This smashed chickpea salad is something I eat year-round, and it’s so easy to pull together on the weekend so you don’t have to think about lunch during a busy week. Made with two cans of chickpeas and the accompaniments of a traditional tuna salad – chopped celery, red onion, dill relish and a creamy vegan mayonnaise – it’s a vegan alternative to the nostalgic classic.

The lightly smashed chickpeas give the flaky consistency of tuna, and the recipe is endlessly customizable. As written, it’s Plant-Based Whole30 compatible and certain to be worth the hype if you give it a try.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Tuna Salad

This updated take on smashed chickpea salad brings together fresh, bright ingredients. It’s a naturally vegan recipe that’s budget-friendly, protein-rich and made in 20 minutes.

Chickpea tuna salad is the kind of lunchtime staple you make once and enjoy for several days. It’s especially great to make during busy seasons, when you need something simple yet nourishing. It’s even better after a day in the refrigerator, letting the flavors come together.

My secret to making this extra delicious is the pickle juice, so definitely don’t skip out on that! I also like to add a little extra fresh, chopped dill to make it extra flavorful.

How to Serve Smashed Chickpea Salad

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know I’m big on versatility. This salad fits that theme perfectly. While it’s fantastic eaten with a spoon right out of the refrigerator, this smashed chickpea salad makes a great sandwich alternative.

If you’re doing a Plant-Based Whole30, try it:

• Scooped into lettuce cups
• Stuffed into half of a raw bell pepper
• Piled onto a bed of crisp romaine lettuce
• Served with cucumber slices

If you’re not doing a plant-based reset, try it:

• Served on whole grain bread
• Wrapped in a tortilla with a slice of cheese or plant-based alternative
• Tossed with cooked pasta for a Smashed Chickpea Pasta Salad

Because there’s no dairy, the flavors don’t dull in the fridge. In fact, they get brighter and more cohesive after a few hours, making it one of the best make-ahead recipes.

Achieving the Ideal Texture

A good chickpea tuna salad isn’t mushy. It should have dimension, which you can achieve by smashing about ¾ of the chickpeas and leaving some intact. This gives you a tuna-salad texture with just the right amount of bite.

If you overwork the chickpeas, it can turn into a paste. You want to have the vegetables and stir-in ingredients like onion and celery cut to pieces similar in size to a whole chickpea for a cohesive blend.

Looking for more plant-based recipes? Try my popular Tofu & Spinach Stir Fry or Roasted Cauliflower with Butter Beans. Both recipes are Plant-Based Whole30 compatible, as written.

One of the challenges of eating a plant-based diet can be finding meals that feel hearty and satisfying without relying on eggs or dairy. Vegan Tuna Salad with Chickpeas solves that problem with simple ingredients that are filling and will keep you coming back for more.