The tuna salad sandwich originated in the late 1890s from an impulse to conserve, only to become a symbol of excess. Scraps of chicken, ham or fish from supper would be mixed with mayonnaise and served on lettuce for lunch to prolong the life of tuna fish.

Tuna salad usually consists of canned tuna and mayonnaise. Pickles, celery, relish, and onion are usually added to the mix. It’s usually added to bread to make a tuna salad sandwich or served by itself, or on top of crackers, lettuce, tomato, or avocado as a hiking snack or school lunch. 

In this vegan take on the recipe I swapped tuna for chickpeas to create a chickpea salad for a similar feel. Check out the recipe below for a quick vegan substitute for tuna salad.

Ingredients 

• 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

• juice of 1/2 lemon

• 3 – 4 tablespoons hummus

• 1/4 cup celery, chopped

• 1/4 cup red onion (about 1/2 small), chopped

• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• Himalayan salt & cracked pepper, to taste

• dash of cayenne, optional

To Serve

• 6 slices whole grain, sprouted whole grain flourless or artisan bread to serve

• leafy greens to serve

• nori sheets, to serve (optional)

• pickles, optional

Directions 

1. Mash chickpeas: Drain and rinse chickpeas, place in a medium-sized bowl, and roughly mash about 3/4 of the chickpeas with the back of a fork or potato masher until desired consistency.

2. Assemble salad: Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well