Easy Vegan Chickpea Tuna Pasta Salad

Creamy, crunchy, savory, and fresh, this easy vegan chickpea tuna pasta salad is everything you'd want in a summer salad. It's got that rich umami flavor we know and love in a tuna salad, without any real tuna! Confidently tote this vegan pasta salad to your summer barbecues and picnics, and it will be well-received by all.

You Will Love This Recipe

• It's simple. Would you expect anything else from an Easy Chickpeasy recipe? Some light chopping and smashing and you're golden. 
• It's adaptable. As always, I give you plenty of ideas to adapt this recipe to your preferences. Add your favorite fresh veggies or herbs to this chickpea tuna salad, and you've just invented a new recipe! 
• It's packed with plant protein. Sometimes, it can be tough to eat enough protein on a plant-based diet. This chickpea salad has chickpeas and chickpea pasta to give you plenty of protein and fiber to keep you satiated for hours. 

Ingredients and Substitutions

1. Chickpea pasta: I love mini shells, but another small pasta shape such as rotini or elbow macaroni will work great too. Any pasta will work, though the dish will have less protein with traditional pasta. 
2. Olive oil: Helps prevent the pasta from becoming a sticky mess and provides some healthy fats. Use your preferred neutral oil. 
3. Chickpeas: These get roughly mashed for a flaky texture to mimic tuna. White beans would also probably work here. 
4. Celery: Add a nice crunch and herbaceous flavor. Some green bell pepper could be substituted here too. 
5. Red onion: Lends a bit of pungency to round everything out. Green onion could also work, or omit if you're not an onion fan. 
6. Lemon: The zest and juice of one large lemon add the perfect zip. Apple cider vinegar could also bring that needed acidity in a pinch. 
7. Vegan mayonnaise: A pasta salad staple. Homemade or store-bought both work well here. A hummus thinned with a bit of water can also lend a similar creaminess. 
8. Nori: Adds rich umami flavor to emulate tuna.
9. Relish: Bright and briny relish adds more crunch and flavor. 
10. Seasonings: Garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper emphasize the flavors and add a subtle kick. Customize these to your preference. 

Instructions

3. Fold: Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, and use a spatula or large spoon to gently fold them together until well combined.

4. Serve: Optionally garnish with fresh dill and serve!

Variations

• Pasta salad lettuce wraps: Scoop pasta salad into butter lettuce or romaine lettuce cups for a fresh light lunch. Add some sliced cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber for extra crunch. 
• Meditteranean chickpea tuna salad recipe: Forgo the relish and instead add some chopped artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes for a pasta salad with Italian flair. Some black olives could be tasty here, too! 
• Veggie-packed salad bowl: Chop up some grape or cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, and/or peas to add more crunch and color.

Storage

• Make-ahead: This cold salad can be prepped up to 3-4 days in advance. 
• Store: Refrigerate your tuna chickpea pasta salad in an airtight container for 3-4 days max. 

Tips

• Serve this creamy pasta salad over some fresh greens like baby spinach or chopped romaine for a nice big entrée-sized dish. 
• I love to use nori sheets cut into quarters or butter lettuce to scoop up this pasta salad for cutlery-free eating. 
• The beauty of pasta salads is that they're even better the next day. Don't be afraid to meal-prep this recipe! 
• Love chickpea pasta? Check out this collection of chickpea pasta recipes!
• Eco tip: Save the aquafaba from your can of chickpeas and use it to make homemade vegan mayo for this recipe or even add it to your oatmeal.  

FAQ

Recipe

Easy Vegan Chickpea Tuna Pasta Salad

A creamy-yet-fresh pasta salad full of plant protein and satisfying fiber.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 314kcal

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Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces mini shell chickpea pasta (or preferred small-shape pasta such as elbow or rotini)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil (or preferred neutral oil)
• ▢ 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 2-3 stalks celery, finely chopped
• ▢ ¼ red onion, diced (optional)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (zest of 1 large lemon)
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 large lemon)
• ▢ ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought, or hummus thinned with 1-2 Tablespoons of water)
• ▢ 1 sheet nori , crumbled or thinly sliced (see note 1)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder (optional, adds mild heat)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon coarse salt (or to taste)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (or to taste)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish

Optional Garnish

• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh dill, stems removed

Equipment

Mixing Bowls (medium and large)

Potato Masher (or meat tenderizer, fork)

Colander

Spatula

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to package instructions, at the minimum amount of recommended cook time for al-dente pasta. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water. Toss the pasta in olive oil and transfer it into a medium bowl. Refrigerate the pasta while gathering and preparing the other ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl, smash the chickpeas using a potato masher (or meat tenderizer, or fork) about 80% of the chickpeas have been smashed.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and use a spatula or large spoon to gently fold them together until well combined.
• Optionally garnish with fresh dill and serve.
• Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Notes

1. To slice nori thinly, I rip it into thin pieces and then use kitchen sheers to cut across the narrow sheets into thin shreds, about the width and length of shredded cheese. 

For an entree size, I suggest dividing this salad into 4 servings. 

Nutrition facts calculated without garnishes and will vary based on brands and substitutions used. 

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg

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