Vegan Tuna Salad… really?
I have to admit it, I was SUPER skeptical the first time I saw a picture of vegan tuna salad. Having grown up eating tuna fish sandwiches for lunch, I could not imagine that anything not containing fish could taste like the tuna I once ate before becoming a vegetarian. I thought my tuna-eating days were behind me.
Then one day, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw a picture of what appeared to be tuna salad but it wasn’t tuna at all! In fact, it was chickpea tuna salad made entirely of vegan ingredients! OK sure, it LOOKED a LOT like tuna but could it really be a viable substitute for tuna?
The answer, thank goodness, was an emphatic YES!

Mock Tuna You Won’t Want to Mock!
After experimenting with a few versions of chickpea tuna salad on my own, I created this simple recipe that I swear I could eat every day!
I’m not sure why it took me so long to try vegan tuna salad. Perhaps it was my skepticism and anticipation of being disappointed but when I finally got around to trying this, it was anything but disappointing. I enjoy serving this vegan tuna salad recipe on crackers, in a Buddha bowl, or as a sandwich.
If you ever have a craving for “real” tuna salad, definitely give this mock tuna recipe a try. Odds are it will satisfy that craving, and it’s good for you! Love this recipe? Check out our full collection of vegetarian and vegan recipes for more delicious ideas!
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Vegan Tuna
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Rinse chickpeas in a strainer and place in a large bowl
- Add vegan mayonnaise, chopped celery, and chopped onion
- Mash the chickpeas to desired consistency (a potato masher works well for this step)
- Chill for 30 minutes before serving
Notes
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- No harmful additives such as anti-caking or anti-dumping agents






