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- Makes 4 sandwiches
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In this vegan version of a tuna salad sandwich, the savory chickpea filling gets extra tang from pickles, red onion, and capers. Mayonnaise is replaced by a creamy mixture of tahini and Dijon mustard to deliver crave-worthy flavor while diced celery and pickles give it a tasty crunch. Serve between two slices of your favorite whole wheat bread for a simple yet satisfying meal. The mixture will keep well covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, which makes it great for quick, weekday lunches!
For more vegan casserole recipes, check out these tasty ideas:
By Dana Shultz,
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced pickle
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained and loosely chopped
- Healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon roasted unsalted sunflower seeds (optional)
For Serving:
- 8 slices whole-wheat bread
- Dijon or spicy brown mustard
- Romaine lettuce
- Tomato, sliced
- Red onion, sliced
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, leaving only a few beans whole.
- Add tahini, mustard, maple syrup, red onion, celery, pickle, capers, salt and pepper, and sunflower seeds (if using) to mixing bowl. Mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Toast bread if desired, and prepare any other desired sandwich toppings (such as lettuce, tomato, and onion).
- Scoop a healthy amount of the chickpea mixture (about ½ cup) onto one slice of bread, add desired toppings and top with second slice of bread. Repeat for additional sandwiches.
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Comments (395)
(5 from 255 votes)This is so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Delicious. I'm tracking my food for jellybean reasons. I would appreciate the nutrition information for your recipes.
How can I receive your magazine in the mail. Love all your recipes!!
Wow, this was fantastic! I added a crumbled sheet of dried nori and used dill relish instead of straight pickles. My partner, who loves a real tuna sandwich, thought this was a pretty convincing substitute.
I have not tried this recipe but if you love this, you’ll like….Garden Chickpea Salad by Peas & Crayons. Look at it on Pinterest. You’re Welcome ☺️
Very good
This recipe far surpassed my expectations, and will be in my regular rotation for lunches. I didn't have tahini on hand, so I used vegan mayo, and I didn't want sweetness (I don't remember tuna salad being sweet), so I omitted the syrup, and it still came out great. Will get some tahini and use that next time I make it. I think this is a recipe that you can tweak a little to suit you.
This looks delicious! For the pickles, are we talking dill pickles or sweet pickles? Thank you
Hi Michele, It really depends on what you enjoy! Dill pickles, gherkins, or bread & butter pickles would all work great in this recipe. If you use sweeter pickles, you may want to omit the maple syrup to make sure the balance of the chickpea filling still skews to the savory side. Let us know which one you try, and how it turns out!
I am SHOCKED at how good this is. I omitted the maple syrup and added some lemon and a little cayenne pepper. I like everything spicy. It has the satisfying flavors of tuna salad without the mayo or meat. And I used my food processor to get the chickpeas “mashed up” a bit. Way easier than manually mashing them. Thanks for this.
Really delicious option for a healthy sandwich. Made the recipe as written & it was very flavorful.
This is great! Thank you. Made it as is, and liked it a lot! Next day made it again and added avocado mayo to the mix, and fresh dill on the sando. Delicious. Both are now in my quiver.
Sooooo Goooood!! This sandwich is a staple for me! So nice to have a sandwich and know that it is healthy and so tasty!!
Very good. I let it sit overnight and it was even better. Didn't have capers but was good without. I just ate it with crackers.
So delicious!! I’m not vegetarian or vegan but I am making a conscious effort to reduce my meat consumption. I followed the recipe to the letter because I wanted to have a baseline to know what I’d tweak and as is, it’s scrumptious. This will definitely be a go-to recipe. I plan to add more celery, more pickle, lemon, and a fraction of the maple syrup for the future.
I ate this at my bosses house. She converted me
I skipped the bread and used Romaine lettuce as wraps. Yummy
delicious
So good I could eat it every day. Thank you!
I’m allergic to onions so what could I use instead?
Hi Allison, If you're only allergic to red onion, you could use shallot, scallions, or leek to add a similar taste. If you're allergic to all members of the allium family, then we recommend just including a little bit more pickle and celery than what is currently called for to replace the tang and crunch that the red onion would've given. Let us know how it goes!
This is SO much better than the sum of its parts. I sometimes dress it up with add-ins (red bell pepper, carrot, radish, parsley), but even when made exactly as it is written, it is absolutely delicious. Thank you for such an inspired recipe.
This recipe is not for people wanting to lose or maintain their weight. Tahini is 220cal for 2 TBL! And 19grams of fat. so a whopping extra 660 calories! I would use tofu or even cashews instead if you are mindful of your waistline. Or, I've seen other no-tuna-salad recipes use a creamy mustard.
the recipe calls for 3 tbps total, for 330 calories total, split across 4 sandwiches… that’s an extra 83 calories per sandwich which would not break anyone’s waistline. where did you even get your math? Read the recipe again. you’re horrendously wrong…
EVERYONE needs some fat since certain Vit. are only absorbed w'fat. Tahini is a WHOLE FOOD fat and along w'avocado, olives, and nuts is used in the recommended diet of Forks Over Knives. It is used extensively in small amounts to increase taste & texture & as nothing but seeds is also full or fiber & protein unlike distilled fats such as oils & vegan mayo!
I love “No-Tuno”. This is a great base recipe. Sometimes, I mix it up by adding dill and/or curry powder.
I love this recipe. I have made it many times. The sunflower seeds add a really nice crunch!
Excellent recipe! Just the right amount of flavor and texture! I make this once a week for my husband, who is vegan—I have enjoyed it too, and I don’t miss the tuna!
This is so yummy! Made for my guests and had to make 4 batches because they loved it so much they kept eating it as fast as I could make it. I finally got a sandwich too and it's a new staple in our lunches.
I’m allergic to sesame so I can’t have tahini. What is a good substitute for tahini? I read it’s nutty almost like peanut butter? What could I use?
Hi Brenda, We recommend using sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or a few spoonfuls of silken tofu to get the same creamy consistency and neutral-tasting flavor as the tahini. Let us know what you end up trying and how it goes!
Holy cow! I don’t know if it tastes like tuna but it is so delicious!! I will make this again and again. Made as written and added a sprinkle of dried dill and a squeeze of lemon. I was really craving a sandwich but if there’s any left after just eating with a fork, it’ll be surprising!! This is amazing!!
