THE ULTIMATE VEGAN ‘TUNA’ SANDWICH WITH CHICKPEAS

This plant protein rich vegan ‘tuna’ sandwich made with chickpeas is THE ultimate sandwich for everyone, whether you’re vegan or an avid fish lover. Chunky chickpea filling combined with crunchy cucumbers, crispy lettuce, and creamy avocado makes it a perfect marriage of textures and flavours.

I must say, when I first heard of ‘vegan tuna’, I was really sceptical about how on earth you can make chickpeas taste fishy… Oh boy, I was so wrong! This vegan tuna sandwich is all about pairing the right flavours and textures to make it taste like the most epic plant-based sandwich you’ve ever tried!

I’m still in the process of transitioning to a plant-based diet and although I’ve cut out meat in the last year or so, leaving out fish has been quite a difficult one for me. I really believe in intuitive eating and that food cravings are a way of our bodies to communicate with us and tell us what they need. So, when I was having sushi cravings last week, this vegan ‘tuna’ sandwich definitely hit the right spot!

WHAT’S IN THE VEGAN ‘TUNA’?

• Chickpeas (I used tinned chickpeas. Just make sure you rinse & drain the chickpeas well).
• Capers. I’d strongly recommend using these as that’s the main ingredient that gives this sandwich that ‘fishy’ kick.
• Dijon mustard (you can also use English mustard)
• Vegan mayo
• Chopped up nori sheets (or any other seaweed)
• Juice of fresh lime
• Fresh dill (feel free to replace with any other herbs of choice, however dill goes so well with fish, so it’s a great pairing for this sandwich)

HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE VEGAN ‘TUNA’ SANDWICH

• Use good quality chunky bread (I used wholegrain multi-seeded loaf)
• Don’t skip mashed avocado! Creaminess of avocado will contrast with chunkier texture of chickpeas and crunchy cucumbers. Marriage made in heaven my friends! And just because avocado makes everything better, right?!
• Slice your cucumber quite thick to add that perfect crunch to your bite.
• Be generous with those lettuce leaves, the greens are your friends and they add a lovely crispy texture to this sandwich.

THIS EPIC VEGAN ‘TUNA’ SANDWICH IS:

• Crunchy
• Crispy
• Rich in plant protein & healthy fats
• Satiating
• Great for kids, as well as adults (whether you’re a fish lover or not)
• Perfect for a packed lunch, picnic or a meal prep

If you’re making these sandwiches in advance, here’s a good tip for you to keep your sandwich fresh. Wrap your sandwich in paper kitchen towel and gently spray it with water on both sides to dampen the paper towel a little. Put the sandwich in a zip lock bag and keep it in the fridge. This way your sandwich will stay fresh & crispy the next day.

If you need some more inspiration for quick, easy and healthy lunch or dinner ideas, check out

• 15-minute Cheesy Polenta
• Super Easy Spring Greens Salad
• Chickpea Waffles
• Nourishing Edamame Noodle Soup
• 15-minute Green Pesto Pasta

As always, if you recreate this recipe, I’d be delighted to read your comments and hear your feedback. Be sure to drop a comment here on the blog, tag me in your photos on Instagram @Fit Foodie Nutter, Facebook or Pinterest so I don’t miss them. It gives me so much joy seeing your takes on my recipes!  

Thank you for visiting my blog. I’ll see you next week.

Stay safe and keep well.

Healthfully yours,

Tania x

THE ULTIMATE VEGAN ‘TUNA’ SANDWICH WITH CHICKPEAS

Tania Pilcher | Fit Foodie Nutter

This plant protein rich vegan ‘tuna’ sandwich made with chickpeas is THE ultimate sandwich for everyone, whether you’re vegan or an avid fish lover. Chunky chickpea filling combined with crunchy cucumbers, crispy lettuce, and creamy avocado makes it a perfect marriage of textures and flavours.

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine British

Servings 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For vegan tuna:

• 400 g tin chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise I used Hellmans
• 2 nori sheets finely chopped
• Juice of half a lime
• A handful of fresh dill finely chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste

For the sandwich:

• 4 slices of bread gluten free if necessary
• ½ cucumber thickly sliced
• 1 avocado
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 3-4 lettuce leaves

Instructions

 

• Place rinsed and drained chickpeas in a big mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher to ‘smash’ into smaller pieces. You can also use a food processor, which will be a lot quicker. Just ensure you don’t over-process the chickpeas to retain that chunky texture.
• Add the rest of the tuna ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Season with salt & pepper.
• In a separate small bowl, mash the avocado with a fork. Mix in lime juice, salt & pepper and set aside.
• To assemble the sandwich, spread mashed avocado evenly on the bread slices. Layer with lettuce leaves, tuna mixture, cucumber slices and add the second slice of bread on top. Voila!

Notes

*If you’re making these sandwiches in advance, here’s a good tip for you to keep your sandwich fresh. Wrap your sandwich in paper kitchen towel and gently spray it with water on both sides to dampen the paper towel a little. Put the sandwich in a zip lock bag and keep it in the fridge. This way your sandwich will stay fresh & crispy the next day.

Keyword Vegan tuna, tuna sandwich, chickpeas, healthy sandwich, plant protein, healthy eating, meal prep,

Making this? I’d love to see!Tag your snaps @Fit.Foodie.Nutter and #fitfoodienutter