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Home » Type » Salads » Creamy Salads » The Ultimate Mock “Tuna” Salad {Vegan}

The Ultimate Mock “Tuna” Salad {Vegan}

March 30, 2012 by Faith 25 Comments

The Ultimate Mock “Tuna” Salad {Vegan}

When I think of tuna, I think of being a kid. Of schooltime lunches: cold sandwiches packed by my mom or hot open-face melts with cheese. Of the multitude of casseroles my mom used to make (so many casseroles!); I remember two in particular: a creamy one with peas and toast, and a crispy one topped with potato chips and brown sugar (they really did taste so much better than they sound). I think of summertime, picnics and parties, and cold tuna pasta salad. I love tuna, and for me, it’s just one of those foods that has a million memories attached to it.

Greenpeace emailed me last week to tell me about a recipe contest they launched, called Think Outside the Can, to raise awareness regarding the destructive and irresponsible tuna fishing practices that many major companies engage in.

From the contest website, “Canned tuna is an affordable source of protein that many families depend on. But if companies like Chicken of the Sea don’t change the way they’re fishing for tuna today, we will lose the ocean ecosystems they depend on, and scarcity will cause the price to skyrocket tomorrow. The industry’s push for unsustainable canned tuna has left many species on the brink of extinction. Overfishing runs rampant across the globe, and countless animals such as sharks, turtles, rays, and many kinds of juvenile fish are killed every year by the global tuna industry. Until the industry changes its ways, we have to look to sustainable tuna options, and tuna-free versions of our favorites.”

The Ultimate Mock “Tuna” Salad {Vegan} 2

Not only do I love tuna, but I love being able to help spread the word about such an important goal. I immediately knew I wanted to participate.

They’re looking for tuna-free alternatives to classic tuna recipes. I spent some time thinking about my favorite tuna dishes, but in the end I chose to make a vegetarian version of the simplest, most basic tuna recipe I can think of: tuna salad. It’s the most versatile tuna recipe (you can eat it on a sandwich, as a melt with cheese, on top of salad greens, tossed with cooked pasta, or as a spread for crackers), but what I love most about it is how unpretentious it is. It reminds me of my long-standing tuna-loving days dating back to my childhood.

Instead of tuna as the base of this salad, I used crumbed 5-grain tempeh. The 5-grain aspect of the tempeh caused some slight color variations (some of the grains were darker than others), which mimicked tuna’s natural look and gave the salad a very realistic tuna appearance. The salad really did taste like some kind of seafood salad, and it was family-friendly (read: a huge hit all around!). I know it will become a favorite tuna salad replacement in my house, and hopefully in your house as well.

The Ultimate Mock “Tuna” Salad {Vegan} 3

Print
The Ultimate Mock “Tuna” Salad {Vegan}
Prep time:  10 mins
Total time:  10 mins
Yield: Yields 1 cup, about 3 to 4 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 4 oz 5-grain tempeh (I used Soyboy), crumbled
  • 1 medium stalk celery, finely diced
  • 2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (see Note)
  • 4-5 tablespoons light mayo (see Note)
Instructions
  1. Stir together all ingredients except the mayo, then stir in enough mayo so it reaches your desired consistency.
  2. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
  3. Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy this salad any way you’d eat tuna salad: in a sandwich, in a melt with cheese, on top of salad greens, tossed with cooked pasta, or as a spread for crackers.
Notes
To Keep This Salad Vegan: Be sure to use vegan mayo and Worcestershire sauce.
3.5.3251

Filed Under: Creamy Salads, Gluten Free, Vegan Tagged: Greenpeace, Mock "Tuna" Salad, Recipes, Sustainability, Tuna Alternatives, Tuna Fish, Vegan, Vegetarian

Comments

  1. Emily says

    November 6, 2020 at 8:22 am

    Alright, this came out soooo good. Not necessarily tasting like ‘tuna’, but whatever! Used coconut aminos instead of the Worcestershire, worked perfectly.

    Reply
  2. Laura says

    May 30, 2012 at 1:53 pm

    @Balto Pit Gal – It’s obvious that you cannot read.

    Reply
  3. Balto Pit Gal says

    April 7, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    Worcestershire sauce is NOT usually vegetarian as it is made with anchovies.

    Eating fish makes one NOT a vegetarian.