What are the nutritional values on this recipe?
Hi Angela, We are currently working on adding nutritional information to all our recipes and anticipate this feature to be live on the website by the end of the summer. Please stay tuned for updates!
Certainly when combined w'a quality bread like Eziekiel's or Dave's Killer Power [red bag] and plenty of lettuce & tomato you'd have a meal full of protein [combo of grain & bean] to equal it's 'name sake' along w'considerably more fiber that is easily packed for later eating!
I absolutely love this recipe and make it often for myself and guests. So much better tasting than traditional tuna salad and of course better for you. I like to put on top of crisp bed of chopped romaine with cherry tomatoes cut in half. I also add extra capers and pickles because they are so tasty.
Delicious. I added extra red onion, pickles, and celery. I also added various seasonings/spices, a squeeze of lemon, and pickle juice to it. I’m officially obsessed!
Will this recipe make the bread/wrap mushy by lunchtime if made in the morning?
Hi Beverly, To prevent against things getting mushy, we recommend using the lettuce as a barrier so the moisture in the chickpea filling doesn't soak through to the bread or tortilla. Make sure to thoroughly dry the lettuce after washing it and place it down first before adding wetter ingredients. There's always a chance your sandwich will be a little moist after a few hours, but that's your best bet at keeping everything tasting fresh! Let us know how it goes.
I'm still confused about the "pickle". There are sweet (cucumber) pickles and there are sour (cucumber) pickles (like dill). Which flavour are we going for here?
I have seen other recipes using dill or sweet. Depends on what you prefer.
Love, love, love this recipe, a go to in our home. QUESTION: will this recipe freeze well?
I make mine with sweet pickle relish
What do you mean by pickle please - am in the Uk
It's called pickled cucumbers in the UK
aka Gherkins :)
Love this! I added crushed pistachios on top!
Excellent recipe exactly as written. I soaked and cooked dried chickpeas to make hummus but didnt feel like making it anymore, so I found this recipe. I didn't have sunflower seeds and used slivered almonds instead. So good!! I don't think it will last past our next meal.
I halve the tahini, to cut the fat content. Also halve the onion and leave out the sweetener, just personal preferences. And add a tsp of kelp powder. This is a good sandwich filling which we like with lettuce or spinach in a pita pocket.
Delicious!! Super fast and easy to make, I added some sliced avocado and fresh dill and my palate was. In. Heaven!
This is very tasty. A go to lunch recipe!
I made this today and it's wonderful! Thank you for the recipe.
My vegetarian life has just begun. I tried your No tuna and all I can say is Wow. So yummy.
This is sooooo tasty! Great balance of flavors and textures. We enjoyed it with whole-wheat rolls and some salad but I can see this going well in pita bread or wraps with some extra leafy greens and grated carrot. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
This was GREAT!!!!!. I tried this recipe and whaaaattt. I am so happy I did.
I’ve been wanting to try a No-tuna salad recipe and today I had the inspiration to do so, and it was really good. I added a little rice vinegar, turmeric, ashwaganda & a squeeze of lemon. Added to my baby spinach salad and topped it with hemp seeds for extra protein kick! Thanks LOVE your recipes ALWAYS Dana! xo
Make it often, never disappointed.
This was a good start for a chickpea / faux chicken salad recipe, but I found it a little bland. I would add some garlic powder, some finely minced basil, and a little dried oregano to perk it up. Thanks for providing a nice base for building a more robust sandwich spread!
This recipe is fantastic- everything I like about tuna salad except the tuna! I added 2-3 tablespoons of water to the tahini and it makes the whole recipe creamier and I stuff an orange pepper half to get more veggies into my diet!
I’ve made this many times as is and love it but it’s always a bit dry especially on a sandwich. Reading a review to just add water was such a simple solution!
I add seaweed seasoning and a little vinegar. Don’t skip the sunflower seeds gives it a nice crunch. Great recipe!
I think i am going to kick it up a notch n add some seaweed powder to get a more tuna tast.
Very tasty!! Will definitely make this again.
It's not tuna ... enjoy it for what it is!
It’s a really tasty filling , highly recommended.
Wow… I thought this would be revolting as I hate chickpeas, but was motivated to try by the comments. Actually pretty tasty and so healthy, I am shocked! Definitely will make again.
This is one of my favorite sandwiches to make- ever! Even my kids love it.
Just made it for breakfast, sooo good
Pretty good but I leave out the celery and capers. I am not a fan.
This is hands-down one of my favorite FOK recipes. Just had it for lunch today!
Little to sweet so I add 2tbs lemon juice and 1 nori sheet
I absolutely love this recipe!
Hubby and I liked it. I thought it tasted great! Will definitely make again.
Fabulous recipe! We make it often.
Love this! Just made it tonight. I will be making it again and again!
interesting
Delicious, easy and filling!! So good on its own! I made the recipe as-is and served it on toasted whole grain bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and avocado.
I love this recipe! I use 1 tablespoon tahini and two tablespoons plant based yogurt. Makes it very creamy. I also break up the tahini with the pickle water. Greetings from Germany!
Excellent sandwich. I omitted the tahini and maple syrup and added vegenaise which is low in saturated fat.
This is amazing!! Thank you for creating and sharing the recipe.
This is an old standby now. Delicious. Doesn’t need any sweetener. Great with mini baked potatoes.
I have made this several times. I have tweaked it several different ways. My favourite is omit the celery and add chopped apple. and added a whole small red onion and raw sunflower seeds
Excellent in lettuce leaves or a sandwich - top notch...
Just made this for lunch and it was excellent. I skipped the syrup to avoid added sugars. I added extra capers and also added red peppers. Topped my sandwich with shredded carrots and arugula. I am a hearty eater so this will only make 4 sandwiches.
This is good, but I think it would be a bit better with less tahini and omitting the syrup.
I’ve been skipping the tahini and haven’t ever added the syrup. It’s so good!!!!
Kathy, do you replace the tahini with anything? I want to start making it without tahini
Just made this! It was so easy and SO delicious!!!
Too bitter - needs max 1tbs of tahini, too dry - add vegan mayo
Jacint- maybe it is the kind or brand of tahini you are using. I use Light Roast tahini from Sesame King. It’s never bitter and is runny, so not dry.
