What simple, no-cook, plant-based lunch could be more popular on a busy afternoon than a vegetarian “tuna” falafel?

What if the vegan tuna in question is not only truly savory but also contains super nutritious, whole-food ingredients?

That’s today’s recipe. As summer temperatures climb, I’m grateful for food that doesn’t require an oven or stove.

I’m almost always looking for work-from-home vegetarian lunch preparation ideas that are healthy, easy, and comfortable.

I’m going to move this to the top of the list. This isn’t the first vegetarian “tuna” I’ve made, but I think it’s the best, and I’m excited to tell you why it’s now my number one.

The best (aka saltiest) vegetarian tuna

Tuna salad was one of the first non-vegetarian recipes. After I transitioned to a plant-based diet, I wanted to find a vegan expression.

I grew up in New York City, which used to have many delis. Delis are still an important part of the city’s culture. Egg salad and tuna salad were staples of my childhood.

I finally found a vegetarian egg salad recipe that was just right, made with tofu. Vegan tuna salad requires more trial and error.

All the vegetarian tuna I’ve tried before is made with chopped or crushed chickpeas as a base.

When cooked chickpeas are put into a food processor, their texture breaks down into a mixture easily reminiscent of canned tuna.

What’s more, chickpeas are a good source of plant-based protein, so they’re similar in both nutrition and texture.

The chickpea mud can be a little light.

It would have been different if I had been bold enough to season my chickpeas; A chopped chickpea salad with kimchi is a case study. If I add a salty mixture like capers or olives, I can also avoid the bland taste.

Or – the star of today’s recipe – a jar of artichoke hearts.

According to Merriam-Webster, “briney” is “of, relating to, or resembling salt water or the sea: salty.” No wonder adding something salty to a “tuna” recipe without tuna is so great.

Canned artichoke hearts do fit the bill. Their canned liquid is salty and spicy, like the heart itself.

Also, the texture of the canned artichoke heart adds something different and improved to the homemade vegan tuna.

Chickpeas got me halfway through, and I still like hummus or white bean mud pull.

For a vegetarian tuna salad, though, the artichoke heart and chickpea mixture is uniquely perfect. The chopped texture looks just right, and the flavor is as close as possible.

This is a perfect vegetarian tuna salad with other seasonings

These are the two main ingredients in vegetarian tuna, but they are not the only ingredients. Here’s the rest:

• pickle
• Red onion
• celery
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Dijon mustard
• White wine vinegar or lemon juice (or add dill pickle juice)
• Roasted and salted nori (or nori, kelp or bean pellets)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Of course, the kimchi only enhances the saltiness of the vegetarian tuna salad.

Meanwhile, red onion, celery, mayonnaise, and mustard are classic seasonings for tuna salad. You can omit one of them if you wish. My mom loves this recipe, but only if I don’t put Onions.

What about seaweed — in this case, roasted salted nori flakes?

Nori gives vegetarian tuna more of a seafood flavor. I won’t say “fishy” because this isn’t really a fishy recipe. Before becoming a vegetarian, I didn’t like seafood except for tuna salad, so it wasn’t something my palate craved.

However, the salty ingredients and nori are intended to make the vegan tuna salad vaguely reminiscent of real canned tuna. Not enough to scream “seafood,” but enough to taste authentic, interpretive dishes.

Homemade vegan mayonnaise

I’m a big fan of store-bought vegan mayonnaise, especially a jar of good old-fashioned vegan mayonnaise.

However, I tried making homemade vegan mayonnaise with cashews a few years ago.

Given my love for cashew cream, I shouldn’t be surprised that I like this result. But I wasn’t ready for my mind to be turned upside down, and it was.

The recipe is simple and delicious. I like it better than mayonnaise. It’s also rich in the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids found in nuts, which suits my readers looking for an oil-free recipe.

Cashew mayonnaise is a perfect condiment for meal preparation. It can be stored in the refrigerator for four or five days and is also suitable for freezing.

But if you don’t have time, you can skip it. Your favorite store-bought vegan mayonnaise will also work in a vegan tuna salad!

The heart of an artichoke is perfect for this job

When I made this recipe, I used a 14-oz (400-g) can of artichoke hearts, cut them into quarters, and put them in salt water. Many widely distributed brands, including Cento, Native Forest, and Del Monte, manufacture these products.

You might find semi-canned artichokes, which are also good. It’s all going to the food processor anyway.

If you can help it, don’t buy a jar labeled “Marinated artichoke hearts.” They are usually flavored with olive oil, herbs, and garlic.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but this marinated artichoke is better for pasta or an appetizer than vegan tuna. A simple, salty, salty, plain canned artichoke will do the trick for the latter.

How to make vegetarian tuna salad

Fortunately, this recipe requires some assembly but no actual cooking. Here are the steps.

Step 1: Treat artichoke hearts

Place the drained artichoke hearts into quarters (or halves) in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade.

Stir 8 times or until roughly chopped. Avoid overhandling them; you don’t want to mush the contents of your salad.

Step 2: Add chickpeas and process

Add the chickpeas to the blender. Stir the two ingredients, chickpeas and artichokes, another 8-10 times, or until the entire mixture is wholly chopped but still has some texture. Use the visuals of canned tuna to guide you.

Step 3: Mix the salad in a mixing bowl and season

Once the artichoke hearts and chickpeas have been adequately broken down, it’s time to mix up the vegan tuna salad.

Transfer the contents of the food processor to a large bowl. Add chopped pickles, red onion, celery, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar or lemon juice, and nori or seaweed granules.

Mix everything well. You’ll get something with a creamy texture that resembles tuna salad.

Step 4: Season

This is a key final preparation step! Try the vegan tuna and see what you think of the seasoning. You may wish it had more salt, pepper, acid, or seaweed. All of these can be dialed in if you wish.

Step 5: Eat or store

If you’re hungry, you can immediately scoop vegan tuna salad onto cookies or toast or use it for sandwiches or wraps.

When I happen to bake a classic vegan white sandwich loaf, the first recipe I want to make is this, along with my vegan BLT.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups canned artichoke hearts, cut into quarters and drained (1 14oz / 400g canned)

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (240g or 1 15oz / 425g can, drained and rinsed)

2 dill pickles, finely diced (1/3 cup / 40g)

1/4 cup chopped red onion (30g)

1/4 cup diced celery (30g)

1/3 cup vegetarian mayonnaise (80ml; Store-bought vegan mayonnaise alternatives, such as the all-you-can-eat vegan mayonnaise)

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

A teaspoon of pickle juice, white wine vinegar, or freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 slices roasted salted nori, finely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon nori, kelp, or bean granules

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the artichoke hearts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S blade. Stir 8 times or until they are roughly chopped. Add the chickpeas to the blender and blend 8-10 more times or until the entire mixture is wholly chopped but still has some texture. You’re aiming for the spirit of tuna salad, so think along those lines!
2. Transfer the chickpea and tuna mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped pickles, red onion and celery, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar or lemon juice, and nori or sea vegetable pellets.
3. Mix everything together with a fork or spoon until creamy and textured. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper as needed. You can also add mayonnaise or extra acid (vinegar or lemon) to taste.
4. Serve as a sandwich, toast, crackers, grits, or whatever you like. This “tuna” can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.