No Tuna No Mayo Tempeh Salad

I admit to having an occasional tuna salad sandwich when I was a pescetarian long, long ago. I don’t miss the tuna, but I like the idea of having a vegan version of it out there because it ROCKS. Yup, I said it. 

Don’t be alarmed by the lack of vegan mayo in this recipe. It will still taste good. I was never a big fan of mayo (vegan or otherwise), and I have never tasted Vegenaise. Don’t hate me.

Cheers!

No Tuna No Mayo Tempeh Salad

No Tuna No Mayo Tempeh Salad

Ingredients

10-ounce package Tempeh (check for gluten free label)

1 small onion, chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small Persian cucumber, finely chopped, no need to peel it (regular cucumber or dill pickle may be used instead)

1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped (parsley may be used instead)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be used instead)

1 tablespoon organic Kelp granules or shredded nori (optional)

3-4 tablespoons Dijon mustard (vegan mayo may be used instead)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, crumble the tempeh with your hands and mash it with a fork to achieve a uniform consistency. Add all the ingredients except for the Dijon mustard and mix well. Coat with Dijon mustard, use less or more depending on the desired creaminess of the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a pita pocket or over your favorite greens.

*Note

A 15-ounce can of chickpeas may be substituted for tempeh in this recipe. Be sure to rinse, drain and mash the chickpeas with a fork prior to adding it to the salad.

If using vegan mayo instead of Dijon mustard as a dressing, be sure to add at least one teaspoon of Dijon in addition to the vegan mayo for a richer flavor.