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If you’re looking for a plant-based replacement for tuna salad, look no further! This healthy Vegan Tuna Salad is a delicious alternative.
How to Make Vegan Tuna Salad
This Ocean-Friendly Mock Tuna Salad uses vegan mayonnaise, grainy mustard, and sweet pickle relish for flavoring. For my vegan friends or anyone who can’t eat real tuna, this is a delicious alternative to a real tuna salad. It’s also gluten free and dairy free.
Note: this recipe was originally published back in 2013, but I’ve updated it with new photos.
Easy Faux Tuna Salad
This recipe takes me back to my childhood when this easy tuna salad was a lunchtime favorite. As a serving suggestion, you can either wrap this Vegan Mock Tuna Salad in a tortilla, scoop it onto toast, or serve it plain or over crisp romaine. Or, go super traditional and make a vegan sandwich. The celery and onion provide characteristic crunch, and the gently-smashed garbanzo beans give a nice texture.
Vegan Tuna Salad Steps
You won’t believe how easy it is to throw together this vegan chickpea salad recipe.
- Gather your ingredients including garbanzo beans, vegan mayo, mustard, relish, onion, and celery
- Prep the ingredients including rinsing and draining the beans and chopping the onion and celery
- Toss all the ingredients together, using the back of a spoon to gently smash the garbanzo beans
- Serve chilled or at room temperature
And, if you are looking for more easy vegan recipes, you might like these:
- “California Style” Vegan Sushi Rolls
- Chickpea Flour Omelet
- Get Your Veggies Quinoa Salad
- Indian Spice Burgers
- Macaroni Squash
- Red Lentil Dal
Here’s the printable recipe for this easy Vegan Tuna Salad:
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Vegan Tuna Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes- Cook Time: 1 minutes
- Total Time: 11 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: No-bake, easy
- Cuisine: Vegan, dairy-free, healthy
Prep Time:
Yield:
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Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A fresh and easy salad that replaces a traditional tuna salad. This is a healthy vegan version.
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 1/4 onion, chopped finely
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the garbanzo beans, celery, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and onion.
- Stir to combine. Use the flat side of a fork to smash some of the beans.
- Serve over chopped romaine as a salad entrée, wrapped in a tortilla for a wrap, or on toasted bread for a sandwich.
Notes
This salad will keep in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed container for up to 5 days.
I hope you enjoy this vegan salad recipe as much as I do! This has quickly become a favorite in my household.
Here’s a pinnable image to save this Vegan Tuna Salad recipe to you favorite healthy Pinterest board:
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Suzanne says
Looks fantastic Carrie! Is that wrap gluten free?
Carrie says
Hi Suzanne! I was cleaning out the fridge and used a wheat and corn tortilla from Trader Joe’s, but generally I like to use the brown rice tortillas from either TJ’s or Food for Life.
Patty says
Have fun, Carrie!! 🙂
Ceil says
Thank you for the recipe! I used to eat “Tuno” a vegan tuna substitute, but they quit making it. I love sandwiches in the summer, and this looks great. I really enjoy your blog and recipes; thank you for sharing!
Cynthia@OrnamentalStyle says
Thanks for the recipe. I will think of it as “chicken” salad since I don’t like tuna. Have a blast at the getaway, you lucky duck. I look forward to hearing about it. And congratulations on getting the first draft done! That’s huge!
Lairel Wirtanen-Siloy says
I like to think of it that way too! For some reason I think homemade chick peas, in this recipe, really make it taste like a chik’n salad.
Carrie says
I think you’re totally right, Lairel. You could probably add some dried fruit to make it taste more like a traditional chicken salad as well.
Diane says
The wrap looks great, as does the kale salad. I wasn’t able to find the kale salad in the recipe section. ??!! 🙂 (The pic is cute … I see kitty is packed and ready to go too!)
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
This “tuna” salad sounds absolutely awesome! I LOVE chickpeas :).
