Healthy Chickpea Tuna Salad

I love canned tuna, it's a staple in my stores at home and one of my go-to ingredients when I don't know what to eat. I love tuna in salads and have a variety in my repertoire, this tuna chickpea salad being one of my favourites.

This is a no mayo chickpea tuna salad. Tuna pairs really well with fresh herbs and citrus flavours, so I've added fresh parsley and mint to the salad, and opted to dress the salad with a zesty lemon vinaigrette.

I love making my own salad dressings, they're easy to make and taste superior to any store bought dressing.

Recipe ingredients

• Lettuce: I like to use a gem lettuce in this recipe as it has a good crunchy stem which adds texture.
• Fruits & Vegetables: I add a combination of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper (you can use any colour), and red onion to the salad, but you can use any variety of salad veggies.
• Olives: Olives work really well in this salad, I opted for a mixture of green and black olives but you can use any colour or variety.
• Fresh herbs: I added chopped fresh parsley and mint to the salad for a burst of fresh herb flavour.
• Chickpeas: For ease I used a can of chickpeas which I drained and rinsed before adding to the salad.
• Tuna: I recommend using tuna in sunflower oil or spring water as I find canned tuna in brine just too salty. 2 x 145g cans of tuna, drained, will serve 4.

Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients

• Mustard: I use Dijon mustard which helps emulsify the dressing, bringing all the ingredients together.
• Lemon: I use both the zest and juice from 1 fresh lemon in the vinaigrette.
• Oil: I used olive oil in this dressing, but you could also use sunflower or avocado oil.
• Seasoning: I season the dressing with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

How to make Healthy Chickpea Tuna Salad

• Place all the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Place the lid on the jar and give the dressing a good shake to combine all the ingredients together. Set aside.
• If using a bowl, whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together, and set aside.

• Place all the salad vegetables, chickpeas and fresh herbs into a large bowl and stir to combine.
• Add the canned tuna and lemon vinaigrette and give the salad a gentle mix, ensuring everything is coated in the vinaigrette. Don't be too heavy handed as you want to retain chunks of tuna. Serve immediately.
• Alternatively, cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Recipe variations

• Fish - Try other fish like hot smoked salmon or smoked mackerel.
• Chickpeas - I used canned chickpeas, but you could swap for canned beans, try borlotti, cannellini or a can of mixed beans.
• Lettuce - I used gem lettuce but feel free to add the salad leaves of your choosing. Use any variety of lettuce or a bag of mixed salad leaves, you could also add some baby spinach or rocket (arugula) to the mix.
• Fruits & Vegetables - Add other salad vegetables to the mix like any colour avocado, radish, sweetcorn or celery.
• Onion - I use red onion as it has a mild flavour, shallot or spring onions (green onions) would be a good swap.
• Fresh Herbs - I've used parsley and mint in this recipe, but you can swap in other soft herbs like dill, basil, coriander (cilantro) or tarragon.
• Citrus - If you don't have lemons for the dressing, swap for 2 fresh limes instead.

Serving suggestions

This salad will serve 4 as a main dish salad. I serve the salad as it is, but if you have hungry diners I suggest adding a side of crusty bread or toasted sourdough bread.

I like to top the salad with toasted seeds for extra crunch and texture. If you like adding seeds to your salads, try my Crunchy Seeds Salad Topper which are a great addition to any salad.

Useful hints and tips

1. Seasoning: always taste the salad dressing and check the seasoning once it is made. Proper seasoning will make all the difference to the finished salad.
2. If you've made the salad dressing any leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Just ensure you shake the jar to combine the ingredients before using.
3. Containing no gluten or dairy this salad dish is suitable for gluten free and dairy free diners.
4. Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Additional recipe suggestions

If you like this recipe then try some of my other main dish salad recipes:

• Tuna, Avocado & Quinoa Salad
• Peach Burrata Salad with Candied Pecans
• Smoked Mackerel & Beetroot Salad
• Pear, Walnut & Blue Cheese Salad
• Roast Pumpkin Salad
• Grilled Vegetables with Halloumi & Herb Dressing
• Chicken & Asparagus Salad
• Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Whipped Creme Fraiche

For more recipe ideas, head to my Best Salad Recipes post where you will find links to all my favourite salads in one place.