Vegan Tuna Salad (jackfruit + white beans)

This all vegan and vegetarian version of a classic tuna salad is so easy & so good! A beautifully balanced combo of jackfruit, white beans, fresh celery, onions, pickles & dressing. Sorry Charlie there's no fish in this delish dish!

When I was a kid, I ate a tuna sandwich with Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread almost every day at school. Today, I find the thought rather horrifying, but back then it was simple, satisfying, and always hit the spot. This vegan version with jackfruit and white beans brings all that nostalgia back, only without animal-derived ingredients.

Tuna salad has been a favorite for generations. It was the kind of easy, filling and comforting meal families could rely on for lunches or quick dinners. That's why creating a vegan version matters a lot to me. It lets us enjoy those familiar flavors and textures while choosing ingredients that are kinder to animals, the planet, and ourselves, like my vegan mac & cheese and chick'n pot pie.

Ingredient Notes

For this recipe, you will want to use canned green jackfruit - packed in brine, not syrup. Syrup will make your salad sweet, which is not the flavor we are aiming for. Preparing fresh jackfruit is certainly doable, but rather messy & time consuming, so for sake of ease, I prefer using canned.

• Jackfruit canned - green, unripe, and packed in brine (not syrup)
• White beans Great Northern beans. You can also use navy or cannellini beans
• Onion - sweet or yellow
• Garlic - I prefer fresh garlic, but it can be swapped with ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Celery
• Vegan mayo
• Mustard - I use yellow mustard. If you prefer Dijon, it will give the salad a kick
• Pickle relish - I prefer dill pickle relish, but sweet pickle relish is tasty too
• Lemon juice - fresh or bottled
• Seasoning - I like to use sea salt and tarragon
• Olive oil and vegan butter - just enough to cook the onion and white beans
• Seaweed - optional (if you want to add a "fishy" flavor)

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and details

Instructions

Prepare the jackfruit

1. Pour off the brine from the can. Place the chunks of jackfruit in a colander or strainer and rinse with water. Shred the jackfruit with a knife, fork, or your fingers until flaky.

2. You might find a few rather firm, smooth seed pods in the fruit. They are edible, but I prefer to remove them because I think the are too tough to include in the salad. That's just me.

3. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Place into a skillet with olive oil over medium-low heat.

4. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft but not browned. Use a spatula to turn the onions and garlic while cooking to prevent them from burning.

5. Add the shredded jackfruit and tarragon. Combine with the onions and garlic. Cook for another 2-3 minutes while continuously moving everything around in the pan.

6. Add more olive oil (a teaspoon or so) if needed to keep the jackfruit from sticking to the pan.

Remove pan from heat and set aside.

7. Place the drained white beans, butter, and salt into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir while cooking, until the beans are soft.

8. Using a potato masher, fork, or large spoon - mash the beans until smooth.

9. Combine the jackfruit, white beans in a bowl. Let it cool down for a few minutes - then add the diced celery. Set aside.

Prepare the dressing

10. Combine the vegan mayo, mustard, pickle relish, and lemon juice in a bowl or measuring cup.

11. If you want to add a 'fishy' flavor to the tuna salad, use a small amount of chopped nori. (See nori tips below)

Nori Tips - How to add a 'fishy' flavor

If you aren't familiar with nori - it is an edible, dried seaweed that is made into thin sheets used as wrappers for rolling sushi. It has a strong distinctive aroma and taste that imparts a 'fish' flavor to vegan soups, sauces, and dressings. Note: A little bit goes a long way so use just a pinch at a time until it suites your taste.

For this recipe, I suggest first grinding or chopping a sheet of nori it into small flakes.

The simplest method is tearing a sheet into a few pieces and pulse them repeatedly in a food processor.

Finish the salad

12. Finally, pour the dressing onto the prepared jackfruit and white beans. Stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate the salad at least 1-2 hours before serving. I think it tastes best when it's cold and all the flavors have fully absorbed into the jackfruit.

Serving Suggestions

Vegan tuna salad made with jackfruit and white beans makes a wonderful main dish or side. Here are just a few tasty ways for you to enjoy this delish dish!

• Classic Sandwich - On soft bread with lettuce and tomato
• Pita Pocket - Fill halves of pita bread with tuna salad & top with sprouts, sunflower seeds and thinly sliced tomato
• Vegan Tuna Melt - Toast on bread with a slice of vegan cheese under the broiler.
• Salad Bowl- Scoop onto greens, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes.
• Snack Plate - Serve with crackers, cucumber rounds, or celery sticks.
• Lettuce Cups - Light and fresh with a squeeze of lime.
• Stuffed Tomato - Fill a hollowed out medium - large tomato.

How about this refreshing Southwestern-inspired twist

Slice open a ripe avocado and top with a big scoop of vegan tuna salad. Sprinkle with smoky paprika or a kick of Tajin, add some crunchy tortilla chips and fresh lime wedges on the side. For a party on your plate, serve with a bowl of zesty watermelon mango pico de gallo - fresh, colorful, and full of flavor!

Vegan tuna salad pairs perfectly with dishes like my old-fashioned potato salad, a side of lemony roasted potato wedges, piled on top salad greens tossed with my old-school-style vegan thousand island dressing or a classic Caesar salad.

What is jackfruit?

According to Wikipedia, "The jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), also called nangka, is a tropical tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). Native to South and Southeast Asia, it thrives in tropical lowlands and is now cultivated across Asia and Oceania.

Known as the world's largest tree fruit, it can weigh up to 55 kg (120 pounds) and grow over 90 cm (35 inches) long, with a single tree producing hundreds of fruits each year.

The fruit itself is a "multiple fruit," formed from many flowers clustered together. Its unripe flesh is mild in flavor with a flaky, meat-like texture, which is why it's often used as a plant-based meat substitute in savory dishes.