Kelly @ Vegan Iowan says
I love how simple and clean this recipe is! I’m vegan, and my husband is not, but we agree that tuna from a can is just too sketchy. I look forward to sharing this with him! It looks perfect for a work-day lunch.
Joanna says
Have a fun time in San Diego!!! The recipe sounds so good…I will be making it soon!
Angela says
Congrats on finishing the first draft of your Master’s project! That is a great accomplishment!! And, I really like the categories feature of the app and the redesign. Very nice! I hope YOU have a wonderful, relaxing week and a fun, safe trip 🙂
Ally says
Where can you buy white miso?! I went to fresh market and they didn’t have it :/ Do you have any suggestions. It would be in the spice section correct?
Carrie says
Hi Ally! The white miso I got was in the refrigerator section at the health food store.
Sandy says
Yum – i love the look of that ‘tuna’ salad!
Alex@Veggin' Out says
That tuna salad sounds fabulous! Anything that involves chickpeas immediately grabs my attention 🙂
Jackie says
The pickle relish addition sounds great, I’d love to know which brand you use. Have fun in San Diego – I wish I could go!
Carrie says
Thanks, Jackie! I used an organic relish I got at the health food store. Trader Joe’s also sells one. I would love to find a low-sugar version, or at some point try making my own. 🙂
kimmythevegan says
Oh my goodness Carrie – this sounds super delicious! I love that you skipped on the mayo, I used to love it when I first went vegan, but it’s not super healthy and I rarely eat it now.
I don’t have miso… I should get some. I also like that it’s nut free (much lower fat than other recipes out there).
Hope you have fun at the getaway!
Kelly B says
I made this for my family for dinner tonight and it was a real hit (except for my older daughter but I think it was the texture that she didn’t like) LOL. Anyway, I had my husband try a bite before dinner and asked him what it reminded him of. The only hint I have gave him was ” Think non-vegan” and he answered with “tuna or chicken salad.” Score! I couldn’t find whole grain mustard but mixed dejon and spicy. Came out great! Thank you!
Carrie says
Yay!!! Thanks for letting me know, Kelly. Somebody recommended breaking up a sheet of nori (seaweed) and adding that to the mix for an even more authentic tuna flavor.
Diane says
I just downloaded your app. FYI – I found it in the App Store , not ITunes .
One thing I’m missing from your recipes is calorie and nutrition break down . Do you ever include that?
The recipes are great!
Carrie says
Great, thanks Diane!!! At this point, I don’t have the man-power (woman-power) to do the nutritional analysis, but that might be a future development of the app. Thanks for the suggestion. BTW, would you consider writing a review of Vegan Delish in the App Store? I would really appreciate that. 🙂
Sue says
Hi Carrie,
I finally got a chance to make your mock tuna salad – it’s delicious. The tahini definitely gives it a distinct flavor. Thanks for another great recipe.
Sue
Carrie says
Great, Sue…so glad you liked it!!! 🙂
Mabel says
I love tuna salad! Thanks for this great recipe. 🙂
★★★★★
Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition says
This is one of my all-time favorite vegan recipes!
★★★★★
Andrea says
Oh, chickpeas are a clever substitution! This looks delicious and refreshing.
★★★★★
Lisa says
Love this vegan spin on the classic recipe. I’ll definitely have to give it a try this weekend, it looks delicious!
★★★★★
Sara Welch says
Served this for dinner last night and it has quickly become a family favorite recipe! So easy and flavorful-yum!
★★★★★
SHANIKA says
I love this salad! It looks so delicious! I love that it’s vegan and that you’ve used chickpea!
★★★★★
Elaine says
I am definitely not going anywhere else – I’ve found the replacement I was looking for! I have some friends who would really love that, and I can’t wait to surprise them with this recipe now!
★★★★★
Beth B. says
This is the first recipe I’ve tried from your website and I love it! It has all of the great flavors from tuna salad without the overpowering smell of the tuna. I paired mine with chopped lettuce and it made a great lunch. This will probably be my go-to for a while because it is so tasty and easy to make. Thanks!
Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition says
You’re so welcome, Beth! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.