Load this Chickpea Tuna Salad into sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more! Flaky mashed chickpeas replace the tuna in this picnic-perfect dish. An instant hit with all kinds of eaters!
Looking for more vegan recipes to bring to the picnic? Try my Pesto Pasta Salad, Avocado Spread, White Bean Salad, and Curry Chickpea Salad.
Besides the salty and ‘fishy’ tasting nori sheets (or kelp granules), the secret behind this vegan tuna salad is the mashed chickpeas. They become delightfully flaky when mashed, giving this salad the perfect hearty, creamy base. And when combined with a few briny veggies and vegan mayo, you’re left with the most delicious flavors and textures!
Bring this to the picnic or potluck, make it for meal prep, or scoop up every bite with crackers. No matter how you enjoy it, this creamy chickpea tuna salad will fill you up while curbing your tuna salad cravings.
Why you’ll love this vegan tuna salad recipe
- A picnic classic made vegan – This chickpea tuna salad recipe replaces tuna for plant-based ingredients! Even if you eat fish, this is a delightful sandwich spread on it’s own.
- Very versatile – Leave out the nori or kelp if desired, add more briny veggies like capers and pepperoncinis, use store bought vegan mayo or my homemade cashew mayo, tofu mayo or mix in some mashed avocado in place of the mayo.
- A super speedy lunch – It only takes 10 minutes to assemble this vegan tuna salad in one bowl.
How to make chickpea tuna salad
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas, then transfer them to a large bowl. Mash them with a potato masher or fork until they’re mostly creamy. You want to leave as few whole beans behind as possible. You can use a food processor for this if you want, just don’t over mix them.
Chop the nori and add it to the bowl with the chickpeas. Add the dill pickle relish, lemon juice, celery, red onion, vegan mayo, and salt/pepper. Add any additional optional ingredients, such as chopped capers and pepperoncinis to give it more of a kick.
Tip: Sheets of nori give this salad its ‘fish-like’ flavor but you can also use 1 teaspoon of kelp granules as a substitute. To chop the nori, kitchen scissors work, or a knife and cutting board.
Stir to combine, then give it a taste and add more salt and pepper to round out the flavors, as needed. Enjoy the salad right away or let it chill in the fridge before serving.
Variations
Put your own spin on the salad with any of these variations and mix in ideas:
- Mayo-free – Swap the vegan mayo for mashed avocado or plain vegan yogurt.
- Fresh herbs – Stir in a bunch of fresh dill or parsley for a refreshing, herbal flavor.
- Grapes – Like my Vegan Chicken Salad, you can add chopped green or red grapes for a sweeter chickpea salad. Or chopped apples.
- Nuts – If you like crunch, toss in a handful of walnuts, pecans, or chopped almonds. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are great, too!
- Briny things – Stir in chopped green or black olives, capers, or chopped pepperoncini peppers for a slightly saltier, briny flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cook dry chickpeas from scratch if you’d like! They’ll take longer but will make the salad taste great. To cook, soak 1 ½ cups of dry chickpeas overnight in water, then boil them in fresh water until they’re soft.
Yes, you can use a blender or food processor to mash the chickpeas instead. Just be careful not to over-blend, as you want the chickpeas to have some texture and not turn into a paste.
You really can’t beat stuffing this salad in between slices of bread for epic vegan tuna salad sandwiches! Pair them with my Vegan Broccoli Salad, french fries, or this Fruit Salad for a delicious and healthy lunch, or wrap them up and bring them to a picnic. They’d go great paired with even more vegan picnic recipes, like Vegan Macaroni Salad, Vegan Egg Salad, and Strawberry Pretzel Salad.
Did you end up with leftover chickpea tuna salad? It’s a wonderful snack you can scoop up with crackers or layer on top of a leafy green salad for extra protein and flavor. You can even use it to make vegan tuna melts by layering it on two slices of buttered bread with a slice of vegan cheese, then pan-frying them until warm.
After it’s assembled, transfer the salad to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers because the salad will be watery after thawing.
Chickpea Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- (2) 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 sheet nori, finely chopped optional, or 1 tsp kelp granules
- 4 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 rib celery diced small
- 2 tablespoons diced small red onion or chives, green onions
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt, to taste or soy sauce
- few shakes black pepper
- optional: 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncinis + 1 teaspoon chopped capers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher (or fork) until they are mostly mashed.
- If using nori for a fishy flavor: Finely chop 1-2 sheets of nori. I found it easiest to simply chop it up with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Kitchen scissors also work. Or, use the kelp granules.
- To the bowl with the chickpeas, add the nori or kelp granules, pickle relish, lemon juice, celery, onion, mayo, salt and black pepper. Add pepperoncinis and capers, if desired. 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. You can also enjoy it right away.
- Serve on sandwiches, with crackers, on salads on make a tuna melt with some vegan cheese. Enjoy!
- Leftovers: Keep chickpea tuna in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Notes
- If you don’t want any fishy flavor, just leave out the nori/kelp. I like it both ways!
- Nutritional information is for the vegan tuna only, not including bread or whatever you serve it with.
- For vegan tuna melts, spread vegan butter on two slices of bread. Add some tuna and a slice of vegan cheese, then pan fry until warm.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published in May 2018, and has been republished with new photos and writing.
I’ve been eating these great sandwiches for years now. I recently ran out of tomatoes so I substituted pickled beet slices and jalapeno slices and now I’m obsessed with these sandwiches.
Hi John. I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the chickpea tuna salad recipe! Wow, this new twist of a condiment idea sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing your great idea and fabulous comments! I appreciate your support!
I like this so much better than real tuna