This recipe is incredible...the only problem is that I don't want to make anything but this for lunch now!
This recipe is wonderful! I love that is makes a fantastic sandwich filler, without the mayo.
I've made it several times and toys l it's always . Thank you very much!!!
This is a fabulous recipe. Sometimes I add colored peppers and extra spices. If I want a creamier version, I add greek yogurt. I omit the sweetener.
I had my doubts about what this recipe would taste like. However, I made it for lunch and it was yummy. I will definitely make it again !
Reading your comments I have many ideas for this faboulous combination. I dindt use the syrup though.
I made this last night and left in the refrigerator for lunch today. I put some veggies (lettuce, tomato and cuke) in a bag, some "No Tuna " salad in a container, and 2 slices of Ezekial bread and brought it to work. Toasted the bread and assembled the sandwich, it was fabulous!! I've been missing sandwiches in my Plant Based diet and this hit the mark. I will note that I added more dijon and tahini and eliminated the maple syrup when I initially made it.
This recipe was amazing. i just made it for the first time. I'm not vegan but have been trying to fuel my body with more nutrient rich foods over the past few months. Just curious, does anyone know how many approx. calories there would be in a 1/2 cup serving of this recipe?
In WFPB eating, calories aren't usually counted. I go by nutrient density. Not something I calculate, I just look for a lot of color.
The simplicity and taste are top notch. I have a problem tho, can you advise? My tahini is very stubborn about breaking up and being able to be incorporated into the rest of the mixture.
Some tahini brands are much thicker than others. Try this- Measure out your tahini and whisk in a bit of water before adding to your chickpeas. The tahini may clump up as you add the water….just keep mixing and it will smooth out so you can then easily blend it with the other ingredients.
My fave hack for this is to add a splash of pickle juice to help break it up. Adds a little more flavor to the mix and helps thin it (if you like the pickles enough, that is )
I just love this salad recipe. I make all the time, and my non vegan friends love it also. Thanks for sharing it.
This is SO good and really simple. I've made it twice already and only discovered it this week. Non vegan hubby loves it too.
Of all the recipes on here this is the 1 recipe on repeat. I use less than 1 teaspoon of maple syrup instead of the 1 tablespoon. Otherwise I make the recipe as is. Served with either roasted potatoes or arugula dressed with only lemon juice, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado. So many things to pair this with.
I have often seen this recipe over the last year on the FOK app and thought it sounded good. Well I finally tried it and it is delicious. I used the recipe as listed and it was so satisfying as a sandwich. Then with the leftovers the next day I had it over fresh spinach with tomatoes and avocado on top. I am a fan and will make this a regular meal. I'm just sorry I didn't try it sooner.
With all the rave reviews I had to try this sandwich. It really is delicious! I added more Dijon mustard than what was called for and also some fresh dill. I’ve been plant based for a little over a year now and continue to be pleasantly surprised by the variety and flavor of all these recipes. I’ll never go back to the SAD.
I’m three weeks eating just plant based foods and I’m finally getting my taste buds to adjust. I loved this no tuna salad. Delicious!!! I made it at night for lunch at work tomorrow. Staying plant strong!! I’m so tickled!!
This is jolly nice - I used sliced caper berries & added lime juice & parsley - really really good - oooh, I also blitzed the chickpeas a bit b4 I added the chopped stuff
Too sweet with the maple syrup in my opinion, even when I added extra mustard. Next time I will omit it or use less. Quick, easy and satisfying!
20 yrs a vegetarian n 2 years a vegan. Looking forward to more great recipes!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It’s quick, cheap, and easy to modify if you choose to. I’m 11 weeks pregnant, the food aversions are insane right now, but this chickpea sandwich is the one of the few things I have been consistently able to enjoy!
Very good. I used pickle relish because that's what I had on hand. I've added a Tbsp of sauerkraut, a couple of artichoke hearts and 1/4 cup diced apple. Yum. My husband reluctantly tried this in a wrap last week (because it was all mixed up and ready, so convenient) and now he readily eats it.
Overall good and super healthy but a little on the bland side for me and my family. Next time, I will leave out the syrup, add more mustard, black pepper and a little salt more. And a bit more tahini. I used cucumbers instead of celery for the crunch. And I recommend soaking the red onions for 10-15 minutes while you prep the rest to soften the flavor of the onion. But I will make it again!
I've been making this recipe for quite a while now. I add some jarred pickled banana peppers to pep it up a bit. I don't use tahini, maple syrup or capers. Extra celery finely diced, green onions instead of red. Some finely chopped red or yellow peppers. Just play with it and add what you like. I really like the addition of the banana peppers the most.
I used chunky kosher dolls in my tuna. Bet it would help blandness!
This recipe is absolutely delicious and so satisfying! Easy to make, keeps well and utterly yummy! I make it weekly!
This is our go-to sandwich! I have never made it with the capers though, and it is still so delicious!
My SIL made this and it was scrumptious, we all love it and company has enjoyed it too... he's even tweaked it & it's delish!!
This recipe is so delicious. Me and my husband were pleasantly surprised. I don’t miss regular tuna at all now!
This is fabulous! Taking an extra 5 minutes to remove the skins from the beans puts it over the top. My only tweak: I once accidently added a 1/4 cup of red pepper and I liked it so much I add it every time now.
How long do you think this last in the refrigerator? I love this recipe and i literally crave it. I put it all in the food processor. I use lots of Bubbies breads and butter pickle chips and some juice.
NICE
I have been making this for years & I love it!! So yummy & delicious!
Fantastic! I didn't know what I was going to think of this but I can't believe how good it is. Definitely be making it again!
Love this recipe! I typically use vegan mayo instead of tahini and leave out maple syrup. Tastes great!
My favorite FOK recipe! I make this regularly with extra celery and capers to replace the pickle.
Love it! It is a staple in our house.
As well as ours.
Left out the maple syrup, added a tbsp of diced jalapeño and about 1/2tsp black salt. Tastes like egg salad. Love it on whole grain rice cakes.
This is an amazing recipe. I’m planning on making it with sprouted chickpeas next time to amp up the nutrition. I’m a sprouting demon… I also use sweet onion instead of red.
sorry forgot to rate the recipe.
first time i made this i followed the recipe,but found the raw red onion upset my stomach.the next time i made it i used spring onion (also known as salad onion) and it was much better.thanks very much for the recipe.
