If you’re looking for an easy, tasty vegan tuna salad recipe, you found it.

And I’ll tell you the secret ingredient right away: seaweed snacks. That’s what gives this chickpea salad its “taste of the sea.”

I like to serve this recipe as an open-faced sandwich on toasted sourdough bread, with sprouts or micro greens. It’s also good on a hamburger bun with lettuce. Or, if you have a slice of vegan cheddar or two, you can toast it in the oven for a tuna melt.

Basic Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwiches

(makes 4 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 T lemon juice
• 2 T dill pickle relish
• 3 T vegan mayo (such as Vegenaise)
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 sprinkle of black pepper
• 3 or 4 seaweed snacks, crushed

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then mash them in a medium-sized bowl. You can use a fork or a potato masher, or pulse them in a food processor.
2. Add the vegan mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, lemon juice, dried dill, seaweed, salt, and pepper. Mix well. (Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.)
3. To make a sandwich, top a slice of toasted bread with the vegan tuna salad and garnish with sprouts.
4. Refrigerate the rest of the “tuna” salad in a sealed container. Keeps up to one week.

Notes:

• Use wasabi-flavored seaweed snacks for a spicy kick!
• I do make my own sourdough bread, but I am by no means an expert. If you want sourdough recipes, Mississippi Vegan has some really good ones.
• Pro tip: Save the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) to make these awesome Amaretti Cookies. You won’t regret it.