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This chickpea tuna salad is a simple vegan twist on classic tuna salad. Mashed chickpeas create a hearty, protein-rich base that mimics the texture of tuna while staying completely plant-based. It takes just 10 minutes to make, and is perfect for meal prep, a quick vegan lunch, and sharing with friends.
For more chickpea recipes, check out my Crispy Roasted Chickpeas, Carrot Chickpea Tuna Melt, Jamaican Chickpea Curry, Chickpea Tagine, and Sweet Potato Hummus.
Quick Look: Chickpea Tuna Salad
- 🔪 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 1 minute
- 🍽 Total Time: 6 minutes
- 👨👩👧👧 Serving: 2 servings
- 🌱 Calories: 385
- 🫘 Protein: 11 grams
- 🍠 Dietary breakdown: Vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free.
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Savory with flavors of the sea.
- ✅ Difficulty: Beginner-friendly super easy vegan recipe, guided by step-by-step photos.
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Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Love for this Chickpea Tuna Salad ⭐️
- What is Chickpea Tuna?
- Key Ingredients
- Why Chickpeas Make the Perfect Vegan Tuna
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Jenné’s Pro Tips
- Ways to Serve Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Storage Directions
- Chickpea Tuna FAQs
- More Super Easy Vegan Recipes
- Chickpea Tuna Salad Recipe
Love for this Chickpea Tuna Salad ⭐️
Of all the recipes I’ve created over the years, this easy chickpea tuna salad is still one of my favorites. Also known as “chuna salad,” this vegan tuna salad with chickpeas is packed with savory and tangy flavors and has a similar flaky texture to its seafood inspiration.
Chickpeas serve as the base of this no-tuna salad because their pulsed texture is reminiscent of flaked tuna. Chickpeas are rich in plant-based protein (11 grams per serving), and a fantastic source of dietary fiber!
This faux tuna salad recipe comes together in a few minutes, making it perfect for daily lunches, meal prep, picnics, or holiday cookouts! Serve it between bread for a fun stuffed sandwich option, or enjoy it as a topping for sourdough crackers, in wraps, or atop salads.
For more vegan seafood-inspired recipes, try my vegan crab cakes, king oyster mushroom vegan scallops, or classic vegan fish tacos.
What is Chickpea Tuna?
Chickpea tuna is a vegan tuna salad made by mashing chickpeas and mixing them with ingredients like celery, onion, vegan mayo, mustard, and ume plum vinegar (more on this ingredient, plus substitutions, below). The texture is similar to tuna salad but completely plant-based.
Key Ingredients
Chickpeas: Serves as the base of this vegan tuna. Look for canned chickpeas labeled “no sodium-added” to control the recipe seasoning. Or use homecooked chickpeas.
Vegan Mayonnaise: Provides the chickpea tuna recipe with a creamy, rich texture and flavor. Alternatively, swap the mayo for ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of mashed avocado.
Dijon Mustard: Opt for a smooth Dijon mustard for a milder, creamy flavor that mixes well with the other ingredients. Alternatively, you can use whole-grain mustard for added texture and tanginess.
Ume Plum Vinegar: Ume plum vinegar adds a unique fruity, salty, and tangy depth of flavor to the vegan tuna salad. Alternatively, you can substitute 1:1 with apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice for an acidic brightness. Find ume plum vinegar at your local health food store, Whole Foods, or online (iHerb).
Celery Seeds: These small seeds add a concentrated celery flavor and satisfying crunch to the salad. You can find them in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.
Celery: Fresh celery adds a delightful crunch and freshness, enhancing the overall texture and flavor. You will need one rib; wash and thoroughly dry it before chopping.
Dulse: Dulse is a type of edible seaweed with a strong briny ocean flavor. Look for it at your local health food store or online (iHerb). It is ok to skip if you don’t have it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Why Chickpeas Make the Perfect Vegan Tuna
- flaky texture when mashed
- neutral flavor absorbs seasoning
- high in plant protein
- budget-friendly
Recipe Variations
- Dill: Add 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill or parsley to the blend if you want a bright herb flavor.
- Avocado: Add nutrition, color, and buttery avocado flavor by using ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise + 2 tablespoons of avocado instead of all mayonnaise. Add an extra splash of plum vinegar if making this variation of chickpea tuna salad recipe to create a balanced, tangy flavor. Otherwise, the overall taste can be too bland.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies for extra texture, flavor, and nutrition like shredded carrots, broccoli, sweet peppers, or sprouts. I have a Carrot Chickpea Salad recipe that demonstrates this well 🥕
- Creamier: Make the salad even creamier by adding more vegan mayo or including some dairy-free sour cream along with the mayo.
- Mustard: Instead of mustard, you can use dill relish or diced dill pickles for a flavor variation with tangy notes.
- Seasonings: Experiment with additional spices, like curry powder or an Italian herb blend, to add a flavor twist and take this chuna recipe to the next level!
How to Make Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Add to food processor. Place the chickpeas, vegan mayonnaise, mustard, plum vinegar, celery seeds, minced celery, minced onion, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse a few times until everything is finely minced and incorporated. Be careful not to overblend or you will pureé the salad.
- Serve in myriad ways. Enjoy this yummy chickpea salad by itself, on a vegan bowl, on salads, tossed with cooked pasta, on toast (as pictured above), or in a sandwich.
