Chickpea Tuna Salad Avocados (Printable Version)

Creamy avocados filled with a zesty chickpea mix create a fresh, plant-based lunch or dinner option.

# Components:

→ Chickpea Tuna Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
03 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
05 - 1 small celery stalk, finely diced
06 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
07 - 2 tablespoons dill pickles, finely chopped
08 - 2 teaspoons capers, drained and roughly chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Serving

13 - 2 large ripe avocados, halved and pitted
14 - Mixed salad greens, optional
15 - Lemon wedges, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly broken down while maintaining some texture.
02 - Add vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, celery, red onion, dill pickles, capers, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
03 - Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
04 - Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop out a small amount of flesh from the center to create a larger cavity if desired.
05 - Fill each avocado half generously with the chickpea tuna salad mixture.
06 - Arrange filled avocados on a bed of mixed greens and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 15 minutes, which means lunch that feels fancy without the stress.
  • The chickpeas give you real substance and protein, so you're actually satisfied, not just pretending.
  • It's a sneaky way to make plant-based eating feel indulgent because avocados are basically nature's butter.
02 -
  • Avocados oxidize fast—that lemon juice isn't optional, it's the difference between lunch and brown disappointment.
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing your chickpeas or the whole thing tastes tinny and off, a lesson I learned the hard way.
  • The capers and pickles are what make people say 'what is this magic' instead of 'oh, it's chickpea salad'—they're not garnishes, they're crucial.
03 -
  • Make the chickpea mixture ahead of time—it keeps for three days in the fridge and actually tastes better as flavors meld, you just fill your avocados right before eating.
  • If your avocados aren't quite ripe, you can make this a day ahead, cover the filled halves loosely with plastic wrap, and they'll actually ripen slightly while the flavors marry together.
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