can also buy the Toasted Nori "Krinkles".
Capers - There is no need to rinse them. I love the tang and brininess that capers add to this recipe.
Mustard - I love classic Dijon, although the whole grain version is delicious as well!
Red onion - For added flavor and bite, I use half of a medium red onion. Dice into small pieces.
Celery- Finely chopped, for a satisfying crunch.
Relish - I love Bubbie's Kosher Dill Relish, although whatever you prefer will work well in this recipe. If you love relish, try my Vegan Meatloaf.
Lemon - It has to be fresh; please don't use lemon concentrate or anything that comes from a plastic lemon. It's just not the same! Thank me later.
Vegan mayonnaise - I like Follow Your Heart Vegenaise Grapeseed Oil or feel free to make your own.

A complete ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Substitutions

You can customize this Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad in many ways:

Lettuce - Instead of green leaf lettuce, you can use baby spring mix or spinach, or any greens of your choice.
Dill Relish - Try chopped pickles instead.
Red onion - Try a large shallot instead.
Nori - You can skip it if you don't have it, or try dulse flakes (taste as you go, I would start with a tablespoon), but the nori is my favorite for the sea flavor.
Vegan mayo - Try tahini (thin it out if it's too thick) or cashew sour cream.
Lemon juice - try pickle juice or apple cider vinegar.
Chickpeas - Use Northern beans or cannellini beans instead.

Variations

Fresh - Add sprouts or micro greens, shredded carrot, sliced radishes, chopped red bell pepper, chopped parsley, fresh dill, fresh basil, or sliced tomato to your sandwich.
Spicy - Add hot sauce or sriracha to the mayo, or pickled jalapeño. You can try spicy mustard, too.
Deluxe - Add sliced avocado, pickled onion, coconut bacon, or sunflower seeds.
Add curry powder or garlic powder to change up the flavor, or nutritional yeast.

How to Make This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad

This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad is so easy to make. Follow along for step by step instructions:

Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, place the chickpeas and mash with a potato masher until only a few whole chickpeas remain, about a quarter-cup.

Ingredients for Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad Sandwih in bowl.

Step 2: Add the red onion, celery, vegan mayo, nori, relish, lemon juice, capers, Dijon mustard, pepper, and sea salt.

Combined ingredients in bowl for vegan chickpea salad.

Step 3: Mix all of the ingredients in the bowl until well combined. If you want to wash more dishes, you can mix everything in a food processor; pulse for a few seconds. Avoid overprocessing to retain texture.

This vegan "no tuna" sandwich filling is perfect for meal prep, so you can enjoy it throughout the week. To avoid a soggy sandwich, keep the bread and the filling separate by keeping lettuce between the bread and the chickpea filling.

Expert Tips

Remove the chickpea peels. It isn't absolutely necessary, but it makes for a nicer chickpea salad if you don't have the chickpea peels in it. Place the chickpeas in a bowl of water, agitate a bit with your hands, skim the skins off the top of the water, and then drain. Another method that works well - rinse the canned chickpeas in a colander thoroughly under cold water, drain well, place them on a clean kitchen towel in a single layer, and let them air-dry for half an hour. Then place a second towel on top, completely covering the chickpeas, and gently rub the towel back and forth for about thirty seconds. Remove the loosened peels from the chickpeas, discard the chickpea peels in a small bowl, and proceed with the recipe.

If you have the time, let the Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad sit for approximately 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld and develop.

Vegan Chickpea "Tuna" Salad Sandwich Recipe

How To Serve

Spread this vegan tuna salad on top of crisp crackers, make lettuce wraps, or try it as a dip with vegetables.
Make a chickpea tuna melt by making an open-faced sandwich and putting vegan cheese on top (without the greens) and broiling for a couple of minutes. Serve with a dill pickle if you like.
Make a sandwich, stuff it in a pita, or place it in a tortilla to make a wrap.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this vegan chickpea tuna salad ahead of time?

Yes. This vegan "no tuna" sandwich filling is perfect for meal prep, so you can enjoy it throughout the week. Keep the bread and the filling separate to avoid sogginess.

How do I store this vegan chickpea tuna salad?

Store the Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad filling in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze this vegan chickpea tuna salad?

I don't recommend freezing the Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad filling, although chickpeas by themselves and bread will freeze well. The fresh vegetables will not hold up well in the freezer.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!