Jenné’s Pro Tips
- No food processor? Use a fork to mash the chickpeas and other ingredients. Be sure to finely dice the onions and celery if you are mashing the salad by hand.
- Don’t overblend. You want to pulse the food processor when mixing the vegetarian tuna salad so it has a chunky texture, not blended to a smooth texture. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t be pulsing for more than 20 seconds total!
- Season to taste. I think this recipe is perfect as is, but you should adjust the vegan tuna recipe to suit your preferences – add more cayenne or black pepper if you like it spicy, dijon or plum vinegar for more tanginess, or extra mayo for next-level creaminess.
- Quadruple the batch for meal prep or group gatherings. This is the perfect easy recipe to prepare ahead of time for quick-fix lunches or snacks throughout the week or to serve at a party! Double, triple, or quadruple the chickpea tuna salad vegan ingredients in this recipe to make the desired quantity.
Ways to Serve Chickpea Tuna Salad
Enjoy this vegan tuna between toasted bread for a yummy chickpea tuna sandwich, in a wrap, use it as a topping for other vegan salads or bowls, serve as a party appetizer with crackers or crudités, or serve alongside some of our favorite recipes below.
Storage Directions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They do not freeze well. Enjoy the tuna chickpea salad cold or at room temperature!
Chickpea Tuna FAQs
Yes, you can make this chickpea salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. It is important to note that if you use avocado instead of mayonnaise, the dressing can brown slightly over time due to oxidation. To avoid browning, serve the salad immediately or combine all ingredients except the avocado and add it to the tuna mixture just before serving.
Yes, you can use dried chickpeas instead of canned if preferred, see my post on how to cook beans. Make sure the beans are fully cooked and cooled before adding them to the recipe.
Replace the mayo in chickpea tuna with mashed avocado, tahini (use only 2 tablespoons and add water to thin if needed), or plain hummus.
Yes, you can make this recipe with regular mayonnaise if you prefer and are not following a vegan diet. Just be aware that it will no longer be a vegan dish if you use regular mayo.
Chickpeas are a great replacement for tuna in a classic tuna salad recipe. That’s because chickpeas have a naturally flaky texture, a similar color, and they absorb seasoning to replicate that classic taste.
Chickpea tuna salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store it in an airtight container for best results. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as it will change the texture.
Chickpea tuna can be considered healthy depending on your goals. It is high in fat content from the vegan mayo. Still, I consider it a healthy addition to my balanced plant-based diet.
More Super Easy Vegan Recipes
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Chickpea Tuna Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz can chickpeas , drained and rinsed, unsalted
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise , or 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp mashed avocado
- 1 tbsp smooth Dijon mustard , or whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp ume plum vinegar, plus a splash more if you are using avocado instead of mayonnaise
- 2 tsp celery seeds, optional
- 1 tsp dulse flakes, optional
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 2 tbsp minced green onion, or minced red onion or shallot
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper chili flakes; season with more or less to taste
- 4 leaves romaine lettuce, or curly green kale
- nori, seasoned or unseasoned, optional to garnish
- 4 pieces toast, optional for serving
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas, vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, ume vinegar, celery seeds, dulse flakes, minced celery, minced onion, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse a few times until everything is minced and incorporated. Be careful not to overblend. You shouldn't be pulsing it for more than 20 seconds and don't want to puree the salad.
- Line pieces of freshly toasted bread with romaine or kale. Top with the chickpea tuna salad, garnish with nori, and enjoy!
Notes
- No food processor? Use a fork to mash the chickpeas and other ingredients. Be sure to finely dice the onions and celery if you are mashing the salad by hand.
- Adjust the seasonings if using avocado. Add an extra splash of plum vinegar to the salad if making the mayonnaise and avocado variation. Otherwise, the taste will be too bland.
- Don’t overblend. You want to pulse the food processor when mixing the vegetarian tuna salad so it has a chunky texture, not blended to a smooth texture. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t be pulsing for more than 20 seconds total!
- Season to taste. Adjust the vegan tuna recipe to suit your preferences – add more cayenne or black pepper if you like it spicy, dijon or plum vinegar for more tanginess, or extra mayo for next-level creaminess.
Delicious and easy!
Easy and yummy Can also you plant yogurt instead of vegan mayo.
Thanks for commenting, Chris! I haven’t tried it, but I bet plain vegan yogurt works just fine. You’ll just have a little tang to it.
Love this recipe. Everytime I make it my son loves it.
Nice!! Thanks for sharing 😉
If you haven’t yet, please leave a star rating on the recipe. Thank you!
I made this to bring on a long bicycle ride. It was SO GOOD! I put it in a pita with the nori, lettuce, cucumber, and some fresh basil. I keep thinking about this sandwich lol.
This is SO very tasty. Eye made it more difficult than it needed to be by trying to pulse every chickpea but it truly is better being its chunky self! The ume vinegar is a serious addition and one worth keeping even if leaving something else out. Read on here about someone else not being in the raw celery camp; will say that the raw celery taste does not linger as much as the celery seed taste. Perhaps it was the complement of the onions? A favorite for sure. Thank you!
So glad you loved it!! Thanks for sharing 🙂