Chickpea Tuna Salad (Tunacado)

This Chickpea Tuna Salad is going to blow your mind! Trust me when I say it's one of the best sandwiches I've had in such a long time!  It's inspired by the viral Tunacado - Joe and the juice sandwich...but better!

It makes the perfect healthy lunch and is so easy to make! It's also great for meal prep as you can make a batch of the chickpea tuna salad and you have an easy lunch for days! You can eat it in a sandwich, wrap, lettuce cups and it's even great with crackers or pita chips for a snack.

The traditional Tunacado uses Basil Pesto, but here I've made this with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto which is unreal as a sandwich spread! The flavors work so well!

Using chickpeas in replacement of tuna is a great alternative to make a vegetarian or vegan tuna salad! It's high in protein and fiber to keep you full. It doesn't taste like actual tuna, but it does have a similar look and texture. If you prefer actual tuna, I also have a Healthy Tuna Salad recipe I've shared before.

This recipe is such a fun twist on the viral sandwich by making it a vegetarian or vegan tunacado sandwich so everyone can enjoy it!

Table of Contents

• Ingredients and Substitutions
• Sandwich filling (Tunacado remake)
• How to make Chickpea Tuna Salad (Tunacado)
• Tips to make Chickpea Tuna Salad
• Storage
• What to serve with Chickpea Tuna Salad?
• More Healthy Sandwiches
• Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chickpeas are the star and the base of the chickpea salad of course! They’re also known as Garbanzo beans. They're a great vegan tuna salad alternative as they are high in protein and fiber
• Green onions add a nice crunch and have a light taste. You can also use red onion or a clove or garlic as a substitute which will have a stronger taste. Another great addition is adding finely chopped celery for more crunch and freshness
• Fresh parsley gives a lovely freshness.  Chives, cilantro or fresh dill would be great too. I recommend using fresh herbs 
• Lemon juice brings a nice tang and light acidity. I always prefer a fresh squeeze
• Mayonnaise, I’ve used kewpie mayonnaise but you can also use vegan mayo to keep this as a vegan chickpea tuna salad. If you want to keep it mayo free, you can also use Greek yogurt.
• Sriracha sauce is added for a little spicy kick. You can substitute it with your favorite hot sauce, sriracha aioli or even red pepper flakes. 

Sandwich filling (Tunacado remake)

• Thin slices of bread - I’ve used wholegrain bread. You can sue rye bread, sourdough bread or gluten-free bread. You'll need thin flatbread to get close to the Tunacado copycat
• Sun dried tomato pesto is used as the spread rather than the classic basil pesto which is in the traditional Joe and the Juice Tunacado. I like to make my own Sun dried tomato pesto which is super easy to make
• Tomato slices, here I’ve used an ox’s heart tomato but any tomatoes will work 
• Avocado of course! Ensure to use a ripe avocado which brings a natural creaminess to the sandwich  

How to make Chickpea Tuna Salad (Tunacado)

Here are my easy steps to make this delicious and addictive chickpea tuna in no time.

1. Start by draining the chickpeas and on a chopping board, use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash them. You would want a tuna-like consistency, so make sure to not leave any whole chickpeas. Chop parsley and slice some green onions and add all to a bowl
2. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl (mayonnaise, sriracha, sprinkle of salt and lemon juice)
3. Stir together until well combined, it should resemble tuna (as pictured)
4. Add in a sandwich (like I have, as a tunacado) or eat with crackers or lettuce cups

Tips to make Chickpea Tuna Salad

• Mash your chickpeas on a chopping board to make it easier to mash. You can use a potato masher or even a fork to achieve the texture you like, but its best not to have any whole chickpeas left as they will fall out
• If you want the same Joe and the Juice Tunacado sandwich consistency, you’ll need a food processor or a blender. Their sandwich is a tuna mousse so its blended or pulsed to a smooth consistency with the other ingredients. I personally prefer a little texture in my chickpea tuna salad
• Another great addition is adding chopped celery for more crunch and freshness. Make sure to chop the celery nice and finely
• To easily make it a vegan tuna salad, use a plant-based mayonnaise and ensure to make it a vegan pesto and you're good to go
• Make your bread extra crunchy by toasting the pieces of bread in either a panini press or a skillet with extra virgin olive oil until each side is golden brown. You can also press the bread down in the pan

Storage

• Store the chickpea tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge and it will hold for 3-4 days. 
• I like to make a double batch of the chickpea tuna salad for meal prep. It makes a super easy lunch as all you'll need to do is assemble the sandwich on the day

What to serve with Chickpea Tuna Salad?

There are so many ways to enjoy this chickpea tuna salad! Here are some of my favortie ways to serve it:

• Sandwich
• Wrap
• Lettuce cups
• Crackers
• Pita chips or corn chips
• On a salad

More Healthy Sandwiches

• Greek wrap
• Chopped Italian Sandwich
• Falafel Wrap
• Halloumi Burger
• Grinder Salad (Viral Tiktok Recipe)
• Homemade Crunchwrap
• Vegan Sandwich
• Healthy Tuna Salad
• Wrap Ideas (8 fillings)

I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Chickpea Tuna Salad photo on Instagram so I can share the love

Recipe