These fish free sandwiches are made from mashed chickpeas, which create a flaked consistency somewhat similar to tuna. Vegan tuna is perfect in sandwiches, wraps or on crackers and is ready in 10 minutes or less!
I was a really picky kid when it came to food, but one thing I would always eat was a tuna fish sandwich. I grew up eating it, whether it was at home from a can, or at Subway.
Since I’m vegan, of course I don’t eat tuna anymore. I haven’t in over a decade now! I don’t really miss it, but sometimes I crave a sandwich like I remember from my childhood.
This chickpea based vegan tuna completely satisfies my cravings, and then some! I hope you love it as much as I do.
How to make it
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas and add them to a bowl.
- Mash the chickpeas with a fork or a potato masher. You don’t want any whole beans left, or very few.
- Add your chopped dill pickles, celery, vegan mayo (store bought or use my homemade version), and a little soy sauce/tamari.
- Stir. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
That’s it! It really couldn’t be easier or faster to make.
My whole family loves this recipe! It’s great for packing in a lunch box, bringing to a picnic, or just as a quick and easy 10 minute meal on busy weeknights. I probably make this once a week, especially in the summertime.
Does it taste like fish?
NO! Not at all. It would be weird if it did. But it does have a wonderful, flaky, creamy texture and a pickly, savory flavor that I think you will fall in love with. And if you are new to giving up fish, it just might help you along.
If you really want a “fishier” flavor, crumble up a sheet or two of nori seaweed and add it in with the rest of the ingredients. I don’t personally prefer this, but you might love it!
Want more classic sandwiches made vegan?
Vegan Tuna Sandwich
Ingredients
- (2) 15-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- 1-2 medium dill pickles, chopped small
- 1/4 cup celery, chopped small (optional)
- 3-4 tablespoons Vegan Mayo | homemade or store bought
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or tamari for gluten-free
- For serving: bread, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, avocado, mustard
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher (or fork) until they are mostly mashed. You can leave a few beans whole if you'd like.
- Add the pickles, celery, 3-4 tablespoons of vegan mayo and soy sauce or tamari. Stir well to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes if you can, to let it get cold and let the flavors come together.
- Serve with bread, mustard, lettuce, tomato slices, red onion and avocados if desired. Or serve on a large green salad, or in a wrap, or on crackers.
Recipe Notes
- May omit celery if you have picky kids or just don't like it. I usually leave it out because I have one celery hating kid.
- Instead of chopped pickles, you could also use 1/4 cup dill pickle relish (or sweet pickle relish).
- Nutritional information is for the vegan tuna only, not including bread or whatever you serve it with.
- If you want a "fishier" taste, crumble up a sheet or two or Nori seaweed and add it in. I don't personally love this, but if you are looking for a more fishy taste, it will certainly do it!
NUTRITION INFORMATION
*This recipe was originally published in May 2018, and has been republished with new photos and writing. The recipe itself is the same.
Jessica Tyrrell
Delicious!! I pickled cauliflower & cucumber last month. I added a bit of the juice & both vegetables. Ate the whole bowl in one sitting!
Nora
Sounds really good!
Kate
Nora, you’re a genius – I know its an adaptation, but OMG! This was so much like tuna for me – I just added some kelp powder and BAMMM. You are making my vegan journey sooo easy – thanks girl
Nora
Thanks for the great comment!
Amanda
Holy Moly!!!! I am recently on a vegan kick and this was FANTASTIC!!!!! Added a little more celery and pickles because I love them, delicious!!
Nora
So glad you liked them!
Luci
Kelp granules add the fish flavor and soooo delicious.
Aprilrayne
OMG! Recently went vegan with my husband and I honestly didn’t have high expectations and WOW IM BLOWN AWAY! This is DELICIOUS! My husband & I said we could literally eat this everyday! Thank you for this recipe!
Nora
Thanks for the wonderful comment! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it!
Angela
I don’t even like chick peas but love this receipe! Was keeping an open mind and trying new recipes. I was craving a tuna fish sandwich today and thought I’d give it a try! I’m WFPBNO. Loved the vegan “mayo,” too! (You could prob list it as WFPB mayo…?)
My second serving I added sliced olives on my toasted bread which was also yummy.
Question: how big is a serving roughly? Thank you!
Angela
*green olives
Nora
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chickpea tuna! It’s one of my favorite things to make. I’m not sure exactly what a serving size is, but 1/6th of the entire recipe. Probably about 3/4 cup or so?
Tina Gerrish
How long can this be stored for in the refrigerator please?
Thanks
T
Nora
It will keep for 4-5 days.
Bev harrold
I came into 25 cans of chickpeas. Waste not want not. But this is the first recipe that I have liked and been able to prepare as I am easily a contender for America’s worst cook.
Nora
That’s a lot of chickpeas, but this recipe will help you out! So glad you found a recipe you like.
Heidi
This is the first recipe I’ve tried from your site, and it’s a winner! This is filling and absolutely delicious and takes just a few minutes to make (even when making the mayo from scratch). I highly recommend it and can’t wait to jump into more of your recipes!
Jose
I’ve made this twice already and everyone (vegans and non vegans) has loved it. I use an entire stalk of celery and my wife really likes pickles so I’ve increased those too. It really is the perfect tuna substitute. Thanks! Great blog too!
Maida Aviad
Love this recipe. I’ve been eating it for two straight weeks. Since becoming vegetarian many years ago, I’ve missed tuna salad a lot and this is the first good substitute I’ve found. I’m not vegan so I generally top it with sliced tomato and melted cheese to make a “tuna” melt. It so satisfies my cravings!! Thank you so much for all this goodness!
Leslie
I love this sandwich! I have made it several times and it always tastes so fresh and delicious. I love to add just a bit of chopped onion..Mmmmm. Thanks for this great idea and recipe Nora!
Mariella Kruger
For people who are changing their diet to vegan, but really liked the “fish” taste of tuna, you can crumble up part of a sheet of Nori seaweed to get the ocean flavor in what I like to call “Chickpea of the Sea.” Use as much as you like to get the flavor you want.
Carrie
I don’t know what took me song to finally make these, but I am SO glad I did! Transitioning to WFPB has been a challenge for me- mostly because of the time. This was super quick and easy to make, including the mayo, and I’m excited to be able to have it during the week for a quick sandwich for lunch.
Nora
I’m so glad Carrie! It’s one of our family favorites for sure, and I love how easy it is! Thank you.
Valeria
This tastes incredible… Had it 2 days in a row. Added some more chopped onion and made me some work lunches. Works great in a wrap too. Thank you very much for your recipe.
Nora
Thank you! I’m so happy you are enjoying it.
Alan
One of my favorite sandwiches.