I loved tuna as an omnivore and went through a phase where I ate it every day for lunch until I read about the dangers of mercury (oops!). As much as I enjoyed it, I actually like this so much more – mainly because it’s vegan (of course!), but also for a couple of other reasons. I had never liked handling tuna because it’s so fishy, and would always manage to get that smelly juice on myself when draining the can (ewww). I also feel that chickpea “tuna” is a lot more versatile since you don’t have that strong tuna flavor to contend with, so whatever you put in it stands out a lot more. And of course, not having to worry about mercury is awesome, since that means I can eat this every day if I want!
This recipe is very basic, and you’ll want to adjust the measurements to your preference. You can also add so many different things to this No-Tuna – it’s easy to experiment with and to make a bit differently every time. I like to eat this on sandwiches with lettuce and tomato (and avocado if I have it on hand), but it’s also excellent with vegan cheese added and then heated in a pan or sandwich press to make a No-Tuna melt.
Chickpea No-Tuna Salad
This simple and versatile chickpea salad is healthy and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- ¼ onion, chopped (red or white)
- 3-4 Tbsp. vegan mayonnaise
- 1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Drain the chickpeas and rinse them well.
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Pour the chickpeas into a bowl and mash them until desired consistency is reached. (I use a potato masher but a fork works too.)
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Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Enjoy on sandwiches, wraps, crackers or just on its own!
Recipe Notes
You can add so many things to this: lemon juice, capers, garlic powder, sun-dried tomatoes, diced cucumbers, sweet pickle relish, chopped dill pickles, dulse flakes - I like to add chopped artichoke hearts sometimes too.
