Vegan tuna, the perfect vegan substitute for regular tuna. It's fishy, healthy, and low in fat, and to make it you only need 5 ingredients and 10 minutes!
Sometimes I find it hard to find homemade plant-based fish recipes. If I try to look for one at the supermarket, it usually contains lots of additives and preservatives, and that's not really healthy. That's why I decided to try this vegan tuna recipe, and it's delicious!
Although this recipe doesn't really have a tuna texture, it's actually very tasty and it really resembles the tuna flavor. The key to this dish is the nori flakes, which help give it its characteristic fishy touch.
Besides, you can eat this vegan tuna as a dip or use it to make sandwiches, salads, or any recipe that calls for real tuna. It also contains good quality vegan protein because it's made with chickpeas.
Vegan tuna, healthy, low in fat, and wonderfully good. It's a super simple recipe that requires 5 simple ingredients and just 10 minutes. I hope you like it!
How to make vegan tuna - Step by step
- Blend the nori sheet in a powerful blender until you get nori flakes (photo 1). Set aside.
- Add the chickpeas to a bowl and mash them with a fork (photo 2).
- Incorporate the remaining ingredients (photo 3), stir, and mash again until well combined (photo 4).
- Serve immediately.
Pro tips
- The nori sheet isn't optional, as we need it to get a fishy flavor. You could maybe use another kind of seaweed, but I haven’t tried it myself.
- You can replace the tahini with 1-2 tablespoons of oil (I’d use extra virgin olive oil).
- Feel free to use lime juice instead of lemon juice.
- If you don't like chickpeas, this recipe will also work with other legumes like beans.
What is vegan tuna?
Vegan tuna is a vegan meat substitute for tuna. Of course, it doesn't contain any real tuna at all, and although the texture of this recipe is not super close to regular tuna, it does have a similar flavor and it's actually delicious.
Besides, it is low in fat and very healthy and nutritious, as well as high in protein because it's prepared with chickpeas.
How long will this vegan tuna keep?
If you have any leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and they will keep for 4-5 days, and sometimes even for a week. If it smells and tastes good, you can eat it.
How to serve vegan tuna
There are a lot of dishes you can prepare with this vegan tuna. I love to add it to salads like this delicious vegan potato salad, although I also enjoy it in a vegan tuna sandwich.
Another option is to mix it with some vegan mayo and use it as a topping for your baked or jacket potatoes.
Looking for more vegan meat recipes?
Did you make this vegan tuna recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Tuna
Ingredients
- 1 nori sheet
- 2 and ½ cups canned or cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Blend the nori sheet in a powerful blender until you get nori flakes. You can also finely chop the nori sheet with a knife. Set aside.
- Add the chickpeas to a bowl and mash them with a fork.
- Incorporate the remaining ingredients, stir, and mash again until well combined. If you want to save some time, use a food processor instead, but don’t over-blend.
- Serve immediately or keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. If it smells and tastes good, it could also last for up to a week.
Notes
- The nori sheet isn't optional, as we need it to get a fishy flavor. You could maybe use another kind of seaweed, but I haven’t tried it myself.
- You can replace the tahini with 1-2 tablespoons of oil (I’d use extra virgin olive oil).
- Feel free to use lime juice instead of lemon juice.
- If you don't like chickpeas, this recipe will also work with other legumes like beans.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips in October of 2020.
Erica says
This looks delicious! Can I use dulse flakes instead of a nori sheet? Or will that throw off the taste?
Iosune says
Hi Erica! Thanks a lot 🙂 I've neve tried it myself, but I think it could work...
Brian says
I've made this twice and it turned out great both times. Definitely a keeper! The second time, I added a couple of tbs of water and it really helped give it more of a tuna-ish texture IMHO.
Iosune says
Hi Brian! So glad you liked it 🙂
dave says
I made this earlier this week and although it tastes nice i feel like i have done it a little wrong. it feels a little chickpea heavy.
Can i please check is it 400g of chickpeas before or after they are drained?
i will continue experimenting although i have loads left still from the first batch i knocked up!
thanks
Iosune says
Hi Dave! As you can read in the recipe box, the chickpeas are drained. Try to add less chickpeas or more of the other ingredients next time. Hope it works!
Sarah says
I ran out of chickpeas so substituted cooked butter beans and added a bit of water and olive oil for more moisture, then stirred in some sweetcorn. Absolutely delicious!
Iosune says
Hi Sarah! Sounds great 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Lainey says
....Oh and forgot to say, I also used lime juice instead of lemon juice
Iosune says
Yes, they're pretty interchangeable 🙂
Lainey says
Abloutely love this! Thank you so much for sharing. I modified mine a bit by using both dulse flakes and ground kombu instead of the nori sheet. I've always found those two, particularly kombu, to give a much more fishier taste and even smell. And it does disappoint in this recipe. Has gone down a treat as Vegan tuna & hemp mayo sandwiches with cucumber and rocket with friends.
Iosune says
Hi Lainey! Thanks a lot 😀 Sounds amazing! I use nori because is easier to find in some areas, but I'll try your version next time 😉
Marie says
Hi lainey ,
May I ask you how much dulse flakes and ground kombu you used?
Thanks!
Sissel Mo says
Could you skip the lemon juice? What does it do in the recipe?
Iosune says
Hi Sissel! I think it's an important ingredient to get a real tuna flavor, but you could use some vinegar instead 🙂
Adeline Huntley says
Great recipe.
Iosune says
Hi Adeline! Thank you so much 🙂
Suzy says
This was good! I just made a batch and let it chill for a while (I think much needed!). I tasted while preparing and felt it a little bland so I also added some Veganaise. Green onion and some diced celery will go into the rest of the batch to add that tuna salad crunch I missed. I thought the Nori was a bit much. When you say "sheet" you mean all 4 strips that make up a sheet, correct? And I also popped everything into the food processor. Very easy and very good. Thanks!
Iosune says
Hi Suzy! I mean the nori sheets you use to make sushi: https://amzn.to/2sY0mMX Hope it helps 🙂
Joanne docherty says
Amazing have made it three times already
Iosune says
Hi Joanne! Thanks a lot 🙂 SO glad you liked it so much!
Kathy says
Really delicious with minimal ingredients! It's so good just by itself. Thank you!
Iosune says
Hi Kathy! Thanks a lot 🙂 Yes, I would it the whole thing with a spoon!
Wendy says
So I made mine today with vegan mayo, green onions and seaweed snacks (lol- it's what I had on hand!) It was good- I liked the texture! I'll try next week with the nori, tahini & lemon.
Iosune says
Hi Wendy! So glad you liked it 🙂 You really need to add the nori and the lemon, it's even better!
JOSIE says
Great recipe. I just put everything in the blender & whizzed it. I added more liquid (aquafaba from the beans), olive oil & salt. Also next time I think I'll use more nori to give it an even fishier flavour!
Iosune says
Hi Josie! Sounds great 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Joanne Docherty says
Just made the vegan tuna and it’s amazing thank you so much
Iosune says
Hi Joanne! You're so welcome 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Iosune says
Hi Kate! Hope you like it 🙂 I've never used kombu myself, but I think it could work. Have a nice day!
Kate West says
Hi Iosune,
This looks fabulous and I will try it as-is asap, but as I only have Kombu on hand do you think I can substitute Kombu for Nori? Thank you for any advice/ideas and for your awesome website. I use it all the time!
Valerie Murphy says
Just the sort of recipes I want to make. Hopefully next day or so ,thank you.
Iosune says
Hi Valerie! Hope you like it 🙂