Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad (Print)

Protein-packed vegan chickpea tuna salad nestled in crisp cucumber boats for a refreshing meal or snack.

# Components:

→ Chickpea Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
03 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
05 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons dill pickles, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon capers, drained and chopped
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cucumber Boats

13 - 2 large English cucumbers

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly broken down while maintaining some texture.
02 - Add vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red onion, celery, dill pickles, dill, capers, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until fully combined.
03 - Taste the mixture and adjust salt and pepper as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
04 - Wash the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise to create two halves per cucumber.
05 - Using a spoon, gently scoop out the seeds from each cucumber half to create a boat cavity, preserving enough cucumber flesh for structural integrity.
06 - Pat the cucumber boats dry with paper towels if excess moisture is present.
07 - Spoon the chickpea salad evenly into each cucumber boat, gently pressing to ensure proper filling.
08 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes with zero cooking, which means you can make it on your worst day and still feel accomplished.
  • The flavors hit every note—briny, tangy, garlicky, fresh—so your taste buds don't feel like they're missing anything.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, but tastes so good that nobody needs to know unless you tell them.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas—that starchy liquid will make your salad separate and weep within hours, which completely changes the texture.
  • Scoop the cucumber seeds gently or you'll puncture the skin and create leaky boats that fall apart the moment you fill them.
03 -
  • Use a melon baller instead of a spoon to scoop out cucumber seeds more efficiently—it creates a perfect cavity without damaging the walls.
  • If your vegan mayo is very thick, thin it with a teaspoon of plant-based milk before mixing so it coats the chickpeas smoothly rather than creating gluey pockets.
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