If I need a quick and easy lunch, this Chickpea Tuna-less Salad is one of my go-tos. Weekdays for me are filled with appointments, errand running, and chores at home and I don’t always have a lot of time to spend preparing a meal for myself. That’s why this salad is perfect-it’s healthy and comes together in a flash!
Now I try to eat at least a cup of beans a day, if not more, for their health benefits. They are chock full of protein and fiber, and are antioxidant rich. This recipe is made with chickpeas (English term) a.k.a garbanzo beans (Spanish term). They are a great substitute for the tuna you would find in the traditional recipe.
How to make:
First, you’ll want to add your chickpeas to a medium size bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. You can also use a potato masher or even a food processor for this job. To me a fork creates the least amount of dishes, so that’s what I use 🙂 Leave about 1/3 of the chickpeas whole to give a little texture to your salad.
Next, add the rest of your ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Give a taste and add more mayo or pepper if needed. And that’s all there is to it!
“Mom” tip:
You can substitute 1/2 to 3/4 of a mashed avocado for the mayo in this recipe. This will bump up the fiber and nutrient content in the salad. It’ll be less tangy but will still taste great!
I usually have my Chickpea Tuna-less Salad over a big plate of greens with some balsamic vinegar or on my Four Ingredient Homemade Vegan Bread if I’m in the mood for a sandwich. My husband likes to use it as a dip for his chips or crackers. Let me know how you like to have it and tag @happily.athome on Instagram!
Chickpea Tuna-less Salad
Ingredients
- 1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 2 T red onion, finely diced
- 3-4 T mayo use dairy free mayo if vegan, I like Vegenaise-you can also use 1/2 to 3/4 mashed avocado in place of the mayo
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper you can use more or less depending on your taste
Instructions
- Add chickpeas to a medium size bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. Leave about 1/3 of the chickpeas unmashed to give the salad some texture.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
- Serve over greens or on toast and enjoy!
