What to expect

vegan tuna on a slice of bread and cucumbers

We call this recipe vegan tuna just to give you an idea of what it can be used for, which is as a replacement for tuna, especially in salads, to stuff baked potatoes, in sandwiches, and appetizers. This recipe is not made to replace tuna steaks or tuna in sushi. And sure, it’s a lot less fishy than real fish, and don’t expect the exact same flavor as canned tuna.But what you can expect is a recipe that I kid you not, everyone will absolutely love. It has a texture that is really close to that of tuna salad made with canned tuna.The flavor is surprisingly similar too, thanks to the use of canned chickpeas, nori sheets for a fishy taste (in a good way), and other condiments you would normally find in tuna salad. Our favorite way to eat it that is in a sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce or to stuff a baked sweet potato. It’s so tasty, easy to make, fulfilling, and quite healthy too, with a moderate amount of fat and a good protein.

But it’s also great as an appetizer, to make bread canapés with cucumbers, or to stuff tomatoes or peppers. So delicious!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chickpeas: canned chickpeas are best to recreate the flavor of canned tuna.
Nori sheets: to add sea flavor and make it taste a little more like fish. Nori sheets are also very healthy with generous amounts of vitamins A, B and C, minerals like iodine and manganese, and are a great source of EPA omega-3 fatty acids.
Red Onion: it adds a touch of sweetness and color to the dish. You can replace it with white or yellow onion.
Celery: for crunch and freshness.
Pickles or/and capers: we like to add both, but also just one of them is enough to add a little acidity and tang to the vegan tuna. You could also use pickle relish if you prefer.
Lemon Juice: to add freshness and also to add a touch of acidity that brings out the other flavors.
Soy sauce: to boost umami and add a fishy touch (in a good way) to the tuna. Soy sauce is optional, but it does add a lot of flavors. You can try before and after adding soy sauce to taste the difference.
Mustard: to add that tangy, somewhat pungent taste that is so good in tuna salad. You can use Dijon mustard or any other mustard from a squeeze bottle.
Salt and black pepper: to taste, based on your dietary preferences.
Mayo: to bring everything together, add that silky and creamy mouthfeel, and make the dish irresistible. We like to use our own homemade vegan mayonnaise ready in 2 minutes, but you can use any Mayo of your choice.
Flat-leaf parsley: optional, but recommended to add color and freshness to the salad. It goes extremely well with this recipe. You can replace parsley with dill.

Serving suggestions

Vegan Tuna Appetizer

tomatoes and lettuce leaves filled with vegan tuna

We love serving this on small squares of sandwich bread and slices of cucumber. Cut the bread into dice (remove the edges if you like), then top it with a slice of a cucumber and a tablespoon of the vegan tuna. Top with a small piece of tomato.To make this even easier, you can use crackers instead of bread.You can also make stuffed cherry tomatoes. Cut off the top part of the tomato, then with a small teaspoon or small knife remove the inside of the tomato. Now fill them with vegan tuna and serve. They are perfect vegan starters!You can also use lettuce leaves or spinach leaves as a wrap to serve the tuna.

Vegan Tuna Sandwich

A tuna sandwich is a classic meal for lunch or an easy dinner. This plant-based version is similar and with strong parallels to real tuna. Toast the slices of bread first, then put 2 to 3 lettuce leaves, a slice of tomato, and a few tablespoons of the chickpea tuna. Cover with bread and enjoy! Let us know what you think if you try it.

Storage

Store the vegan tuna in the fridge for a couple of days. Best if in an airtight container. We don’t recommend freezing, but if you do so, do it in a freezer-friendly container, then thaw in the refrigerator. Do not freeze multiple times.

For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.