This vegan tuna salad can be made into a vegan tuna melt or use in a tuna salad sandwich. It’s creamy, delicious comfort food without the fish, eggs, or cholesterol!

A tuna sandwich is one of those things that reminds me of my childhood, and for some reason, I just feel like my vegan kids need to know what one tastes like as well.

Does this recipe use chickpeas?

No, this is not one of those chickpea tuna recipes. I have seen a lot of recipes floating around for chickpea “tuna” salad sandwiches. They are delicious. I make them as well, however, I craved the taste and texture of that classic tuna sandwich that I ate as a child. I fiddled around with ingredients and proportions until I came up with something pretty darn close to the taste and texture that I remember!

What do you use instead of chickpeas?

I used TVP (textured vegetable protein) for the “tuna.” It is a dehydrated soy protein that absorbs the flavor of whatever you re-hydrate it in. (You can usually find TVP easily at any natural foods store or most major grocery stores in the Bob’s Red Mill section).



What other ways can I use this tuna salad?

Put the tuna salad on toast, on a lettuce wrap, or eat it on crackers. Whatever way you choose, it will be delicious!

How do you make vegan tuna salad? Make a broth out kelp flakes and salt and re-hydrate the TVP in the broth in to give it that fishy taste. Allow the TVP to soak up all of the broth and cool down a little.

Add vegan mayo to the TVP mixture and some finely chopped celery if desired. Give it all a good stir and use it as you would tuna salad. Notes: This vegan tuna salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. (However, my family always eats it up before it has a chance to go bad).

You can use any store-bought vegan mayo or you can make your own in about 3 minutes using my homemade vegan mayo recipe. How do I make a vegan tuna melt? Make a sandwich with this tuna salad mixture and a slice of vegan cheese on it. Spread some vegan butter on the outer slices of the bread Grill it on a skillet over medium-low heat until it’s golden brown and the cheese is melted. If you need great vegan cheese or you want more tips on how to grill a perfect vegan sandwich check out my post on a vegan grilled cheese sandwich.

Need a gluten-free vegan tuna salad sandwich?

The vegan tuna salad itself is gluten-free. If you put it on gluten-free bread, you will have a gluten-free meal!

Want another great sandwich from your childhood?

Make sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan recipe ideas and tag me @thehiddenveggies so I can see your sandwich too!