If you’re looking for a plant-based replacement for tuna salad, look no further! This healthy Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad is a delicious alternative that tastes like the real thing. It’s also gluten-free and ready in less than 15 minutes.

vegan tuna salad with chickpeas serving bowl.

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 and great for taking to parties, barbecues, or potlucks.

This recipe takes me back to my childhood when a simple tuna salad was a lunchtime favorite. 

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Canned chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are affordable and easy to find.
  • You can make this simple salad in less than 15 minutes. It’s perfect for meal prepping or if you just need something fast and easy.
  • This recipe can be adapted to your needs. If you don’t like onion, just leave it out. If you only have yellow mustard instead of grainy mustard, you that instead.

Key Ingredients

vegan tuna salad with chickpeas ingredients.
  • This Ocean-Friendly Mock Tuna Salad uses vegan mayonnaise, grainy mustard, and sweet pickle relish for flavoring.
  • The celery and red onion provide characteristic crunch, and the gently-smashed garbanzo beans give a nice texture.
  • A splash of fresh lemon juice brings the whole salad together! Feel free to add salt and black pepper to taste.

Recipe Steps

vegan tuna salad with chickpeas process photo.

You won’t believe how easy it is to throw together this vegan chickpea tuna salad recipe. You can serve it like a traditional tuna salad on butter lettuce, or throw it on a piece of toast for a quick lunch.

Serve it with dill pickles, hearts of pal, or whatever sides you like. My husband likes it with potato chips.

Step One

Gather your ingredients including garbanzo beans, vegan mayo, Dijon mustard, relish, onion, and celery.

Prep the ingredients including rinsing and draining a can of chickpeas and chopping the onion and celery.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Two

Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl, using the back of a spoon or fork to gently smash the garbanzo beans. You can also use a potato masher if you want the mashed chickpeas to have a more smashed texture.

As an alternative, you can throw the ingredients into a food processor to gently pulse to combine.

Step Three

Serve your vegan tuna salad recipe chilled or at room temperature.

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 with a tomato slice (be sure to use gluten-free bread if you’re on a gluten-free diet).

vegan tuna salad with chickpeas texture.

Recipe Tips

  • Feel free to use white beans instead of garbanzo beans.
  • Double the ingredients to make a double batch!
  • Most commercial mayo brands use eggs. So, you need to look for a vegan mayo in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.
  • Feel free to get creative with your mock tuna salad. You can add fresh dill or parsley, chopped bell peppers, sunflower seeds, or even add chopped dulce or thinly sliced nori sheets for a sea flavor that adds even more of a mock tuna flavoring.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make a vegan tuna melt with this salad?

Yes! You’ll need some bread and vegan cheese. Layer the ingredients and place your sandwich in a panini maker or on a grill to make a vegan tuna sandwich melt.

Can I use chickpeas to make a mock egg salad?

Yes! The recipe would be very similar except I would add fresh chopped dill, green onion, and a touch of maple syrup, and leave out the pickle relish.

Don’t Miss These Vegan Salads!

Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad (Copycat Recipe)

Watermelon Beet Salad

Baby Romaine Salad Recipe

Food Processor Chopped Salad

More Easy Vegan Recipes You Might Like

You might also like my round-up of the Best Eat to Live Recipes!

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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vegan tuna salad with chickpeas bowl hero.

Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad

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5 from 8 reviews

Print Recipe

If you’re looking for a plant-based replacement for tuna salad, look no further! This healthy Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad is a delicious alternative that tastes like the real thing. It’s also gluten-free and ready in less than 15 minutes.

  • Total Time: 11 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 15–ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons pickle relish
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
  • 1/4 onion, chopped finely
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

Instructions

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the garbanzo beans, celery, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion, and lemon juice.
  2. Stir to combine. Use the flat side of a fork to smash some of the beans.
  3. Serve over chopped romaine as a salad entrée, wrapped in a tortilla for a wrap, or on toasted bread for a sandwich.

Notes

  1. This salad will keep in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed container for up to 5 days.
  2. Be sure to use gluten-free bread or toast if you are on a gluten-free diet.
  3. You can use white beans instead of garbanzo beans.
  4. Most commercial mayo brands use eggs. So, you need to look for a vegan mayo in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.
  5. Feel free to get creative with your mock tuna salad. You can add fresh chopped dill or parsley, or even add chopped dulce for a “sea” flavor that adds even more of a mock tuna flavoring.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup
  • Calories: 163
  • Sugar: 1.7 g
  • Sodium: 383.5 mg
  • Fat: 6.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Fiber: 6.5 g
  • Protein: 7.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is studying to be a holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.