I’m baaaaack!
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 spring time recipes to share with you. We’re starting off with an adaptation of one of my oldest recipes from the blog: revisited and revised Vegan Tuna Salad.
For years I’ve been playing around with vegan tuna salad recipes. Trying different bases like tofu, chickpeas, jackfruit and a carrot/walnut mixture which is the base for this raw tuna salad, I have been busy trying to replicate what used to be one of my favorite salads as a child. Through my experimenting, I’ve determined that my favorite base for this salad is tempeh. I love the nutty heartiness of tempeh which, while it significantly deviates from the texture of tuna, provides a perfect consistency for this salad. Tempeh is also known for adapting flavors which allows this tempeh tuna salad to taste just like the herbs, spices, and vegetables packed into it.
Another reason to choose tempeh for this salad is the many health benefits. Loaded with protein and fiber, a serving of this salad provides you with a lunch that will fills you up and energizes you throughout the day. In comparison to tofu, tempeh is the less processed soy option, contains less fat, and is filled with more vitamins and minerals.
MY LATEST VIDEOSTempeh for the win!
However, 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. Step one: drain and rinse them thoroughly. Step two: put them in a bowl and mash them until only a few large pieces remain (no boiling needed!). Step three: Add your remaining ingredients and…
voila…vegan tuna salad (with a soy free option)!
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Tell us what you thought in the comments below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Tag @mydarlingvegan so I can see your creations!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
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.
- 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 mayonaise
- 2 tsp spicy mustard
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of cayenne
- salt and pepper, to taste
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Boil the tempeh in a medium-sized pot for twenty minutes. Once tempeh is tender, drain the water and let tempeh cool for 5 minutes.
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While tempeh is boiling, chopped all your vegetables and herbs. Set aside.
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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 in tact. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together.
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Serve on toast or with crackers and vegetables. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- 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.
- Looking for a soy-free option, sub tempeh with a can of chickpeas. You can skip the boiling step and go straight to mashing.
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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!
Thanks very much 🙂
The photos are beautiful and the recipe sounds so smart!
I never used tempeh much, but this is a new idea.
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.
Yay! I’m glad you made it work out and enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.