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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Salads

    Vegan "Tuna" Salad

    Published: Aug 4, 2016 · by Julia Mueller · Updated: Sep 16, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    One of the natural food stores in my area has a great salad bar, where I love to get my vegetable-and-protein fix after a long trail run. They have a vegan tuna salad (as in "tuna") that I put on top of my greens every time. It has a wonderful flavor and texture; I've been meaning to recreate it at home for months.

    At this point you may be cocking your head, wondering how one makes tuna salad meatless. I was befuddled too, until I saw the ingredients listed on a placard above the salad bar. Are you ready? Almonds, sunflower seeds, onion, celery, parsley, and lemon juice. That's it. Mind blown.

    Vegan "Tuna" Salad | Oh My Veggies
    The trick here is to soak the almonds and sunflower seeds in water, drain them, then grind them up with the rest of the ingredients. No mayonnaise, no fuss, no cooking. Never in a million years did I think nuts and seeds could mimic a tuna salad, but they do! The texture is definitely not the same as fish, but the flavor is strangely close--without being "fishy." You can serve this raw, vegan, high-protein salad with crackers, in a wrap, as a dip or on a sandwich with your favorite fixings (I like it on toasted bread with spring greens, avocado, red onion and bell pepper).

    If you need inspiration to pull yourself out of the what-do-I-eat-for-lunch sandwich rut, this recipe will absolutely do the trick!

    This post was originally published on August 13, 2014.

    Recipe

    Vegan "Tuna" Salad

    Vegan “Tuna” Salad

    You won't believe how much this vegan tuna salad tastes like the real thing! Serve it as a spread for vegetables or make your own meatless tuna salad sandwiches.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Spread, Dip, Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Vegan “Tuna” Salad, vegan dip, vegand sandwich spread
    Servings: 4 cups
    Calories: 632kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups raw almonds
    • 1 cup raw or roasted sunflower seeds
    • ½ cup red onion chopped
    • 2 cups celery chopped
    • ½ cup water
    • ⅓ cup packed fresh parsley
    • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place the almonds and sunflower seeds in a bowl and soak them for 4 hours.
    • Strain the almonds and sunflower seeds in a fine mesh sieve and transfer them to a blender or food processor and process until a thick, gritty paste is formed (it should be sticky). This will require some time, so you may need to stop, stir, and re-start your blender/food processor several times.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the blender/food processor, and process until everything has come together. There will be chunks of celery and onion, so if you prefer a more uniform “salad,” make sure you chop them finely before adding them to the blender.
    • Refrigerate the salad for at least an hour before serving. Serve with crackers or veggies, or make it into a sandwich or wrap with your favorite fixings.

    Notes

    Prep time doesn't include the 4 hours soaking time for the almonds and sunflower seeds.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 632kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 23gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 584mgPotassium: 871mgFiber: 14gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 653IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 252mgIron: 5mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Salads, Snack Recipes, Vegan Main Dishes, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Salads, Vegan Side Dishes, Vegan Snacks, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetarian Side Dishes almonds, gluten-free, lunch, Make it Meatless Series, salads

    Julia Mueller from The Roasted Root

    About Julia Mueller

    Julia Mueller writes the food blog, The Roasted Root, and is the author of Delicious Probiotic Drinks and Let Them Eat Kale!. A Lake Tahoe native, Julia loves to play outdoors, and enjoys developing recipes that are nutrient-dense and approachable to make any night of the week.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Beth-Ami Heavenstone says

      November 10, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      Silly question but is the 1/2 cup of water for soaking or is it one of the remaining ingredients to add after processing the seeds and nuts? The 1/2 cup doesn't completely cover the nuts and seeds and I'm concerned they won't all be the appropriate texture after soaking.

      Reply
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    5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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