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Chickpea Tuna Salad Recipe

Chickpea Tuna Salad

Steven
This chickpea tuna salad combines canned tuna with mashed chickpeas, crunchy celery, and a creamy lemon dressing for a salad that tastes familiar but feels a whole lot more satisfying. It comes together in about 15 minutes with zero cooking required.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Fork or potato masher
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Citrus juicer - optional
  • Can opener

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cans tuna - 5 ounces each, drained
  • 1 can chickpeas - 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise - 80ml
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice - fresh
  • 1/2 cup celery - finely chopped, about 60g
  • 1/4 cup red onion - finely chopped, about 30g
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill - chopped, about 6g
  • salt - to taste
  • black pepper - to taste

Instructions
 

  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then drain the tuna and add both to a large mixing bowl.
  • Mash the chickpeas and tuna together with a fork or potato masher until mashed but still chunky.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice until smooth.
  • Finely chop the celery, red onion, and fresh dill.
  • Add the chopped celery, red onion, dill pickle relish, and fresh dill to the bowl with the mashed chickpeas and tuna. Pour the dressing over the top and fold everything together until evenly combined.
  • Season with salt and black pepper to taste, stir again, and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

  • Don't over-mash the chickpeas. You want texture, not a paste, so leave some pieces mostly whole.
  • Press out as much liquid as possible from the tuna before adding it, otherwise the salad can turn watery.
  • Chop the celery and onion finely so every bite has a bit of crunch without large chunks.
  • Let the salad sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving if you have time. This allows the flavors to meld together.
  • Taste before adding salt, since canned tuna and pickle relish already carry some sodium.
  • Greek yogurt can be swapped in for part or all of the mayo if you want a lighter version.
  • For a spicy kick, add a spoonful of sriracha or a dash of hot sauce to the dressing.
  • This salad keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
  • Not recommended for freezing, as the texture of the mayo-based dressing and chickpeas will change significantly.
  • If meal prepping, you can prepare all ingredients except the dressing and combine them fresh the day you plan to eat it.
Keyword chickpea tuna salad, high protein salad, no cook tuna salad, tuna chickpea salad