Vegan tuna salad

This fishless tuna (funa) is really simple to make and tastes like canned tuna in brine. A lot of people like to make vegan tuna out of sunflower seeds or chickpeas, but I get the best result using a combination of the two.

This vegan tuna salad is elevated with the addition of these marinated mixed chickpeas. Suddenly, eating a salad for lunch isn’t the worst thing in the world. So, file this recipe in your list of best vegetarian recipes for lunch or those nights when you just can’t be bothered to cook. It will simultaneously nourish and satisfy you.

Vegan tuna salad
Serves 4 

For the tuna
1/2 cup chickpeas (cooked or canned)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

For the salad
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 gem lettuces, stems removed
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, or 4-5 small vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
BA’s Marinated Mixed Beans (I use 1 cup of cooked chickpeas only in this recipe)
Radish, to serve
Dill, to serve

Add all tuna ingredients to a food processor and process on high until ingredients are combined. You want there to still be some texture, but overall, the tuna should be paste-like. Set aside.

Combine dijon, olive oil, nutritional yeast and lemon juice in a small bowl to make the dressing. Whisk until combined, then set aside.

In a large bowl, add lettuce, tomatoes, onion, marinated chickpeas, dressing and spoonfuls of tuna. Mix well to combine, before garnishing with radish and dill.