This is the Ultimate Vegan Tuna Sandwich.
I make a tub of this “tuna” mix every weekend and pretty much live on it throughout the week, the same way my twenty-something self lived on real tuna. And every time I take a bite, I’m still amazed at how much it tastes like tuna.
The natural brine flavor from chickpeas and canned hearts of palm, plus the addition of kelp flakes gives this mock tuna the fishiness of the real deal, without harming any sea life.
Kelp flakes are a type of ground seaweed and are readily available in the fish section of most grocery and health/natural food stores these days, as well as online.
I like using a mix of chickpeas and hearts of palm for this salad to capture both the texture and color of chunk tuna from the mashed chickpeas and the flakiness of tender hearts of palm that mimic tuna so well.
The Ultimate Vegan Tuna Salad
Prep time: 20 minutes
Makes 6 sandwiches
1 x 14oz can chickpeas, drained
1 x 14oz can hearts of palm, drained and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
2 green onions, diced
½ kosher dill pickle, diced
1 teaspoon green relish
1 teaspoon ballpark mustard
¼ – ½ teaspoon sriracha
½ teaspoon tamari
1 heaping tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
½ teaspoon kelp flakes
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1. In a medium-size bowl, combine the chickpeas and hearts of palm and mash using a fork or potato masher until semi-chunky, but spreadable.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and sriracha as needed.
