Vegan Tuna Salad
Enjoy this vegan and gluten-free vegan Tuna Salad. Made with tempeh and filled with fresh vegetables and herbs for a light and refreshing any-time-of-day snack.
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I’m back.
Did you miss me? I sure missed you.
Although I did have five glorious days driving down highway 101 seeing some of the most beautiful parts of Oregon and Northern California. We camped along the way, explored new beaches, discovered hidden gems in the towns surrounding the redwoods, and gave big full hugs to the 1000-year-old trees in the National Redwoods Forest. Oh, and I celebrated another trip around the sun. It was pure bliss and much-needed respite.
Now, with new energy and exhilaration, I am back with all kinds of springtime recipes to share with you. I’ve got Raw Pad Thai, Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies, and Vegan Olive Oil Cake. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s look and see what I’ve got for you today.
We’re starting off with an adaptation of one of my oldest recipes from the blog: revisited and revised Vegan Tuna Salad.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tempeh – I love the nutty heartiness of tempeh however other plant-based alternatives I recommend are chickpeas, jackfruit, and tofu.
- Onion
- Celery
- Dill Pickle
- Fresh Dill
- Capers
- Vegan Mayonnaise – My favorite brand is Just Mayo. It is shelf-stable and has a similar price point to non-vegan mayonnaise. However, any vegan mayo will do.
- Spicy Mustard
- Lemon Juice
- Spices – Cayenne, salt, and pepper
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need basic cooking equipment including a saucepot, colander, mixing bowls, and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to Make Tempeh Tuna Salad
Step One – Boil the Tempeh
Boil the tempeh in a medium-sized pot for twenty minutes. Once tempeh is tender, drain the water and let tempeh cool for 15 minutes.
This step allows the tempeh to soften as well as removes any bitterness from it.
Step Two – Chop the Veggies
While tempeh is boiling, chopped all your vegetables and herbs. Set aside.
Step Three – Mix Together
Place cooled tempeh in a medium bowl and smash it with a fork or other mashing utensil until tempeh is mostly broken apart with some larger pieces intact. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together.
Serving and Storing
Serving – For best results, let the salad set in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before serving. This allows the tempeh to chill all the way through while letting the flavors absorb into it. Serve salad on toasted bread for a tuna salad sandwich, on crackers, or with vegetables.
Storing – Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this tempeh tuna salad gluten-free?
Why, yes it is!
Can this vegan tuna salad be soy-free?
Sure! If you are looking for a soy-free option, I recommend trying chickpeas, runner-up for my favorite plant-based tuna substitute. Substituting chickpeas is super simple.
- Drain and rinse them thoroughly.
- Put them in a bowl and mash them until only a few large pieces remain (no boiling needed!).
- Add your remaining ingredients and you’ve got yourself a soy-free vegan tuna salad.
More Classic Vegan Salad Recipes
- Chicken Salad w/ Jackfruit
- Classic Egg Salad
- Backyard BBQ Potato Salad
- Summer Pasta Salad
- Healthy Cobb Salad
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and rate it below.
If you made any substitutions, let us know how it turned out!
Enjoy this vegan and gluten-free vegan Tuna Salad. Made with tempeh and filled with fresh vegetables and herbs for a light and refreshing any-time-of-day snack.
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
Keyword: Vegan Tuna Salad
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 141 kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn
- 8 ounces tempeh
- 1/4 cup white onions, diced
- 1/4 cup celery, diced
- 2 tbsp dill pickle, diced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tsp spicy mustard
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of cayenne
- salt and pepper, to taste
Boil the tempeh in a medium-sized pot for twenty minutes. Once the tempeh is tender, drain the water and let tempeh cool for 5 minutes.
While tempeh is boiling, chopped all your vegetables and herbs. Set aside.
Place cooled tempeh in a medium bowl and smash it with a fork or other mashing utensil until tempeh is mostly broken apart with some larger pieces intact. Add the remaining ingredients and stir it together.
Serve on toast or with crackers and vegetables. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving and Storing - For best results, let the salad set in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before serving. This allows the tempeh to chill all the way through while letting the flavors absorb into it. Serve salad on toasted bread for a tuna salad sandwich, on crackers, or with vegetables. Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Tips - Don't skip the boiling step. Boiling removes the slightly bitter taste found in tempeh and helps soften and moisten the tempeh which allowing it to better absorb flavors.
Variations - For a soy-free option, I recommend trying chickpeas. To do this drain and rinse them thoroughly. Put them in a bowl and mash them until only a few large pieces remain. Add your remaining ingredients and you've got yourself a soy-free vegan tuna salad.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the 
john says
thanks fir this post.
Salto says
I tried the chickpeas vegan tuna salad. It really was delicious!
I would like to have your advice though. I tried to bake the tuna salad in the oven as a pizza topping. The chickpeas became dry and crumbly. Do you have any recommendations?
Wilson Wright says
Who else is in love with tuna? Specially the spicy ones?
jenny says
This is good
game says
the photo thanks
soundcloud downloader says
Fantastic! I followed the recipe almost exactly, except used a bit more tempeh and mayo. The taste and texture are convincingly close to the real thing. Perfect for those who like tuna salad!
Vic says
Hi Sarah,
I wanted to have tempeh in a salad and used this recipe as an inspiration. I did not have a fresh lemon, so I used 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar instead. I followed the rest o the recipe. It was delicious!!! I plan to try it with fresh lemon juice next time. I plan to prepare this salad on Father’s day for a family reunion. Thank you very much.
Sarah says
Yay! I’m glad you made it work out and enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
Kate says
The photos are beautiful and the recipe sounds so smart!
I never used tempeh much, but this is a new idea.
Jessica Lim says
This looks great as always! I saw tempeh at Trader Joe’s last week and was wondering what to do with it, so I’ll have to give it a try.
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Sarah says
Thanks very much 🙂