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    You are here: Home / Sandwiches / Vegan Tuna Salad

    LAST UPDATED: July 13, 2021 • FIRST PUBLISHED: April 30, 2021

    Vegan Tuna Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Tuna Salad

    Vegan tuna salad that actually tastes like the stuff you grew up eating! Chickpeas and heart of palm give it the perfect texture, but the real magic is in the dulse flakes that infuse it with the perfect savory seafood flavor.

    Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich on a Plate with Dishes in the Background

    I'm going to be straight with you guys: back when I ate meat, Actually, I really didn't like any kind of fish. Hey, I was a kid, and a lot of kids aren't into fish, right?

    So I tend to have a hard time developing veganized recipes for dishes that include fish. Sometimes I need a little help!

    I had a reader suggest the use of dulse flakes to give that ocean-y flavor to my vegan crab cakes, and well, I thought it was a great idea. 

    Dulse is a type of edible seaweed that you can buy in dried form for cooking and snacking. So I bought a bag and have been using it in some vegan seafood recipes. I started by including them in the marinade for these scallops. And now I've gone and put it into my vegan tuna salad.

    Let's talk about how this is done!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make Vegan Tuna Salad
    • Shelf Life & Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Vegan Seafood Recipes
    • Vegan Tuna Salad

    What You'll Need

    • Heart of palm. Look for this in cans or jars, near the other canned or jarred veggies at your supermarket.
    • Chickpeas. Use chickpeas that are precooked or canned.
    • Vegan mayonnaise.
    • Red onion. Yellow onion works as a substitute, but your salad will have a bit more bite to it.
    • Celery.
    • Pickle relish. You can finely dice up some dill pickles if this isn't something you normally buy.
    • Dijon mustard. Preferably use whole grain. I really like Trader Joe's brand!
    • Red wine vinegar. White vinegar or white wine vinegar can be subbed if you don't have this on hand.
    • Dulse flakes. You can leave these out if you prefer, but they'll add fishy flavor to your salad.
    • Salt & pepper.

    Tip: Adjust the seasonings to your own personal taste. Feel free to include your favorite add-ins. Dill, grapes, and sunflower seeds would all be excellent.

    How to Make Vegan Tuna Salad

    The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you'd prefer to skip right to the recipe!

    • Start by roughly chopping up your heart of palm. Add it to a bowl and shred it with a fork.
    Glass Bowl Filled with Shredded Heart of Palm for Making Vegan Tuna Salad
    • Add your chickpeas and mash them up a bit.
    Glass Bowl Filled with Mashed Chickpeas and Heart of Palm for Making Vegan Tuna Salad
    • Now you can stir in everything else: mayo, celery, relish, Dijon, red wine vinegar, and the dulse flakes.
    Glass Bowl Filled with Heart of Palm, Chickpeas, Vegan Mayo, Mustard, Celery and Relish for Making Vegan Tuna Salad
    • Stuff it in a sandwich, wrap it in a tortilla, or throw a scoop on some greens.
    Vegan Tuna Salad on a Slice of Bread with Lettuce, Tomato and Onion Slices

    Shelf Life & Storage

    Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. 

    Tip: For maximum flavor, make this vegan tuna salad a day in advance. 

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    It is!

    Where can I find dulse flakes?

    Try health food stores like Whole Foods. If you don't have one nearby, buy your dulse online.

    Is there a substitute for dulse flakes?

    No, but you can leave them out. They add an oceany flavor to the salad, but the recipe will still be delicious without them!

    How is vegan tuna salad served?

    It's usually served in a sandwich, but is also excellent in a wrap, over greens, or spread on crackers!

    More Vegan Seafood Recipes

    • Crispy Vegan Fish Fillet Sandwiches
    • Vegan Ceviche
    • Tofu & Artichoke Scampi
    • Vegan Paella
    • Vegan Poke Bowls
    Close Up of a Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich on a Plate

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich on a Plate
    4.89 from 9 votes
    Print

    Vegan Tuna Salad

    Vegan tuna salad that actually tastes like the stuff you grew up eating! Chickpeas and heart of palm give it the perfect texture, but the real magic is in the dulse flakes that infuse it with the perfect savory seafood flavor.

    Course Salad, Sandwich
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 208 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) can heart of palm, drained
    • 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • ¼ cup vegan mayo (I used Just Mayo)
    • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
    • 1 celery stalk, diced
    • 2 tablespoons pickle relish
    • 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon dulse flakes (or more, to taste)
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Chop the hearts of palm into ½-inch pieces and place them into a small mixing bowl. Use a fork to shred the pieces (shred them finely, or keep them chunky - your call).

