Vegan Chickpea Cranberry Tuna

Raise your hand if you grew up eating tuna sandwiches! I loved tuna growing up but when I went vegan I obviously had to stop eating it. This vegan chickpea cranberry tuna is going to be your new favorite meal. I know there are a lot of vegan tuna recipes out there but I promise you this one is seriously the best – the cranberries really add a nice touch.

I like to meal prep this tuna and keep a big container in the fridge for the week. My fiance LOVES it and we both like to add it to our lunches or eat it with crackers or veggies for a snack.

What ingredients will I need to make this vegan chickpea cranberry tuna?

This vegan chickpea cranberry tuna isn’t made with any crazy ingredients – don’t worry! A healthy vegan diet is made up of whole heart healthy, unprocessed food like the ingredients here!

• chickpeas
• sunflower seeds
• tahini
• dill
• dijon mustard
• maple syrup (optional)
• red onion
• dried cranberries

How do you make vegan chickpea cranberry tuna?

This recipe is literally SO easy. You add all of the ingredients into a food processor…pulse a few times…and that’s it! I would definitely use a food processor, not a blender. A blender will make it way too mushy, you need to leave some of the texture. The easiest 5 minute lunch ever. Toast a slice of bread, add this to a salad or even munch on it with some crackers.

You can also choose to eat this open faced with a little extra dill and lightly toasted bread….yes please! I’d like to also note that this meal is amazing for keeping you full – the plant-protein from the chickpeas will keep you satisfied for hours!

Will my non-vegan friends and family enjoy it?

I used some of the tuna to make into a sandwich for my fiance – HE GOBBLED IT UP! He used to be a major meat eater but is now vegan and this is his go-to lunch. It’s so filling and hearty which makes it perfect to impress your friends and family. To the sandwich, I also added onions and lettuce and used 100% whole wheat tuscan bread but you can use whatever bread you like. Ezekiel bread would work great to for this. My non-vegan future father in law also loves this!

If you are trying to appeal to a more skeptical, picky eater, try doing vegan mayo instead of tahini.

I lightly toasted the bread and make this sandwich in under 5 minutes. Simple yet so yummy! I think toasting the bread is a nice touch if you’re making this for someone else.

How should you store this vegan chickpea cranberry tuna?

I recommend storing it in the fridge for 4-5 days. Do not freeze this as it won’t freeze well. It’s best kept in the fridge. If you need to meal prep this for lunches throughout the week you can double or triple this batch so you can add it sandwiches, salads or crackers at the ready for your lunch or mid-day snack.

This keeps very well in the fridge, it doesn’t get brown or weird and the flavors develop as it sits in the fridge. Store in an air-tight container for the longest lasting tuna.

What else can I add to this tuna?

1. Vegan mayonaise
2. Relish
3. Pickles
4. Celery
5. Cucumber
6. Chopped carrots

This is a very versatile recipe. If you don’t like cranberries you can simply use any of the other add-ins. Adding in pickles makes this so delicious!

A few tips:

• I personally like to add the tuna to a spinach salad with a little balsamic vinaigrette. It’s a delicious way to enjoy this recipe.
• Don’t store this in the freezer.
• You can substitute vegan mayo for the tahini if you want a more classic tuna. I simply used tahini because it’s oil-free.
• Try to find unsweetened dried cranberries because sometimes they add a lot of added sugar.
• You can use either fresh or dried dill!

What makes this vegan chickpea cranberry tuna healthier than fish tuna?

Tuna fish has high levels of mercury which can lead to heavy metal poisoning, neurological issues, mercury poisoning and other health issues. Unfortunately, the pollution in our oceans contributes to high levels of plastic being found in fish. Make this fish-free tuna for a plant-based healthy alternative. Chickpea tuna is packed with fiber which fish tuna doesn’t have and it has protein, healthy fats from the tahini, magnesium, iron and a ton of nutrients.

You will love this recipe, I promise!

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I hope you like this as much as I do!

In good health,

Danielle