    Reply
  4. [email protected] says

    April 2, 2012 at 11:11 am

    I love it Faith :) you are always able to come up with such healthy and creative recipes ~ I’ve never thought there was anything such as mock tuna ~ YAY now i can share this with my vegetarian friends and will probably impress them :D

    Reply
  5. Evi says

    April 1, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    You can also use a vegan Worcestershire sauce- it can be found at Whole Foods!

    Reply
  6. Magic of Spice says

    April 1, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    Fantastic and delicious recipe! Excellent way to get the word out!

    Reply
  7. [email protected] says

    April 1, 2012 at 3:17 am

    The idea behind this recipe is what makes it incredibly important. I cant stand to even think about all those turtles and sharks and little octopus that are killed . Thank you for participating

    Reply
  8. Lisa says

    March 31, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    I’m slightly scared of tempeh, but this looks manageable! :-)

    I hated tuna when I was a kid…but now I love it. I’m always up for tuna-like foods!

    Reply
  9. Jen @ The Scrumptious Pumpkin says

    March 31, 2012 at 9:52 am

    This is such a great idea! I can’t wait to try it because my husband doesn’t like canned tuna and I miss eating it – a perfect solution for both of us! :)

    Reply
  10. coco says

    March 31, 2012 at 9:49 am

    Never thought using tempeh to create tuna salad, what a genius idea!!! :)

    Reply
  11. [email protected]'s Recipes says

    March 31, 2012 at 8:23 am

    Looks even better than the real tuna!

    Reply
  12. joanne says

    March 31, 2012 at 6:14 am

    I haven’t had tuna for a LONG time, even well before becoming vegetarian but sometimes I do think about tuna salad…and miss it. This is perfect for when those days happen. And it’s eco-friendly too! Love it.

    Reply
  13. Veronica says

    March 31, 2012 at 1:35 am

    Nice!! I didn’t know about this contest, but I just posted a mock tuna salad recipe last week-uncanny timing! lol (mine wasn’t original, I adapted it from Oh She Glows, so I couldn’t have used it anyway) Kudos for doing this for a worthy cause. So is this a contest where we can vote or is it totally up to the judges? I hope they pick you!

    Reply
  14. torviewtoronto says

    March 30, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    looks wonderful deliciously presented

    Reply
  15. Erica says

    March 30, 2012 at 7:19 pm

    SO, I don’t like tuna! The smell really gets me. I totally want to try this with greek yogurt instead of mayo! Great creation

    Reply
  16. BeadedTail says

    March 30, 2012 at 6:54 pm

    This sounds like a great alternative to tuna! We’ll have to try it!

    Reply
  17. Alyssa @ Everyday Maven says

    March 30, 2012 at 3:10 pm

    This is fantastic Faith! I am forwarding to my cousin right now. She LOVES tuna salad and just stopped eating canned fish! Thanks :)

    Reply
  18. Laz says

    March 30, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    Clearly the way these companies fish for tuna is not sustainable. But big business always comes first. I just don’t support these products but then again you know this about me.

    Your recipe is clever and inventive. Tempeh never looked or tasted so good.

    Bravo.

    Reply
  19. Reeni says

    March 30, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    What a clever idea Faith! It really does look like tuna and I bet it’s just as delicious. Good luck!

    Reply
  20. Lori Lynn says

    March 30, 2012 at 10:07 am

    I am definitely going to try this. Sounds healthy and delicious!
    LL

    Reply
  21. Katerina says

    March 30, 2012 at 9:54 am

    Being on a diet right now, I consume a good amount of canned tuna during the week. I had no idea about the irresponsible fishing of this species but then again it does not come as a surprise to me. Anywhere, man has put his hand on, he brings nothing but extinction because of his greed and lack of respect for nature! Your article and the vegetarian tuna salad does exactly what it is supposed to do; awake our consciousness! Beautiful presentation Faith!

    Reply
  22. Faith @ For the Health of It says

    March 30, 2012 at 8:53 am

    Oh man that looks AMAZING! There’s a mock chicken salad at a local health food store that kind of reminds me of this – except they use TSP instead of tempeh, so much mre processed. I’ll have to try this version to break my dependency on their salad!

    Reply
  23. Rosa says

    March 30, 2012 at 8:16 am

    It looks so scrumptious! Great filloing idea.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  24. nancy at good food matters says

    March 30, 2012 at 8:04 am

    this looks delicious, and would be much loved in by my veggie husband. tempeh is amazing, versatile stuff! great recipe.

    Reply
  25. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    March 30, 2012 at 6:24 am

    What a yummy idea! This sounds so good!!

    Reply

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Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

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