    2. Add the chickpeas to the bowl and lightly mash them with a fork or potato masher.

    3. Stir in the mayo, red onion, celery, relish, mustard, vinegar, and dulse flakes. 

    4. Taste-test and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust any other seasonings to your liking.

    5. Serve.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Tuna Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 208 Calories from Fat 104
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11.5g18%
    Saturated Fat 1.2g6%
    Sodium 802mg33%
    Potassium 370mg11%
    Carbohydrates 21.8g7%
    Fiber 5.5g22%
    Sugar 2.6g3%
    Protein 5.8g12%
    Calcium 60mg6%
    Iron 4.3mg24%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
    Smoky Black Bean Burgers »

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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. andrea says

      April 04, 2018 at 4:24 pm

      Do you think I can use artichoke hearts instead of hearts of palm?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 04, 2018 at 9:18 pm

        I think so! The texture and flavor will be a bit different, but still delicious I'm sure. :) I'd chop them up really finely since they're not as stringy as heart of palm.

        Reply
    2. Julie says

      April 04, 2018 at 6:07 pm

      Such a great idea! I hate to be one of those people, but I cannot eat chickpeas, can they be substituted? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 04, 2018 at 9:17 pm

        You could try subbing cannellini or navy beans - would either of those work? Otherwise, you could just use some extra heart of palm. Enjoy!!

        Reply
    3. Albert Bevia says

      April 05, 2018 at 6:06 am

      I have to give it you, this is such a creative recipe and the tuna salad looks like....well tuna salad! never heard of dulse flakes, now I have a reason to buy it and try it out....amazing recipe

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 08, 2018 at 6:45 pm

        Yes! Definitely get your hands on some dulse flakes - they're awesome in recipes like this. :) Thanks Albert!

        Reply
    4. jenna says

      April 05, 2018 at 9:17 am

      This looks great! Dulse is like a secret weapon in the kitchen. I recently used it to make Maryland crab(less) soup. Between the dulse and Old Bay seasoning, the soup was spot on.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 08, 2018 at 6:44 pm

        Oh, that sounds DELICIOUS! I'm really just starting to play around with dulse in the kitchen, but it's really amazing stuff. :)

        Reply
    5. Maria Doan Trager says

      April 06, 2018 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      OMG!!! I just made this for lunch and oh my!!! Soooo good!!! This an amazing website!! I’ve tried a lot of things and I cook for one vegan and the leftovers don’t last long 😍

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 08, 2018 at 6:42 pm

        Yay!! I'm so glad you liked it, and that you're enjoying the recipes!! Thanks Maria!

        Reply
    6. Michelle says

      April 07, 2018 at 1:29 am

      Thankyou Alissa for all your fantastic recipes that you've shared....the ones I have tried have been amazingly good! Wanting to try this one but I don't have Dulse flakes, could I crumble up a nori sheet or two?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 08, 2018 at 6:36 pm

        I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipes! I think some nori would work. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

        Reply
        • Carey says

          February 09, 2019 at 5:20 pm

          5 stars
          Crumbled Nori and cannelini beans work great as subtitutes. I prefer dulse, but the nori is what I had. Great recipe!

          As a note, mine came out a little wet. Drain the canned items well!

          And thanks for the recipe link at the top. One of the most annoying parts of online recipes is scrolling through someone's autobiography just to get a look at even the simplest recipe.

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            February 10, 2019 at 8:38 pm

            Glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much Carey!

            Reply
    7. Jackie says

      April 09, 2018 at 2:13 pm

      Ok so fun story, I made red lentils in my instant pot last week. I pre-soaked them, cooked them, and then totally forgot about them in the IP with the lid on for at least an hour. When I took them out they looked like mashed potatos BUT they tasted like deviled eggs! (they tasted great over rice with salt and pepper, bbq sauce and spinach and some tofutti) My idea next time is to add some vegan mayo, onion and celery and see if I can turn it into an egg salad sandwhich :-D oh it smells just like eggs too which is the only down side lol

      Reply
    8. scott jacobs says

      April 13, 2018 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      Sooooo good!!! I have pulse sea vegetables put them in the oven on 200 for 15 minutes ish crushed them into flakes, as well used a healthy pinch of Dulce granules and minced garlic. Off the hook> Love it!!! Thanks for another amazing idea. So easy ta boot!

      Reply
    9. Alexandria Phillips says

      November 04, 2018 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      So so so good! My new favorite mock tuna salad. I made a double batch for dinner for the family tonight and leftovers for lunch tomorrow. All of my kids gobbled it up.

