Craving tuna? You’ll love this vegetarian Chickpea Tuna Salad recipe, a plant-based option featuring that same classic savory, tangy flavor!
Protein? Check. Veggies? Check. Flavor? Check. Savory but with a side of slight tanginess? Check.
Basically, chickpea tuna salad checks all the boxes. It’s light and fluffy but totally hearty and perfect for enjoying as a filling, satisfying lunch. All thanks to the wonder that is the nutritious chickpea.
Oh right, and there isn’t actually tuna in it. Instead, we’re mashing up chickpeas to achieve the same texture and using mayo, mustard, and vinegar to get that rich flavor!
It’s the perfect transition meal for the colder days ahead and it’s great for enjoying when you need something quick and easy. Basically, you need this vegetarian tuna salad in your life, ASAP.
Ingredients in chickpea tuna salad
Everyone loves a good tuna salad from time to time, but sometimes being plant-based can make you feel left out! Not anymore. This chickpea tuna salad is the perfect solution, capturing that classic tuna tang to a T. Here’s what you’ll need!
- Chickpeas: The star of the show, 1 can of chickpeas! You can also soak your own for a more affordable option.
- Red Onion: ¼ cup of finely chopped red onion adds zingy crunch. White or yellow onions can be used in a pinch.
- Celery: ¼ cup of finely chopped celery adds even more crunch and flavor.
- Capers: A teaspoon of finely chopped capers transforms the chickpeas into tuna. Don’t skip these!
- Mayonnaise: What tuna salad is complete without mayo? We’ll be using ¼ cup, and feel free to use a plant-based alternative if desired.
- Dijon Mustard: For that signature tuna salad tang, add 1 tsp of Dijon mustard.
- White Vinegar: White vinegar will be the second “tang” component. Use 2 tsp.
- Salt and Pepper: Finally, add salt and pepper to taste!
How to make vegan tuna salad
This 3-step tuna salad couldn’t be simpler. The most time consuming part is simply chopping the veggies, which means that this recipe requires a grand total of only 5 minutes to create! It’s the perfect quick lunch option.
Step 1: Prep the chickpeas
First, drain the can of chickpeas and roughly smash them with a fork or your fingers.
Step 2: Chop the veggies
Finely chop the onion, celery, and capers.
Step 3: Assemble the dish
Stir everything together, adding a pinch of salt and pepper as needed to suite your taste.
How to serve vegetarian tuna salad
Chickpea tuna salad can be enjoyed the same way you’d enjoy regular tuna salad! You can eat it on a sandwich, a salad, with crackers, or even in lettuce boats.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this dish, however, is in a Chickpea Tuna Melt. Oh my gosh, is it a treat. It’s made by assembling the tuna salad atop yummy slices of sourdough and adding mayo, tomato slices, and sharp cheddar cheese. Stick it in the oven or a panini press, and you have a seriously mouth-watering melt!
More hearty salad ideas
I’m all for a big, hearty salad, which is why these recipes are some of my favorite.
- Vegetarian “Chicken” Salad
- Mama’s Famous Bean Salad
- Bulgur Salad with Feta and Pomegranate
- Sweet Potato Salad with Quinoa and Hummus Dressing
- Chickpea Corn Salad
Or if you’re looking for another mock vegan fish, you HAVE to try our Beer-Battered Vegan Fish & Chips!
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas 425 g
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion about ¼ of a medium onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped celery about ½ a stalk
- 1 tsp finely chopped capers
- ¼ cup mayonnaise can sub plant-based mayo, 50 g
- 1 tsp dijon mustard 5 g
- 2 tsp white vinegar 10 mL
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Smash: Drain the can of chickpeas and roughly smash the chickpeas with a fork or your fingers.
- Chop: Finely chop the onion, celery, and capers.
- Assemble: Stir everything together, adding a pinch of salt and pepper as needed to suite your taste.
Simon Beckett says
I love the tuna salad and the dish looks yummy. Definitely try the dish for my lunch!!! Thank you for the great recipe Sarah!
Sarah says
Yay! Would love to hear how it goes! 😀
Amber says
This is delicious! I love the dijon addition! Thank you!
Sarah says
So happy to hear it, thanks for letting us know how it went! 😀
Kara Halsey says
Wheres the Tuna??
Sarah says
This is a vegetarian “tuna” recipe 😀 But give it a go, you’d be surprised how closely this resembles tuna salad!
Angie Lawrence says
This Chickpea Tuna Salad was delicious! What a nice surprise and filling. Thank you a bunch.
Sarah says
So happy to hear it! Enjoy!
C.C. says
Wife and I made this today for lunch, the first recipe of Sarah’s we have tried. It was great! We went straight by the recipe and even forgot to add any salt or pepper and it was still delicious! Will definitely make it a regular go-to lunch.
Sarah says
So happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀
Kristie says
Can this be frozen?
Sarah says
I haven’t tried, but I think it would impact the texture too much.
Judith Finkelstein says
I am not a vegetarian per se, maybe 50/50.I am following you and enjoying your recipes. Today I tried your Chickpea Tuna. So good. From now on, I’m off canned tuna.
Thank you.
Sarah says
YAY! Happy to hear it, Judith! 😀
Kellie Cantwell says
This is really yummy. I loved it.
I really wish nutritional information was with the recipe, but aside from that this was a great recipe.
Sarah says
Thanks for pointing out that it was missing, Kellie! Just added the nutrition facts in there 😀
Maureen says
There is no tuna in the recipe, I am guessing that you use one can of tuna.
Sarah says
This is a vegetarian version of tuna salad, so the smashed chickpeas make the “tuna”!
beth s says
This is delicious! I wasn’t always vegetarian, so I still get cravings for foods I used to eat (like tuna salad). I was happy to find this. I did add some chopped pickles because I usually had that in tuna salad. I will definitely make this again
Cinthya Chavezticas says
Delicious
Miroslava says
This is my favorite and go to salad.
Sara how much is one serving size?
Is this calculations are for the whole salad or a cup?
Thank you
Mira
Sarah Bond says
The calculation is for half of the recipe! It serves 2 😀
Janie Belle says
I haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds good to me. I am not a vegetarian and I will use this recipe to stretch a 6 ounce can of salmon. I can see this recipe can be used in a bake as well as salmon salad.
Thank you for posting.
Mary says
Just made this for my vegetarian son. He used to love a tuna salad sandwich. This is so good, he loved it. This recipe is going in our regular rotation. I added a bit more caper than called for but otherwise followed recipe exactly. Did not add salt or pepper and it was delicious!
Dale Erickson says
Just made the chickpea “tuna” salad. Really tasty! I will make that again.
Thank you.
Bea says
Loved the texture. All the different things makes an easy nutritious, high protein meal.
Sammie says
I’ve made this about 4 times in the last month. It’s freaking fantastic! Tastes amazing and makes a quick weekday lunch. I toss it into a mini tortilla with tomatoes and off I go. I hate smooshing the chickpeas by hand, but a food processor would ruin the texture. I do add celery seed as I don’t like the texture of actual celery. Other than that, I follow the recipe and add a bit of kelp granules. Outstanding recipe!!!!
Sarah Bond says
So happy to hear it, Sammie! I like to think of smooshing the chickpeas as a little arm workout, lol. Enjoy!
Carol McCaughey says
I’ve made this several times. This time I substituted pickle relish for the vinegar and it’s delicious 😋
Dawn says
I added fresh dill and used lemon juice. It was delish!