Best Mock Tuna Salad

This vegan chickpea salad is the original mock tuna recipe that’s been on hippie deli menus since the 1970s. Mashed chickpeas mimic the flaky texture of canned tuna remarkably well, and the celery-and-relish-heavy dressing makes the resemblance almost uncanny.

Mash with a fork or potato masher, not a food processor. The point is to break down some of the chickpeas to a paste while leaving plenty of half-intact pieces for the classic tuna-salad chunkiness. A processor turns it into hummus.

Grated carrot is what gives this version its signature sweetness and the orange flecks throughout that look almost like bits of pickle. Skip it and the salad reads more like generic chickpea mush.

The sweet dill relish is doing the heavy work in the flavor department. It contributes the briny tang that makes tuna salad taste like tuna salad. Sweet relish brings the sugar that classic American versions have. Hamburger relish or dill relish both work but taste slightly different.

For a fat-free version, swap the mayonnaise for yellow mustard. The mustard adds tang and color without the richness. It’s a different sandwich but still excellent and lighter.

Whole wheat bread or pita is the right vehicle. The mock-tuna texture and flavor goes best with hearty bread that holds up to the moisture and tastes earthy alongside it.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas well to wash off the starchy canning liquid that can make the salad slimy.
• Add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice for extra brightness and to amplify the tuna-salad illusion.
• For more authentic flavor, add 1 teaspoon of dulse flakes or crumbled nori. They provide the umami sea flavor that fish would normally bring.
• This salad gets better after an hour in the fridge as the flavors marry.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped dill pickle for extra crunch and tang.
• Stir in a tablespoon of capers for briny pop.
• Use vegan mayo for a fully plant-based version, the difference from regular mayo is undetectable here.