      Reply
    10. Amber says

      April 07, 2019 at 7:55 pm

      4 stars
      Yummy and quick, yes. Tastes like real tuna salad, nope. I eat vegan 95% of the time, but I still eat dairy, eggs and seafood occasionally. I am always looking for vegan options to replace my favorite non-vegan dishes. This one, while delicious in its own right is nothing like the real deal both flavor and texture wise. It looks like tuna salad, but even my husband that no longer eats seafood said it tasted "weird" at first, then after a couple of bites decided he liked it quite a bit. I will absolutely make this again, but without the expectation of tuna flavor.

      Thanks for the yummy dinner!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 13, 2019 at 3:23 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if if it didn't taste like tuna to you. :)

        Reply
    11. Diyah says

      June 22, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is so good! It’s become a lunch dish I make every weekend now. My husband and 6 year old specifically request it (don’t have many dishes like that). Now I have to double the recipe because my husband likes having leftovers for lunch during the week and my son asks for it for his school lunches. The only thing I omit is the dulse flakes because I don’t have it. I still feel like it has a tuna smell/taste without it. I also omit the relish bc my husband doesn’t like pickles. Thanks again for this awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 23, 2019 at 4:09 pm

        Wonderful! I'm so glad it's a hit!

        Reply
    12. Karen says

      June 28, 2019 at 10:54 pm

      5 stars
      I've been meaning to try this recipe, and even bought Maine Coast Sea Vegetable dulse flakes and hearts of palm a while back. Both of those were ingredients I wasn't sure I'd like, like tempeh, nutritional yeast or Jackfruit (all of which are less scary once you actually have the courage to try them.) :)

      Lo and behold, this was really good. It's been years since I've eaten "real" tuna salad, but this is definitely close enough for me. Good texture, and flavor. Think it might become a cool summer sandwich recipe on heavy rotation.

      Thanks for all your fantastic recipes Alissa. I really look forward to them!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 30, 2019 at 2:15 pm

        So funny - my husband and I were just eating a dish made with soy curls and commenting on how they fall right into that category of vegan foods that don't sound very good until you've tried them! I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Thanks so much Karen!

        Reply
    13. Walter says

      July 16, 2019 at 1:05 pm

      Dumb question. Do you remove the skin from the chickpeas? I rinsed mine, then used a paper towel to dry them. As I was rubbing the chickpeas, I noticed the skin coming off. So I continued rubbing and got all the skin off. If there is a difference in taste, I haven't noticed.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 21, 2019 at 11:05 am

        I don't remove the skin, just because it's a bit more work than I'm willing to put in. :) There might be a slightly different texture, but I think the taste would be the same.

        Reply
    14. Nadine says

      January 29, 2020 at 6:39 pm

      Hi Alissa,

      Can kelp flakes be used in place of the dulse flakes
      for the tuna salad recipe ?

      Thank you !!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 30, 2020 at 9:06 am

        Hi Nadine! I think kelp flakes would work just fine. I'd add a small amount at a time and taste test, since I'm not sure if the measurement would be the same.

        Reply
        • Morgan L says

          April 30, 2021 at 4:58 pm

          5 stars
          I did use kelp flakes instead of dulse, but only about a teaspoon. I don't know how it compares to the recipe with dulse, but the kelp addition was terrific.

          Reply
    15. Millie Prebel says

      February 04, 2020 at 9:21 am

      Did you use sweet or dill relish?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 08, 2020 at 11:00 am

        I used dill, but sweet would be delicious as well!

        Reply
    16. Michael Schwaba says

      March 28, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      Hi Alissa
      I've been following your site and your recipes for a couple of months now. I love everything I have made! One of the first things I made was your vegan tuna salad. I took a sandwich for lunch, and it was so good, the next day I made TWO sandwiches. I have also made your vegan meatloaf, and it too was very tasty. I got your burger book and will be experimenting with some of those recipes, and looking forward to it. Thank you Alissa. Great job!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 29, 2021 at 8:20 pm

        Hi Michael! Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so glad you're enjoying the site and my recipes. The tuna is one of my favorites for lunch this time of year. I hope you enjoy the burgers!

        Reply
    17. Morgan L says

      April 30, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Oh Alyssa, this is so good! I had just come home from a long walk, was super hungry, and checked my email before making something for lunch. Ta da! Your recipe was there and I made it straightaway. It's just perfection: salty and crunchy and savory and yes, so much like the "real" thing -- but so much better. Thank you!!

      Reply

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