This Mexican-style vegan chickpea tuna salad is next level! This vegan tuna salad is packed with nutrients, and flavor, and has the perfect texture from combining mashed chickpeas, shredded jackfruit, and meaty hearts of palm.
Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad
This isn’t your typical vegan chickpea tuna salad, it’s better than any vegan tuna salad recipe out there, but let me explain. The original chickpea tuna salad does not pack all the various textures that this one does. I used a combination of jackfruit, hearts of palm, and mashed chickpeas to achieve the best texture. The flavor comes together with the typical Mexican veggie combination I used: tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, avocado, pickled jalapeños, and lime juice.
This isn’t going to taste 100% like canned tuna but expect it to be pretty darn close or maybe even better. I personally was never a HUGE fan of tuna salad but I absolutely love this recipe. It’s perfect for picnics, get-togethers, easy meal prep, and even for snacking. I highly recommend this recipe for those that like tuna, for those that don’t, and for those that want a new spin on a tuna salad!
Key Ingredients for the best Mexican-style Tuna Salad
- Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas but feel free to boil your own chickpeas at home. I don’t recommend substituting these ingredients for anything else.
- Hearts of palm: This is used as a vegan fish substitute in many recipes because of its fish-like texture. I get mine at trader Joe’s because it can be pricey at other grocery stores.
- Jackfruit: I highly recommend buying it canned. I also buy this at Trader Joe’s because of how affordable it is. Many people are turned off by the brine taste and have a hard time getting it out. If you struggle with the brine flavor I highly recommend rinsing it well and then placing it in fresh water with a bit of lime juice overnight to get rid of the brine flavor.
- Nori/seaweed: This adds a nice “fishy” flavor to the recipe. If you prefer no fishy flavor at all, feel free to leave it out.
- Vegan Mayo: I personally like Follow your Heart vegan mayo but you can also make your own at home. Click here for a great recipe for homemade vegan mayonnaise.
- Cracker/Tostadas: I love using crackers for this recipe because that is how I would eat tuna salad as a kid. My favorite crackers are Simple Mill seed crackers.
More Easy & Nutritious Mexican Recipes:
Mexican Zucchini (Calabacitas a la Mexicana)
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Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad (Mexican-style)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Mexican-style vegan chickpea tuna salad is next level! This vegan tuna salad is packed with nutrients, and flavor, and has the perfect texture from combining mashed chickpeas, shredded jackfruit, and meaty hearts of palm.
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
- 1 15 oz can of hearts of palm, drained
- 1 20 oz can of jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed well
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 4–6 sheets of nori (seaweed)
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise (see above)
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1–2 limes, juiced
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the hearts of palm, chickpeas, and especially jackfruit to get rid of the brine flavor.
- Add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and mash them using the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
- Use your hands to shred the jackfruit apart. Use a paper towel to absorb excess liquid if possible. Add to the mixing bowl.
- Dice hearts of palm to your liking. I like dicing it into ¼-inch pieces. Add to the mixing bowl. Use your hands to crumble the sheets of nori on top.
- Add everything to the mixing bowl along with the diced veggies, lime juice, mayonnaise, jalapenos, salt, and pepper.
- Mix everything together well, taste, and add lime/salt/pepper as needed. Serve with crackers, tostadas, or as a sandwich, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Category: Salads
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