Ah, a trick my grandma showed me is if you soak red onions in water for 15 minutes, it mellows them out, in case you don't have spring onions on hand.
My first FOK tried recipe. It was yum! Followed instruction to the tee. Will definitely be one of my favorites. Thank you.
Wow! This recipe is better than I thought it would be! This is delicious!
Awesome salad ❤️
This is really tasty even as a non-vegan. Had it with almond crackers. I added a splash of white wine vinegar because I do that with chicken salad. I might skip the sweetener. It reminds me of putting relish in tuna and that's not my thing. If you're experimenting and looking for a vegan dish to try, no cooking required and delicious!
Definitely a keeper.
Loved this receipe. I doubled tahini, mustard, capers. It made it much creamier.
It’s quite good although I’m not sure it needs the maple syrup. I had to add extra mustard and pickle juice to counteract the sweetness but overall a really delicious no tuna salad.
has anyone done the math to know a calorie count?
The recipe as stated (without any bread and toppings) yielded 450 grams. According to Myfitnesspal, divided into 6 servings @ 116 cal/serving, and divided into 4 servings @ 174 cal/serving
Where did I go wrong? Tasted like bland baby food, and the maple syrup made it weirdly sweet. Not my style. Tried to spice it up. Still bleh.
I agree - and I think leaving out the syrup and more mustard helps. and add salt and black pepper to taste.
I also thought it was a little bland when made according ton the recipe. I played with the recipe and now leave out the maple syrup, tahini and capers. I add extra dijon mustard, dill pickle juice, lots of chopped dill pickles and equal amount of chopped pickled banana peppers. Green opions instead of red. Some finely chopped red, yellow or orange peppers. Salt and pepper. The banana peppers really add the extra zip that was missing.
This was amazing!! I omitted pickles and capers, still had a lot of flavor, added a little dill. I made it into a wrap with some spinach.
Love it! Never did I think it would actually taste like tuna, but it does! I used slightly more maple syrup, dill relish and a little dill seed.
Delicious!
Ok. This is seriously so so good! When I wonder if I’ll be able to live this way forever, I remember how incredibly delicious this is think- oh yeah. I’ll be fine:)
Where has this been all my life. So delicious and will definitely be out new fave lunch go-to!
I miss nothing on eating WFPB NoSOS. There is a knockoff recipe for everything. Even Chuys Creamy Jalapeno sauce. :D
I love this! I add fresh dill and a bit of seaweed to take it next level.
I love this. I make it up weekly, then I have it all week, even friends try it and love it, best part~ no animals died! lol
Even better than tuna salad! Such a refreshing lunch on greens!
Made the recipe almost exact but added some Futaki and simmered garbanzo beans in a bit of baking soda for 15 minutes, it’s pretty amazing !!
Lovely! Mine had some japanese nori seaweed in it to increase the fishiness - yum....
Oooo I'ma try that!
I left out the capers and raw onion. I added a little pickle juice. Delicious
I love love love this. I used to make this with v mayo before I found this recipe. I don't really like to taste tahini so didn't think I would like it but it is yum. I usually use a little less tahini and add some of the pickle juice to make it more pliable. Bloody yum. Thanks
Great recipe all around; texture, smell, look, and taste as well as the tons of ideas for serving presentation. I also loved the non nutritional value approach of (FOK) recipes, it (really) helps me focus of the quality of the plant-based food experience in lieu of the calories and other tendencies.
Excellent. I omitted the maple syrup and subbed vegan mayo.
Not sure why one would want to sweeten this. . . ?
Most dressings have a little bit of some type of sweetener in them. The tablespoon of maple syrup in this definitely doesn’t make it taste sweet.
Recipe turned out great. I used Rancho Gordo beans cooked in an Instant pot instead of canned beans. I added a couple extra spices for taste in small amounts. Hot sauce, banana vinegar, soy sauce, lemon pepper.
Please email me this recipe..
Love this recipe. Its my weekly go to for lunch now
OK, just made this for the first time, DAAAANNNNNGGG, was it ever good!!! Added a little extra Honey mustard than recommended and sweet pickle juice, this is an out of the park!!!!
One of the first recipes I made after switching to vegan and it's still my favorite. I use a potato masher for the chickpeas and mash most of them pretty fine. That way the whole salad sticks together very nicely.
Wow! It actually tastes like tuna salad! Mind blown.
Made as written and it is AWESOME!
This was wonderful especially the next day as the flavors merged. I used soy butter and white onion and didn't have any capers. I look forward to making this A LOT. !!!
Used a mini food processor to blend up the chickpeas, onion, and celery. Left it chunky, but so much quicker than all the chopping. It is absolutely delicious, and I will be making it a LOT, especially when summer comes. The only thing I left out was the capers. Doubled up the celery, to give it that wonderful crunch. This is a keeper for sure!!!
I used to do food prep at a raw food cafe and we also added seaweed such as dulse for that added fishy flavor and it's wonderful vitamins and minerals.
I agree with that addition. Dulse flakes would make it taste more like tuna. Thanks.
Outstanding flavor and easy to make. On a recommendation from my sister, I added chopped organic gala apples. It was so good I made it three times in a week!
it's good with cut up grapes too!
Just made for lunch following the recipe exactly. Delicious!
Followed the recipe exactly as written and it is delicious, I have made it several times now. Would like the nutrition information for your recipes!
Forks over Knives doesn’t provide nutritional information for their recipes. They want you to just eat a whole food plant based diet and not focus on counting calories or macros or micros. You can always input the recipe into an app like Cronometer. That will give you the nutritional info.
Don’t know that it tastes like tuna but it does taste really good. I use this recipe often. Sometimes I cut up a nori sheet and put it in for a little taste of the sea. And I always add a little lemon juice and some white wine vinegar. My 86 year old mom likes it with hot peppers minced in it. Today I added a can of hearts of palm. That was a nice addition too. We definitely recommend this recipe
We also put light miso in it too for the beneficial bacteria.
This combination of ingredients makes a stellar sandwich!! I add extra capers. Absolutely love this recipe!
