One thing that many of us love about tuna salad is its room for versatility and creativity. There are many ways you can , make it more protein-rich by incorporating cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, or even . If you're following a plant-based diet or don't want to eat fish, you might think it's a dish which is off the table.
But there's an easy swap to make it fish-free: canned chickpeas. Jem Mantiri, the plant-based recipe developer, blogger, and food photographer behind , explained to The Takeout why this switch works so well. "Chickpeas work well in vegan tuna salad as they provide a hearty texture and neutral base that soaks up flavors," Mantiri told us.
"While they don't have a natural seafood taste, adding the right seasonings (like nori seaweed and miso paste) would help in creating a 'fishy' taste." Interestingly, , too, as well as the chickpea alternative. Not only can you make these beans taste and feel like tuna, but chickpeas are also a great source of plant-based protein, so you won't lose any of those precious benefits.
And just as with a traditional tuna salad, there are endless variations and customizations. Swap tuna for chickpeas for a fish-free tuna salad Since tuna has such a distinctive — the way you mash your chickpeas matters. "For the best texture, mash the chickpeas while leaving a few chunks for a variety in texture and more bite, making it closer to a tuna-like consistency," advised Jem Mantiri.
In terms of taste, she recommended choosing umami ingr.