Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad with Pickled Red Onions

I love chickpeas because they’re so versatile and they’re one of my favorite beans! This Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad is one of those easy meals you can throw together when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s loaded with tuna, chickpeas, crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, olives, capers, and pickled red onions.

Instead of mayo, I use the olive oil from the tuna and a few tablespoons of pickle brine for a quick, tangy dressing. The pickle brine really brings out all the flavors, so don’t skip it! It comes together in about 15 minutes, makes a great meal prep lunch or light dinner, and you can switch up the vegetables and herbs depending on what you have.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• No cooking. Open a couple of cans, chop the vegetables, and toss everything together.
• No mayo needed. It has a light, tangy dressing instead.

Ingredient Notes

• Castelvetrano olives: Mild and buttery. You can use your favorite olives instead.
• Homemade herb seasoning: I used my own blend with dehydrated lemon zest, tulsi, Thai basil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Italian seasoning also works.

Recipe Tips

• Drain and rinse the chickpeas well before adding them to the salad.
• Taste before adding extra salt. The tuna, olives, capers, pickled onions, pickle brine, and herb seasoning already add plenty of flavor.

Grace

Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad with Pickled Red Onions

This Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad is fresh and crunchy with chickpeas, vegetables, olives, pickled red onions, and a tangy pickle brine dressing.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 3 servings

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean inspired

Ingredients

  

• 1 5-ounce can tuna packed in olive oil with garlic
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small to medium carrot julienned
• 1 celery stalk finely chopped
• ½ red bell pepper diced
• ½ yellow bell pepper diced
• 5 Castelvetrano olives pitted and chopped
• ½ teaspoon capers
• ¼ cup pickled red onions chopped
• 7 fresh mint leaves thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons pickle brine
• 1 teaspoon homemade herb seasoning

You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Chef's knife
• cutting board
• Vegetable peeler or julienne peeler

Instructions

 

1. Add the chickpeas, tuna with its olive oil, carrot, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, olives, capers, pickled red onions, and mint to a large mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle the herb seasoning over everything and pour in the pickle brine.
3. Gently toss until everything is evenly combined and coated with the olive oil and pickle brine.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
5. Serve right away or refrigerate for about 30 minutes if you want the flavors to come together a little more.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serving Ideas

Eat it in a lettuce wrap, stuff it into a tortilla, or serve it over your favorite greens and sliced avocado

Make it Your Own

• Use whatever crunchy vegetables you have. Cucumber and radishes are both good here.
• Use parsley or cilantro instead of mint.
• Add more pickle brine to taste.
• No pickled red onions? Raw red onion works too.