Love this recipe
Love it
This was such an odd combo that I had to try it (maple syrup?!?!?) and it is so good I’m glad I did. I left out the capers because we didn’t have any and I subbed relish for pickles because I am lazy but this is pretty awesome.
Just made it and I was really impressed! I made it ahead of time and will use an Ezekiel Wrap to put it on with toppings. Thanks for sharing this.
Adjusted it, no Tahiti, used dash of sesame oil, sweet pickles, picky 15 yo loved it!!!!!
I make this as go to sandwich, love it!
Sounds awesome will certainly try it soon. Can it be frozen?
Very good salad have yet to find a bread I really like to really top it off.
Yum!!! I used to eat tuna salad about once a week. This is an awesome substitute. I do NOT like pickles or capers but decided to use wasabi seaweed sheets instead to give that salty/fishy taste. This will absolutely be in my lunch rotation.
This is a must keep recipe! We made it as directed and it was SO delicious. 5 no lie!
5 stars no lie!
what a crazy idea! chickpeas with pickles and mustard, just tested it out and I am excited! (without celery, brrr... With dijon AND brown sweet mustard and only smashing and mixing with a fork. Like this texture and the taste is great. Thanks!
This is really good!! My son loved it. He prefers eating it as a dip with his tortilla chips. I am going to try it as a cracker spread for my next party.
You could use a food processor to make this a bit easier, put everything in the processor then blitz so that the chickpeas don’t mush too much
We are new vegans; my husband is very good with the Pit Boss that he bought last summer, but we decided to try veganism after "dabbling" in it a bit. Due to feeling Just. Plain. Better., we decided to try it more often. I made THIS recipe, and he LOVED it! He has requested it for his lunches, and it does keep him full (he's a trucker) and healthy!
SOOOOOO good! I didn't have capers & I don't like pickles so neither of those were in my salad. I did add shredded carrot. Served over toasted sourdough bread with lettuce and cucumber slices. OMG - I will be making this weekly. Thank you ~
This was great! I made it a few weeks ago before I signed up. So far the recipes are really tasty.
Wow was this tasty!
Finally a recipe that doesn't call for vegan mayo!!! Thank you, I will be making this very soon( I'm out of capers!)
The best!!! Now I use this recipe and add other veggies for variations.
Looks wonderful
Fabulous! Great lunch
Looks good
I would totally recommend it! great for school/work lunches! tastes amazing!
This is amazing!! Making it every week.
Go to recipe. So like tuna, it's unbelievable! And delish! Thank you!
I’m in love with this recipe, so delicious. So easy to make too! I didn’t change a thing. I ate it on top of an air fried potato “toast”.
Delicious. I made it with some old bay and sea kelp flakes. I marinated the red onion to reduce the strong taste. Definitely on my make again list.?
Delicious! I minimized to 2 TBSP of almond butter ilo tahini and I added 3/4 of chopped “honey crisp apple” !
OOOhh! That sounds lovely! You think like a Queen!
love apples in "tuna" salad! Great suggestion!
grapes are good too!
any substitutions for tahini or vegan mayo? Want something low fat? how about a tofu mayo?
Try this!
Love this for sandwiches or on toast
do you use a sweet pickle or a dill?
I’m currently cutting all sugar out of my diet so the pickles and maple syrup are a no go for me. What would be substitutes for them?
You could substitute chopped dates or “date honey”
I triple this recipe and make it every week. It's my go-to smear and snack!
So yummy!! Took me forever to find tahini at the Walmart
I really don't like tuna, I miss chicken salad. I want to try this, but so many of you have said it tastes like tuna. Will I be disgusted if I try?
nope. No tuna flavor. Just all the fixings of a tuna sandwich without the fishiness
The chickpeas taste amazing! I dont care for tuna either, so this was a very pleasent surprise taste! I added avocado slices, tomato slices, alfalfa sprouts, diced up red onion, mustard. sides: dill pickle, carrot sticks, raddishes. Very filling.
Love this salad. When I want it to taste more like chicken salad I leave out the capers and pickLes and replace with fresh grapes halved and a few Craisins .
Doesn't taste like tuna! Try it!
WOW It does taste like tuna. I am a mayo and tuna fan and I did not miss either. It is yummy.
Soooo good! I doubled up on the celery and the pickle and it was fantastic
I was so surprised by this recipe. I really enjoy this sandwich.
Tried it this week with some of the suggestions posted. I did add some pickle juice to it. I did not add the maple syrup and it was still delicious. It has been a wonderful addition to my food rotation (I am a new WFPBNO eater) and so easy to take to work! Looking forward to trying some others from your site. Thank you!
What is a WFPBNO eater please?
Dee. WFPBNO. I believe is Whole food plant based no oil.
From all the recipes I have done for this, this one is the best. You do have to let the flavors meld for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour.
Love it! It is really good.
This sounds fabulous: can't wait to try it.
I used to love tuna salad. I can totally believe this is the teal thing. I love it on tomatoes and crackers and tomatoes and more celery. So far, my favorite FoK recipe
This is good. I kept coming back to this one over and over thinking it would be weird. The only thing weird about it is that as good as it is. I suppose I am a little ambivalent about chickpeas. Try it! I mostly followed the recipe. Edits were a third sheet of crumpled nori and fresh dill. I also added an extra tbsp of tahini and an extra tsp of dijon. I put in a bit of pickle juice too. It seemed a touch dry. I toasted some bread, put it on that with some cut some tomato and woofed it. I made a second one shortly after and at that too. It's a good one. I'll be making this often.
I made this today for the first time—it’s soooo good! I used less maple syrup than the recipe calls for because I didn’t want it overly sweet, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. This is going into my regular meal prep rotation for sure!
I don't know why I waited so long to make this. So good. I held off the maple syrup almost completely . I thought a tablespoon of it would throw off the tuna taste with too much sweetness. Glad I did. I like onions in general . Next time I'd use 1/8 of a cup and no syrup. Other than those little tweaks the recipe was spot on for me.
I just made this recipe. Took me less than 10 min. I placed the no tuna mix onto my puffed BROGGIES, which come in corn or wheat, 20/25 Calories. If you haven’t tried BROGGIES I highly recommend them. They come in full size discs or mini. The no tuna mix and the crunchy puffs make for a high protein low carb delicious snack or meal!
Lea, where do you buy broggies?
