Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad (Printable)

Light vegan chickpea salad filled crisp cucumber boats make a fresh and healthy meal option.

# Ingredient list:

→ Chickpea Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
03 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
05 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons dill pickles, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon capers, drained and chopped
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cucumber Boats

13 - 2 large English cucumbers

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, mash the drained chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly broken down while maintaining some texture.
02 - Combine vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red onion, celery, dill pickles, fresh dill, capers, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper with the mashed chickpeas. Mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.
03 - Taste the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
04 - Wash the English cucumbers thoroughly and cut each in half lengthwise using a sharp knife on a cutting board.
05 - Using a spoon, gently scoop out the seeds from each cucumber half to create a boat shape, leaving approximately 1/4 inch of flesh intact for structural support.
06 - Pat the interior of each cucumber boat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
07 - Spoon the chickpea salad evenly into each cucumber boat, gently pressing to ensure proper filling. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in 20 minutes with zero cooking, perfect for when you want something that feels fancy but isn't fussy.
  • The chickpea filling tastes even better the next day as flavors mingle, so you can prep ahead without guilt.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free without tasting like a compromise—this actually tastes better than what it's pretending to be.
02 -
  • The filling gets more flavorful as it sits because the mustard, lemon, and dill have time to actually talk to each other, so make it an hour before you need it if you can.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of cucumber skin if you want a more elegant presentation, but leave some skin on for structural integrity and visual contrast.
  • If your cucumbers feel watery or soft when you buy them, pick different ones because soggy cucumbers will ruin the whole eating experience no matter how good your filling is.
03 -
  • Make your filling 24 hours ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge—the flavors develop beautifully overnight and you'll have less to do when it's time to assemble.
  • Don't prep your cucumbers until just before serving because they release water once they're cut, and nobody wants a soggy boat no matter how good the filling is.
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