This Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad recipe is a delicious alternative to a tuna salad. Plant-based mayonnaise makes up this salad's creamy base, including chickpeas, celery, red onion, capers, relish, nori flakes, and Dijon mustard. It's fantastic with your favorite sandwich bread, or add it to a salad, stuff it in a pita, or make a wrap.
I love garbanzo beans and wanted to create a chickpea sandwich filling as a healthy, plant-based alternative to tuna salad sandwiches.
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This flavorful and filling Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad is a healthy and straightforward lunch recipe for busy days and when you're on the go. It's also great for meal prep since you can make it beforehand. It only takes ten minutes to make!
It's a versatile, nutrient-rich, easy-to-make recipe that the whole family will enjoy. And it's perfect to make over the summer when you don't want to turn on the oven.
If you're craving more delicious sandwiches, try my popular tofu salad and vegan Caprese sandwiches.
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 - 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.
- 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.
See the recipe card for the quantities.
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
Be creative - taste as you go and adjust the seasonings. Here are some 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.
Step 2: Add the red onion, celery, vegan mayo, nori, relish, lemon juice, capers, Dijon mustard, pepper, and sea salt.
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.
Hint: This vegan "no tuna" sandwich filling is perfect for meal prep, so you can enjoy it several times throughout the week. 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.
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 with your favorite bread, stuff it in a pita, or place it in a tortilla to make a wrap.
Storage
Store the Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad filling in an airtight container 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 mixing again when ready.
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.
Expert 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.
Related
Recipe
Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad
Equipment
- colander
- can opener
- Measuring spoons
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
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, place the chickpeas and mash with potato masher until only a few whole chickpeas remain.29 oz canned organic chickpeas, no salt added
- Add the red onion, celery, vegan mayo, nori, relish, lemon juice, capers, Dijon mustard, freshly ground black pepper, and sea salt. Stir until well combined.¾ cup red onion, 3 slim celery stalks, ½ cup vegan mayo, 1 nori sheet, ¼ cup relish, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon capers, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon sea salt
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Rouxbe and Forks Over Knives.
- To prep the chickpeas, place them 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.
- Store the chickpea salad in refrigerator for up to four days.
Nutrition
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Meagan
Absolutely loved this. Made half regular and the other half I added Red Hot to give it a kick. I might try it with buffalo sauce next time. Thank you for the recipe!! Budget-friendly and fulfilling.
Emily
Thank you for trying out my recipe, Meagan! I'm glad you enjoyed it and that it was budget friendly and filling. If you have any other suggestions or modifications, please let me know. I love to hear feedback from my readers!
Shantel
My husband, mom and dad all loved this recipe. We used an Everything Seasoning Sourdough Bread. I also crushed the nori sheet with my hands; next time I will pulse in my food processor before I add it.
Emily
Thank you for trying this recipe, Shantel! I'm glad to hear that all of you enjoyed it. Pulsing the nori sheet in a food processor should help distribute the flavor evenly. Thanks again for trying my recipe and leaving feedback!
James
Nice and light dish for summer!
Emily
Thank you, James!
Nancy
I love that chickpea filling and actually make it to add to everything!
Emily
Hi Nancy, I'm so happy to hear that you like our chickpea filling recipe! This is one of my personal favorites too!
Brian
Wonderful flavors, and beautifully photographed. This is a must-try recipe.
Emily
Thank you for the great feedback, Brian! I'm so happy to hear that!
Ana
This recipe is amazing plus the post is full of helpful tips! I haven't had tuna in a long time and this recipe is exactly what I was looking for to make a good substitution. Thanks so much Emily!
Emily
Thank you, Ana! I'm so glad you found the recipe helpful and enjoyed the post!
Daniela
I am not vegan but who knew chickpeas could taste this delicious! Thank you for sharing
Emily
Thank you for your review, Daniela! I'm glad you found this recipe to be tasty. I hope you'll give some of our other recipes a try too and let me know what you think.
Joshua
This is a great and much healthier alternative to using tuna in sandwiches! It's easy and simple to make so I'll be eating it often.
Emily
Thank you for your review, Joshua. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and found it easy to make! It's always great when people find new ways to incorporate healthy food into their diet by making simple substitutions like using chickpeas rather than tuna in sandwiches!
Anaiah
Wow, this vegan chickpea tuna salad was amazing! Adding the nori was a great idea and really helped to give it that fish flavor. Plus, I just really love eating nori! This delicious sandwich is a new lunchtime fave.
Emily
Thanks for sharing your experience with my vegan chickpea tuna salad recipe, Anaiah. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Ruth
Delicious sandwich, easy directions. Will be making it again!
Emily
Thank you Ruth for your review! I'm so happy to hear that the recipe was easy and delicious.
Tavo
Thanks! I hadn't had a proper "tuna" sandwich for so long... I tried this, and don't miss it anymore. this is becoming a staple on our kitchen!
Emily
Thank you for your review, Tavo! I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying our "tuna" salad and it's becoming a staple in your kitchen!
Lucy
This sandwich is so appetising! The perfect tuna alternative. I especially love the addition of nori which I've been trying to include in my diet more. The perfect lunch on the go. Thank you for sharing!
Emily
Thank you for your review, Lucy!