Does anyone know about how many calories this is without the bread or toppings if you use the suggested half cup per serving
So yummy and very tasty and easy.
It’s good I add powdered seaweed to add a fishy taste
Can you omit maple syrup or agave nectar in this recipe?
Hi Haigo, yes you can. The final product will be more tangy/savory without it
I had a hard time finding Tahini sauce, finally found it at Whole Foods. Anyway it was worth the search. I made the No-Tuna Salad Sandwich and it was delicious and filling!! It actually tasted like tuna, LOL. I toasted my bread, added romaine lettuce and tomato which made it pretty messy. Overall, I am delighted to have another whole food plant based recipe in my repertoire, I'll be making it again. Thanks!
Wow, I did not expect that! I didn't even add the maple syrup. I did add pickle juice though and just realized I forgot the mustard! Next time I'll add some diced apples for that extra crunch. Definitely a sandwich ill make weekly!
My favorite sandwich. Eat it every week.
Give it an hour to meld the flavors and it is outstanding!!!!!
Soooo delicious!
THIS RECIPE ROCKS! Trader Joes sells a Lemon Pepper (grinder). I use it whenever a recipe calls for salt. I used both dill and sweet pickles and added sweet pickle juice - no additional sweeteners needed.
Trader Joes sells a Lemon Pepper grinder. I use it whenever salt is in a recipe. We find that salt is not needed when we use it. THIS RECIPES ROCKS ! I used both sweet and dill pickles and added the juice from the sweet pickles. No additional sweetening ingredients needed.
Please help me out.....I'm gluten-sensitive and notice you use whole wheat flour in various recipes. Is there no gluten sensitivity among PlantPure eaters?
I like your comment and like to know also. I can’t tolerate gluten.
Hi! Yes, there is still a gluten sensitivity when eating a plant based diet. You could eat this with butter leaf lettuce, or buy cassava flour tortillas, or even corn tortillas if you eat corn. Also Whole Foods sells a good gluten free vegan bread. Another easy fix and better for you is to cut a potato length wise into slices and bake it. I use potato “bread” all the time for chickpea burgers and such. Hope this helps
Of course there are people with different food sensitivities still including gluten. If you suffer with it then you know how to replace bread with gluten free one
Wow I love this! What a good vegan replacement for tuna You must try this
Im a bread lover, and this makes amazing sandwiches. Extra pickes or peppercinis on top. Its one of my favorite WFPB staples.
Maybe so. I have eczema and I think extra bread kicks it i to high gear. I love bread and eat it regardless though
There are plenty of gluten free breads available at Whole Foods and wheat flour substitutes too! I’m gluten sensitive also!
Oh my heavens is this the best recipe! I just made this without the celery (because I didn't have any) and served on gluten free chiabatta bread with avocado, grape tomatoes, salad greens and vegan avocado oil mayo. I am now addicted.
I love this recipe, and make it all the time. I do not use the capers, they're not my favorite. I use dill pickle relish, just because it's quicker and easier. I also like it better without the maple syrup. I actually like this recipe much better than with tuna.
Can you make it without maple syrup. I don’t like it and I wouldn’t want to sweeten this sandwich. Thanks.
I made it without maple syrup. It was a little dry, so I added a little pickle juice. I eliminated the capers to cut down on sodium and increased the celery because I like the crunch and taste. It is delicious!
Love this recipe. I am sending it to my daughter and friends. Can't believe how tasty and filling it is!
Love this recipe! Next time I will use 2table spoons of tahini instead of 3. so so so good.
This salad is made almost weekly in our house. It's such a favourite, we out it on sandwiches, in wraps, or on salads. Such a healthy and delicious substitution for regular tuna salad
Most excelent filling for a sanwich!!!
Delicious
loved this dish, very tasty.
Yummy! I added fresh dill and my mom though it tasted just like tuna salad!
I don't remember what tuna tastes like, and now I'll never be curious to try it again! Anytime I'm missing the texture I come to this recipe, absolutely delicious!
The flavors mix so well together. Very delicious!
I am starting to get into plant-based eating one day I had a desire craving for an actual tuna fish sandwich "long behold" I came across this "no tuna" and decided to give it a try and I will tell you how it tastes.
What a lovely mix to go on toast or sandwich. Will be making this again. Thank you for the recipe.
One of my all-time favourites and will make over and over again! Super simple and super delicious.
best PBWF tuna recipe I have found
Love, love, love this sandwich recipe! It's quick and easy to make and so delicious! I don't add the salt or sunflower seeds; I usually never add salt to most recipes.
I love it! Delicious!
Way too much sodium. Sodium in pickles, capers and still you say to add more salt. Is there no salt pickles or capers? For those on salt restrictions give us ideas.
Try substituting the pickles and capers with roasted bell pepper (home made, or from a jar) and add lots of fresh dill and salt free mustard. A good round of freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lime, and you won't be lacking any flavour. I leave out the sweetener as well, but that's my personal preference. Hope this helps.
I have been making this recipe for a few years now. Delicious and easy, I add diced red peppers for color and a tablespoon of vegan Mayo.
I too am salt sensitive! Makes my BP skyrocket… help us please!
I’m not a huge fan of tahini so I was skeptical, but I always follow recipes then make changes. I was pleasantly surprised that the tahini was subtle. I did think that it was lacking a little moisture typical of tuna salad. It was too dry for me. So I added and extra 1T of tahini and 1t of Dijon as well as a splash of pickle juice. Will make again :)
This was SO GOOD! I omitted capers and added extra pickles/pickle juice, lots of garlic, and pureed some of the chickpeas with the tahini and pickle juice first. I think it'd be great with some red pepper flakes too (first homemade vegan food for me). Great recipe!
Great! I was afraid it would be like eating a hummus sandwich but it wasn't. It was very good. The only change I made was to saute the onions and add fresh garlic. It was so yummy.
Wow this is delicious! I never would have thought I'd say that about a mashed chickpea sandwich, lol. My thanks to all the commenters for some great substitutions/alterations. I used (only 2T) almond butter instead of tahini, left out the maple syrup and capers, added a splash of pickle juice, increased the mustard. And I microwaved the red onion for 30 seconds before adding so I wouldn't die of reflux after eating all that raw onion.
