Vegan tuna salad with chickpeas

sandwich made with lettuce, tomatoes, and chickpea salad
INGREDIENTS
Chickpeas—In this recipe, we’ll mash the chickpeas to create the vegan “tuna” salad’s basis and hold all of the delicious flavor components.

Mayo is not necessary since tahini and water give the mashed chickpea salad a nutty, earthy taste and a creamy texture. Tahini is thinned down by the water, giving the dish a creamy texture and requiring less of it overall.

Dijon mustard adds a tangy taste and an acidic element to the sandwich.

Tahini’s somewhat bitter flavor is balanced by the faint sweetness of maple syrup.

Celery gives the sandwich some crunch, which improves the texture.

Replaces the pickle relish typically present in tuna salad with pickles. Use the brand of pickles you choose.

Dill weed is nothing more than dried dill leaves, which gives food a somewhat sweet, anise-like taste.

SUBSTITUTIONS
You may use avocado or vegan mayo in place of the tahini. Although I haven’t tried it, hummus definitely would also be effective.

If you decide to replace any of these, I would at the very least cut the amount of maple syrup in half or completely get rid of it. If you replace the tahini with mayo, avocado, or hummus, I would also omit the tablespoon of water (unless the hummus is thick).
You can use 1 tablespoon of fresh dill in place of the teaspoon of dried dill leaves.
Chives can also be used in place of the dried dill. Even if it doesn’t have the same flavor as dill or if you just don’t like it, the chives will still give the chickpeas a little something extra.

Yellow mustard can be used in place of dijon-style mustard.
Celery is just used for texture, so you may use another crisp vegetable in its stead.
Whatever you choose to substitute it with might change the flavor and consistency of the chickpea salad. Red bell pepper will give the salad a bit more sweetness and crunch. Cucumber that has been diced will also provide some crunch, but because it contains more water, it may also contribute more liquid to the crushed chickpea salad.
components for a sandwich with chickpea salad

dish of mashed chickpeas

A RECIPE FOR CHICKPEA “TUNA” SALAD
Draining and washing the bean can should be the first step. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the chickpeas. Then combine the remaining ingredients in the bowl with the mashed chickpeas, along with the celery and pickle that have been chopped. After that, season to taste.

Does it require extra salt, pepper, tahini, or Dijon mustard to suit your particular tastes? Different dijon style mustard brands have a milder flavor than others. For instance, I add extra if I’m using the store brand of mustard because it’s milder than the Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.

SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Serve the chickpea salad with crackers, in a lettuce wrap as a sandwich with your preferred toppings, or as a dip. It tastes best when served with lettuce, tomato slices, and red onion slices on toasted whole-wheat bread. It may be cooked ahead of time and is excellent for kids’ school lunches.

HOW CAN I ADD TUNA FLAVOR TO CHICKPEA SALAD?
Try adding dulse flakes to fake tuna salad to give it a “from the sea” flavor. Sushi nori sheets can be used in their place if you can’t get those.

Use a spice grinder to crush the sheets, or simply crumble them. When adding the remaining ingredients, do so after mashing the chickpeas. You might want to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe because dulse is saltier than nori.

chickpea tuna salad for vegans (no mayo)

This sandwich is a chickpea “tuna” salad prepared without mayo and without any oil. Tahini and dijon mustard are used to give the chickpea salad a creamy texture, making it a simple and quick meal that can be prepared in approximately 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 (15 ounce) (425 g) can of rinsed and drained chickpeas
Dill pickles, diced, 1/4 cup (45 g) (or use your favorite type of pickle)
1 diced celery rib (about 1/2 cup)
Tahini, 2 tablespoons
1.2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of water
Maple syrup, two tablespoons
Dill weed, 1 teaspoon (dried dill leaves)
Garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon
a dash of each spice, or to taste

intended use

Sliced tomatoes, 8 pieces of whole wheat bread
cucumber slices

INSTRUCTIONS
Chickpeas should be drained and mashed with a fork or potato masher in a bowl.
After that, combine the remaining ingredients with the mashed chickpeas.
Mix everything together by stirring. To make the tahini/mustard mixture creamier, I mash extra chickpeas into it as I whisk.
As you adjust the spice to your tastes, taste the food. To achieve the correct texture, if it’s too dry, add one tablespoon of tahini at a time.
For around 3–4 days, keep the remaining chickpea salad in the fridge in an airtight container.

Serve with your choice of whole-wheat bread, crackers, lettuce cups, or anything else you choose.

NOTES
Buy tahini that contains simply sesame seeds as an ingredient. It’s usual for there to be some natural oil separation; simply whisk the tahini to incorporate the separated oil back into the paste. Make careful to deal with the separation before measuring it out.