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Front view of vegan tuna sandwich on a white plate with pickles on the side.
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Vegan Tuna

Looking for a healthy and hearty sandwich filling recipe? This Vegan Tuna is satisfying and delicious! It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and it's perfect for make-ahead lunches.
Course Entree, lunch
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 241kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 15.5 ounces canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) , drained and rinsed
  • 14.4 ounces canned hearts of palm , drained and rinsed, then cut in half lengthwise.
  • cup vegan mayo , more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic , more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill , more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
  • Fresh ground pepper , to taste

Optional Add-Ins

  • 1 stalk celery , finely diced
  • ½ small red onion , finely diced
  • 1.5 teaspoons dulse granules or kelp granules (see note)
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning , more to taste

To Serve

  • 6-8 slices of bread (gluten-free if preferred)
  • 3-4 pieces butter lettuce or preferred lettuce
  • 1-2 large tomatoes , sliced (optional)
  • 6-8 small pickle slices (add to toothpick on top or put inside sandwich)

Instructions

  • In a food processor, add the chickpeas and pulse 3-5 times, or until the beans are mostly broken down, but still have texture.
  • Add the hearts of palm and pulse 3-5 times until it has a tuna-like consistency. Scape down sides in between pulses. Don't pulse too many times or it will turn to mush.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine mayo, garlic, dill, salt, pepper, and optional Old Bay and Dulse/Kelp granules. Now add the garbanzo bean/hearts of palm mixture and optional celery, and onions. Combine well. Taste and add more seasoning or mayo if preferred.
  • Line a slice of bread with lettuce and tomato, then spread the mixture on the other slice. Close the sandwich together and cut diagonally. Use a toothpick to secure each half and add a pickle slice on top, if preferred. Repeat with the additional sandwiches. Serve with potato chips and enjoy!

Notes

  • This recipe will yield about 3-4 sandwiches.
  • 'Tuna' mixture add-in ideas: (just pick a few) diced pickles, chopped olives, or chopped pepperoncini, jarred jalapeño slices, fresh-cut parsley or dill, sliced green onion, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or cumin, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard, relish, squeeze of lemon, capers, sunflower seeds, fresh jalapeño (diced and deseeded).
  • Sandwich add-on ideas: sliced avocado, thinly sliced red onion, vegan cheese, shredded purple cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, sprouts, sliced cucumbers, and sliced bell pepper.
  • If you can't find kelp or dulse flakes/granules, you can crumble up a small snack-size piece of nori for an ocean-like flavor. 
  • The mixture will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days stored in an airtight container.
  • If you don't have a food processor, you can use two forks to mash and shred the mixture into a tuna-like texture. 
  • If you want to make this recipe oil-free, you can use my Vegan Mayo Recipe instead. 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Sandwich | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1425IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1.6mg