This recipe was totally delicious. It was such a wonderful combination of ingredients. I will definitely be making it again. It’s such an easy lunch to have on hand.
Delicious! Easy to make and soooooo tasty! Thanks so much!
I just love this! I cook my own chickpeas using a small square of kombu to reduce flatulence. I mince the cooked kombu and add to the recipe. I only use half the amount of maple syrup and add a minced apple to the recipe. Delicious!
You’re blowing my mind! That helps with flatulence? Thank you for that tip!!
I'm 60 years old and recently discovered I like chickpea's. This recipe using chickpea's is really tasty and we have made it several times in the last few weeks. We like to serve it on large lettuce leaves.
Can you tell me about kombu?
I love this and added dried nori seaweed broken up to give it a sea flavor like fish.
This is what I do too! I add dried wakame flakes, for the taste of the ocean! I am actually surprised this recipe does not have this ingredient in it!
I've made this recipe several times, each time I alter the recipe. This time I used chickpeas that I just cooked in my instant pot. Easy to mash while warm and taste better than canned. No tahini - used vegan mayo instead. No capers - used lots of diced banana peppers instead. Also had fresh dill on hand so I added finely chopped fresh dill. Delicious on celery sticks, bread, homemade lentil flatbread, rice cakes. So good!!
So good! We make this every few weeks. We use green olives instead of capers and put on pumpernickel bread. Delicious!
Amazing amazing go to recipe! Love to sub out Dijon for other varieties, like truffle Dijon!
Oh My Goodness!!! This is just what my tastebuds have been missing! Thank you so much for your creative expertise. My skills lie outside of the kitchen, but following FOK recipes are a breeze even for someone like me. This particular recipe is forgiving if you substitute ingredients because of an understocked kitchen. This will be a regular in my growing vegan meal plans. Thank you!
I made this today without the tahini only because I didn't have any and our grocery store was out of it. It was delicious!! I squeezed half a lemon into it and added just a touch of olive oil (which I know is not recommended), and it was awesome. I plan to add it to my salad for dinner this evening as well.
Great recipe is especially tasty on a sandwich with humous harissa and lettuce.
The first batch I made by the recipe - amazing! Second batch I used extra capers, relish in lieu of pickles, no peanut butter, a few tablespoons nutrional yeast, less maple syrup and I added chopped figs! They add unexpected flavor and texture.
Made it twice already! Change it up a tad to suit my ingrediants on hand and it's very forgiving.
The recipe didn’t call for peanut butter?
Add crumbled Seaweed Snacks to the mix or Kelp powder for the fish taste.
This was delicious, but I'm sorry I added the sunflower seeds. They were like eating sticks... yuck. I tried it by itself, on cucumber slices and on toasted Dave's bread. Hubby didn't like it, but I'll make it every week!
Maybe you used sunflower seeds in the shell? These should be shelled.
Sunflower seeds need to be shelled, just like peanuts, etc. Buy the ones that look like grains of brown rice, and not the big seeds.
Delicious!!! I make this salad often. Great on bread, rice crackers or just on it's own. Even without the capers it's good. My secret is also Polish style dill pickles I get at Big Lots and little bit of the juice from the jar, plus date syrup instead of maple syrup. I also add a little tofu mayo I make to make it more creamier. Thank you!☺
This is amazing! I have added a teaspoon of sriracha mayo to the mixture tho and it was so delicious it surely will be my go to breakfast. So quick and easy to make too :)
I love this filling for sandwiches...I make it for my daughter's lunch and serve to non-plant based friends as well...no complaints. It's versatile, if it's too dry or too wet you simply have to adjust...you can add other things to it as well, I happen to like it pretty much as posted. I use homemade or store vegan mayo, hummus and/or tahini...whatever I choose. Following a WFPB plan will do away with the need to calorie count and so much more, in my opinion.
What can I substitute chick peas for? I can’t eat them
White beans
It was great!
This is unbelievably delicious. It is hearty, filling, I don't even need the bread, I was eating it out of the bowl! Would also be great on celery sticks. I want to eat this every day.
This is favorite FOK recipe so far! I thank God for my taste buds when I eat this.
What is the calories per 100 grams?
I do not know but you can add up the total calories as you add items into the mixing bowl then weigh the total end result in grams. Then take total calories and divide by total grams, then multiply the result by 100 and you'll have your answer.
super tasty
I have the FOK app and love the recipes, especially this one but I need the nutritional information. Is there anywhere we can find the break down?
I use my Fitness Pal to record recipes. It gives a the breakdown per serving.
Minor adjustments to the recipe after reading through the comments. Skipped the sweetener, used homemade hummus instead of tahini (since it was in my fridge), extra lemon juice, dash of old bay and a touch of water and pickle brine for moistness..served on toast with some romaine....delicious!
I noticed that it seized up a bit the next day, sterling your pickle brine idea!
Lots of fat calories- 390 from the tahini alone. Much more than 10% of the entire recipe so not a healthful choice unless you modify.
Meri, I don't know what tahini you are using, but mine is only 89 for a tablespoon and that is 2 and a half servings in this recipe. Sure if I ate 8 servings I would get about 390 calories.
This is so good! I could seriously eat this every day.
Delicious! This spread is the perfect blend of creamy sweet tanginess that will be my new favorite lunch item! It’s easy and quick, highly recommend!
This has NOTHING TO DO WITH TUNA!! Stop trying to make PBWF sound like mainstream dishes! Why not just call it Vegan Sandwich Spread.
Why not just call it chick pea sandwich spread?
It is supposed to mimic the dish... people looking for healthy alternatives can relate to this kind of recipe, so the name helps break the barrier to entry.
Who cares what they call it.. if you dont like the name call it want you want to. Jeez people.
I follow Danny’s thinking. With my transition to a plant based diet, this wording helped my to try this recipe and to see options that I miss from my old “go to” recipes.
Thus the name “no tuna”. Great recipe.
So nice to find a tuna recipe (no tuna), w/o mayo. Tks. Delish!!
This is actually very tasty (forget expectations of tuna flavor). Mine came out very crumbly, so I added a little lemon juice. Great on toasted rice cakes, with tomato on top!
It’s just okay. It’s a little sweeter than I like. If I make it again I’ll probably leave out the maple syrup.
