Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad

This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad recipe is an excellent plant-based alternative to a chicken salad sandwich or tuna salad. It's an easy to make recipe that the whole family will enjoy!

This flavorful and filling Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad is a healthy and simple lunch recipe that's ideal for busy days and when you're on the go. Since you can make it ahead of time, it's also great for meal prep.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tips
• FAQ
• Related Vegan Recipes
• Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad

If you're looking for a tasty plant-based alternative to a tuna sandwich, look no further! This absolutely delicious Vegan Chickpea Salad sandwich is a nourishing lunch that is sure to become a favorite.

This vegan tuna sandwich is perfect for taking along to picnics during the summer or make it ahead of time for a healthy vegan lunch on the go, or take it to work or school during the rest of the year. Make a batch of Watermelon Water to go along with it!

My love for chickpeas inspired this sandwich; I really love garbanzo beans and wanted to create a chickpea sandwich filling as an alternative to my tasty Vegan Pink Beetroot Hummus. I adapted this recipe from Rouxbe as well as other "no tuna" recipes I came across such as this one from Forks Over Knives.

Ingredients

You can make this Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad with 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. They also contain manganese, minerals, zinc, vitamins, including B vitamins and amino acids.

• Toasted Sushi Nori - This edible seaweed adds the "tuna" or seafood taste. Crumple up a sheet of nori with your hands - this amounts to a half-cup, approximately. You can also buy the Toasted Nori "Krinkles" if you prefer. 

• 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.

• 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 mayo - I like Follow Your Heart Vegenaise Grapeseed Oil or feel free to make your own.

See the recipe card for the quantities.

Instructions

This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad filling is so easy to make, it comes together in about 10 minutes.

Follow along for step by step instructions:

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

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

• Mix all of the ingredients in the bowl until well combined. You can do the mixing in the food processor if you prefer, just pulse for a few seconds.

• Optional - Assemble the sandwich by spreading the mixture onto toasted sourdough bread and top with greens of your choice. In the photo below, I added sprouts and baby spring mix, plus I used whole grain Dijon mustard.

Hint: This vegan "no tuna" sandwich filling is perfect for meal prep, so you can enjoy it several times throughout the week. If you're going to enjoy a sandwich later, keep the bread and the filling separate so you don't have to deal with a soggy sandwich.

If you're making sandwiches a few hours ahead, I suggest placing the sandwich filling on top of lettuce, then putting more lettuce on top before you add the bread. Wrap the sandwiches tightly.

Substitutions

You can customize this Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad in many ways, with or without a sandwich!

• Lettuce - Instead of green leaf lettuce, you can use baby spring mix or spinach, or any greens of your choice.

• Sourdough - Use gluten-free bread instead to make this gluten-free, or use 100% whole wheat sandwich bread for more fiber. Or try a wrap!

• 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!

• Vegan mayo - Try tahini (thin it out if it's too thick) or cashew sour cream.

In the photo below, I omitted the nori as a variation, added sprouts, and baby spring mix, plus whole-grain Dijon mustard.

Variations

Be creative - taste as you go and adjust the seasonings. Try this Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad filling on an open-faced sandwich with toasted sourdough. Or try this pink beetroot hummus on one of the bread slices or as a dip with carrot or celery sticks!

Here are some more ideas:

• Fresh - Add sprouts or micro greens, shredded carrot, sliced radishes, chopped red bell pepper, chopped parsley, fresh dill, or sliced tomato to your sandwich.

• Spicy - My husband had no need to add hot sauce to this sandwich filling, which says a lot. He loved it as is. However, if you want to add hot sauce or sriracha to the mayo, or pickled jalapeño, I won't stop you.

• Deluxe - Add sliced avocado, pickled onion, coconut bacon, or sunflower seeds.

• Kid-friendly - Skip toasting the sourdough or use 100% whole wheat sandwich or multigrain bread.

Equipment

• Cutting board for vegetable prep
• Chef's knife for dicing the celery and red onion
• Mixing bowl to put it all together
• Can opener for the can of chickpeas, unless you made your own
• Colander for draining the canned chickpeas
• Measuring spoons for measuring the condiments and flavorings

Storage

Store the Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad filling in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 4 days. If you're making it ahead, I recommend keeping the wet ingredients (the sandwich filling) separate from the dry ingredients (bread slices) in the fridge, and mix again when ready.

Top tips

• Place the chickpeas in a bowl of water, agitate a bit with your hands, and skim the skins off the top of the water, then drain.

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

FAQ

Related Vegan Recipes

If you make this Chickpea Salad Sandwich, please review it - leave a ★★★★★ star rating and post a comment below. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and share your creation with me! Just tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchenrecipes. I can't wait to see your creation!