10-Minute Roman Chickpea “Tu-No” Salad

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Roman Chickpea Tu-No Salad - Healthy, Whole Foods, Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Easy Recipe from Plants-Rule
Roman Chickpea Tu-No Salad – Healthy, Whole Foods, Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Easy Recipe from Plants-Rule

Mashed chickpeas replace tuna in this quick vegan Roman “Tu-No” salad recipe.  Mediterranean flavor comes from a colorful mix of sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, and more.  With an easy, oil-free dressing. This whole foods, plant-based salad is a snap to make, and it gets even better the next day.

Mashed Chickpeas: Vegan Substitute for Canned Tuna

The secret to this tu-no salad recipe is mashed chickpeas. You can use regular, canned chickpeas to replace tuna for a plant-based salad. All you have to do is drain and rinse the chickpeas. Then, use a fork to mash the chickpeas until they look like flaky, canned tuna. This is a simple vegan trick that you can use in many recipes that call for canned tuna.

A Helpful Video for Mashed Chickpeas:

Roman Mediterranean Flavor

Mediterranean flavor comes from Roman Italian ingredients. Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil add bright, garden flavor. Olives and capers add salty umami notes. An easy, oil-free dressing uses tahini and Dijon mustard to replace mayonnaise for a creamy texture. This easy plant-based salad uses whole foods ingredients for a delicious dish!

Roman Chickpea Tu-No Salad - Healthy, Whole Foods, Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Easy Recipe from Plants-Rule
Chef’s Flavor Tip: A colorful mix of crunchy vegetables like celery, red onion, and bell pepper help create interesting texture for this quick, easy, plant-based vegan recipe

Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips for Roman Chickpea Tu-No Salad

Canned Bean Tip: Always drain and thoroughly rinse canned beans before using.  This removes any of the canned flavor and makes them more digestible.

Make a Day Ahead: This salad tastes even better after it sits for a day.

Add Fresh Herbs: You can add other fresh herbs for even more healthy flavor.  Tarragon, parsley, and fresh mint would add bright flavors.

Low-Sodium: If you’re concerned about sodium from the caper brine and olives, you can cut back on these and use some fresh lemon zest and juice for salt-free flavor.  Check for canned chickpeas with “No Salt Added”


Roman Chickpea Tu-No Salad - Healthy, Whole Foods, Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Easy Recipe from Plants-Rule
Roman Chickpea Tu-No Salad – Healthy, Whole Foods, Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Easy Recipe from Plants-Rule

Easy |  Servings: 4 |  Ready In: 10 minutes |  Yield: 4 cups

10-Minute Roman Chickpea “Tu-No” Salad

Mashed chickpeas replace tuna in this quick vegan Roman “Tu-No” salad recipe.  Mediterranean flavor comes from a colorful mix of sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, and more.  With an easy, oil-free dressing. This whole foods, plant-based salad is a snap to make, and it gets even better the next day.
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Italian, Mediterranean, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword 10 minutes or less, easy, hclf, healthy, meat substitute, oil-free, plant-based, quick, Roman, simple, vegan, vegetarian, wfpb
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 263kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ red onion diced
  • ½ red bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • ¼ cup Kalamata olives chopped
  • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers drained and loosely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of the caper brine
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

  • To make the Chickpea “Tu-No”:  Drain and rinse the chickpeas.  Place into a medium bowl.  Use a fork to mash the chickpeas into a consistency resembling canned tuna.
  • To make the Roman Chickpea Salad:  Dice the red onion, bell pepper, and celery.  Chop the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and capers.  Add all to the bowl with the mashed chickpeas.  Add 2 tablespoons of the caper brine, along with the tahini, Dijon, and black pepper.  Stir well to combine.
  • Everything comes together in under 10 minutes for this easy, healthy plant-based salad
  • Serve on toasted bread or enjoy with lettuce and tomato.
  • Yield: 4 cups

Notes

Easy |  Servings: 4 |  Ready In: 10 minutes |  Yield: 4 cups
 

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 264
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14 g 22 %
Saturated Fat 1 g 4 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
Sodium 932 mg 39 %
Potassium 356 mg 10 %
Total Carbohydrate 24 g 8 %
Dietary Fiber 7 g 27 %
Sugars 5 g  
Protein 9 g 17 %
Vitamin A 32 %
Vitamin C 26 %
Calcium 9 %
Iron 11 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Shopping and Gear List

    • Organic Raw Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    • Revive Naturals Stone-Ground Native Sesame Tahini
    • Organic Dijon Mustard

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