Tastes pretty good but it doesn't taste anything like a substitute for tuna. If you don't expect it to taste like tuna, then it's pretty tasty!
This was nice but was not quite to my taste. I made it exactly to the recipe and I will make it again but will make some changes. The texture, ingredient proportions and nutritional content were just right (excluding the syrup which I don’t think is needed at all). It made a good filling in a wrap and a pitta bread and wasn’t too sloppy. The flavour was good but I thought it could be improved and it tasted a bit sweet to my taste because of the agave syrup. I don’t think it’s necessary in this recipe and I would omit it next time. The mix lacked a bit of acidity and next time I might add a bit of lemon juice, zest of lemon or some preserved lemon. Some chopped fresh parsley or coriander stirred in would also be good. I would recommend the recipe to vegan friends as a handy mix to store in the fridge as it can easily be adjusted to personal taste.
What type of pickle?
Why, kosher dill of course...lol
Really?? Just use whatever kind you like.
Loved it!!!
So easy to make, and it's delicious! We almost always make a double batch of this, and we make it frequently. It's one of our all-time favorite FOK recipes.
A couple of years ago I got to the point where I didn't really like tahini. Although I love raw and roasted almonds, I don't particularly care for almond milk. And I much prefer peanut butter over almond butter any day for sandwiches. So anyway, the last time I made this recipe (last week) I used almond butter instead of tahini. Maybe my tastebuds are off but to me, it has a light neutral flavor and I much prefer it over tahini. And I agree, this is one of my favorite recipes.
I am allergic to sesame and am frustrated when so many vegan/vegetarian/healthy recipes, like this one, call for tahini. I was happy to see your response. I am also allergic to peanuts, but enjoy sunflower seed butter, almond butter and cashew butter. I will have to try that in this recipe. Great idea!!
I so appreciate your comment. Now I feel I can make this and enjoy it. Never thought about almond butter.
My husband who is not vegan likes this. I think it is a great healthy substitute for tuna salad. My children and grandchildren don’t mind it either
Absolutely love this one!
What is in your tahini
Very refreshing
Really really good! To make it a more creamy, I added a bit of the caper brine and a bit of lemon juice. Oh, and fresh dill on top!
Very good, but don’t call it “tuna” fish salad. Consider it somewhat like it but very different - and delicious- had to stop husband from eating the whole bowl!
I SO agree! Why does vegan food have to imitate carnivores? Call it a bean sandwich cause that is what it is!
The title says "No-tuna," so your complaint is invalid. Also, if people want to call it vegan tuna, they can; things like that can help people transitioning from an omni diet to a plant-based one find something they might like that's kind of like what they're used to, even if it doesn't taste exactly the same.
@ Denis, Then call a tuna sandwich a microplastic contaminated with harmful chemicals sandwich, cuz that is what it is!
Delicious. My favorite way to eat this is as a topping to a bowl of baby arugula. I don't have capers, I do add red bell pepper if available. Makes a fine sandwich when on the go.
Adding red bell pepper is a great idea, thanks!
So glad a friend recommended I try this. Super simple (& most of ingredients I had on hand already), keeps well in the fridge for a great make ahead, delicious meal or snack :)
I serve this on toasted naan, delicious!
Such an easy recipe! Delicious and creamy!
So good! Great for lunch and making ahead of time.
So so good and I consider myself a carnivore! I like a good bite so I cut back the sweetener to .5 tbsp me did a full tbsp. Roughly of mustard and some pickle brine as well. I also subbed garlic salt for sea salt. Great on toasted bread; and with fresh sliced cucumber for a crunch.
A household weekday staple - we always throw in the sunflower seeds and toast the bread.
My favorite everyday recipe!!!
Super easy and tasty recipe! Amazing it tastes so good without any oil. I dress it up with radish slices and cherry tomato halves and often eat it in a butter lettuce cup.
Delish. I used half the tahini and skipped the maple syrup and seeds. Added some fresh dill. Might add a bit of lemon juice next time. Very tasty with toasted sprouted grain bread, and good for a salad bowl.
You would LOVE “Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich” by Peas and Crayons. Check it out!
Absolutely delicious! I put most of the mixture into halved mini sweet peppers for snacking and lunches for this week but I would certainly serve this in sandwiches to my non-wfpb lunch guests.
Made this easy recipe this weekend and it is already gone! My husband and I both missed tuna salad sandwiches and this left us completely satisfied! I added a little chopped apple, which I used to put in my tuna salad, and it was great. This will be one of my go-to recipes!
I use my own pickle relish. You could use whatever pickle you prefer I should think.
Perfect if you feel it ain't lunch if it ain’t a sandwich . I think this would really help people with the transition to WFPB eating from the standard American diet.
Love this recipe & use it regularly. It makes a great sandwich!! I also experimented with adding a few cooked red potatoes and slightly increasing the amounts of mustard, celery, onion, pickle and capers. It turned the dish into a potato salad - with protein, which was a fun variation.
A delicious and easy vegan lunch.
So satisfying!
It’s good but I would add about a half tablespoon less tahini and 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup instead. Perhaps a little lemon juice but I like tangy-ness.
Love this ‘go-to’ sandwich!
Love this recipe. Even hubby and the kids loved it! So quick and easy to make. We enjoyed it with slices of baked sweet potato, as well as bread. Kids said they wished there was more sweet potato to eat with the mixture.
This recipe is delicious and very easy. It’s quick, too! I already had most of the ingredients. Used yellow mustard, cane sugar and a sprinkle of cayenne because that’s what I had in hand. Also added finely diced carrots. I will make this frequently.
Looks good
For someone who couldn't stomach chickpeas before.. I LOVE this recipe.. winner.
Awesomeness
Awesomeness
I use a flax egg (as a binder) instead of tahini.
Delicious!!!
Quick and easy to make. Delicious and satisfying. My family loved it! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes.
I absolutely love this recipe!!
This is my favorite. I love it and always double the recipe. My non vegan family and friends eat it also.
This is my keeper. I double the recipe. Even my non vegan family and friends eats it.
I have this at least twice a week!! Even my husband (who is pescatarian) loves this stuff & requests it often!
I'm an Aquarian and also love it :)
10/10 recommend!
Fantastic recipe! We were surprised especially considering you don’t add any oil or vegan Mayo. Definitely worth a try!