Quick Meals: Vegan Tuna Salad

I cannot claim this recipe as my own; it comes from my long-time partner chef Mama T of Ital Kitchen. She started making this incredible chickpea salad that has become a staple in our demonstration rotation and a favorite in our shared kitchen. This Vegan Tuna Salad is also affectionately known as Chickpea of the Sea or Chickpea Tuna Salad. Whatever you call it, it’s super yummy.

This Vegan Tuna Salad a simple, easy lunch or easy weeknight dinner that keeps for awhile in the fridge. Make lots to have around the kitchen for open-faced sandwiches, with crackers, in wraps, or on top of a salad.

A note on the seaweed: it’s optional but it does make the salad extra awesome. My boss loves to use dulse granules, which blends seamlessly into the salad. You can also use sushi nori or those little seaweed snacks and just crumble into teeny pieces. It adds some greenery but blends nicely as well. If you want some serious ocean flavor, you can choose arame or hijiki. These sea veggies simply need to be soaked before using, and can be chopped finer if you like. Seaweeds add minerals, fiber and quality iodine. To learn more about why it’s good to include sea veggies into your diet, read about what to do with seaweed here.

Vegan Tuna Salad

2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
½ cup vegan mayonnaise
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped dill pickles
2 tablespoons diced red onion
3 Tablespoons sweet relish
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
2 Tablespoons crumbled nori, dulse or arame seaweed
1 Tablespoon fresh or dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place garbanzo beans in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped (alternatively, mash with a fork until coarsely chopped).
2. Turn out chopped chickpeas into a large bowl. Stir in vegan mayonnaise, mustard, celery, onion, pickles, relish, seaweed, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Serve immediately or keep in fridge until chilled. Serve with crackers, in wraps, on top of salads or in sandwiches. Makes about 4 cups chickpea salad.