Vegan Tuna Salad (Chickpea Tuna Salad)

This is hands down the BEST chickpea tuna salad around! Ready in just 5 minutes, no vegan mayo, yet tastes just like the classic, this vegan tuna salad is perfect for all eaters, vegan or not!

A Chickpea Tuna Salad for vegans!

I was a big tuna salad lover as a kid, so this is for all of my tuna salad lovers who need a vegan option!

You’re actually going to just love this chickpea tuna salad. It’s very close in taste and texture to the classic tuna salad, without the fishy flavor. Yet, it’s just so satisfying to enjoy, you’ll keep going in for another bite!

The chickpeas mashed up together create a texture very similar to real tuna salad, and the crunch of the celery and raisins make you feel like you’re eating the real deal. It’s one of my favorite quick and easy vegan lunches (or honestly a good vegan dinner recipe when I’m in a pinch!).

Trust me, even non-vegans would LOVE this no tuna salad! Slather onto your favorite bread for a vegan tuna salad sandwich, or use as you would classic tuna salad! And then, we’re also helping save the fishies 🙂 (If you’ve seen Seaspiracy at all, then you know!).

And if you’re looking for more vegan seafood recipes, definitely give this vegan scallops recipe a go!

Vegan Tuna Salad Ingredients  (with substitutions)

I designed this vegan chickpea tuna salad to be suitable for those who don’t necessarily like the fishy taste of tuna salad but want an amazing vegan protein option. Some vegan tuna salads add in the “sea” taste with Nori sheets, and other seaweeds, like dulse flakes. You can do so here as well, and I’ve given the full recommendation for that in the recipe card below.

As I mentioned above, this chickpea tuna salad recipe does not contain any processed vegan mayo. Some vegan mayonnaise brands are pretty decent in ingredients, but I wanted this recipe to be minimal, pantry staple ingredients. I personally don’t have vegan mayo on hand, so my vegan tuna salad won’t include it!

Here are the base ingredients for making this chickpea tuna salad:

• Chickpeas: I used Jovial Foods chickpeas, as they’re both organic and packaged in a glass container (which can be re-used for making homemade strawberry jam or homemade cashew butter!). I also reserve the aquafaba for vegan cakes or vegan custards!
• Coconut yogurt: I used a pure, full fat coconut yogurt. However, you can also use your favorite dairy free yogurt, like cashew yogurt, soy yogurt, almond milk yogurt, etc. A vegan Greek yogurt is best for taste and texture.
• Tahini: Tahini is neutral in flavor, and is also nut-free for those with nut allergies. You could also swap in sunflower seed butter, or if you’re not nut-free, you can use almond butter or cashew butter.
• Lemon juice
• Sea salt and pepper
• Celery and raisins: I always had a tuna salad with celery and raisins for a crunch; if you didn’t no worries! Simply omit! But the crunch really does help!
• Cumin: This was my spice of choice in place of dijon mustard if you didn’t have that on hand. If you’d prefer to swap in dijon mustard, however, you can!
• Parsley and dill: Fresh herbs, like parsley and dill make this vegan tuna salad out of this world!

You can also note that this vegan tuna salad is oil free. There is no olive oil nor coconut oil in here! I also didn’t include red onion, as I prefer not to eat raw onions; however, if you would like to include onions, you’re more than welcome to!

Now let’s make this chickpea tuna salad in just 5 minutes!

Overview: How to make chickpea tuna salad in 5 minutes

You can easily make this vegan tuna salad in just 5 minutes. It’s a great dish to prep before a beach trip or even as a meal prep lunch salad to bring to work! Here’s how to make it:

1. Mash the chickpeas: You can use a potato masher or a fork, or make it even easier, and pulse for just 1-2 seconds in a food processor or blender. You don’t want the chickpeas to be completely mashed, like in hummus. Really, you just need 1-2 seconds!
2. Mix all ingredients together: Once the chickpeas are mashed, simply mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Serve and enjoy! Grab a few slices of bread for a vegan tuna sandwich or pack away as an on the go lunch!

How to serve chickpea tuna salad

You can serve this vegan tuna salad much like you would a regular tuna salad!

• Vegan tuna salad sandwiches (chickpea salad sandwich! Top with dill pickles, tomato slices, lettuce, and red bell pepper on this amazing gluten free vegan bread for the full effect!)
• Spread onto mini toasted baguette slices for a tuna salad hors d’oeuvre with some vegan Caesar salad!
• With a side of roasted red cabbage or your favorite roasted veggie!
• Pack for a beach picnic to serve with a bunch of different sides!
• Toss into a large salad for the tastiest vegan protein!
• Dip crackers into the chickpea salad as a snack!

Storing leftovers:

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in glass containers and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

No need to reheat or anything when you want to enjoy it again- just simply remove it from the fridge and enjoy!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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