Chickpea & Artichoke Niçoise Salad

Ah yes, the Salade Niçoise – a classic dish from the south of France, except I’m going to do it a bit more simple and a bit more plant-based. A creamy blend of lightly toasted chickpeas and shredded artichoke sits atop a verdant bed of fresh greenery, which can be whatever lettuce-like vessel you personally enjoy crunching on. Surrounding this central attraction of a hearty vegan tuna salad is an array of fresh veg, which ranges from juicy tomatoes, to unctuous avocado, to briny Niçoise olives – really, anything fresh and in season’ll do. And to tie the whole dish together, drizzled elegantly throughout, a zippy dijon-thyme vinaigrette, a compliment to all the glorious freshness in this invigorating bowl of chickpea-artichoke wholesomeness.

“No matter what their background, the southern French are fascinated by food.”

– Peter Mayle

Niçoise – What Does It Mean?

Though the country itself is not immense, slightly smaller than the size of Texas, the cuisine of France can vary wildly from one place to the next, depending on where you are, regionally speaking. From the heavier, creamier and richer delicacies of the North, to the simpler, more farm food oriented of central France, to the lean, fragrant and acidic foods of the South, and the many more regional culinary nuances in-between, France boasts a whole host of different styles, cultures, and means of preparing food.

So what does this have to do with Niçoise – a Niçoise salad, specifically?

Well, maybe you’ve guessed it already. Niçoise (pronounced nee-swah-s) is an adjective that refers to “in the style of Nice,” a colorful city bordering the Mediterranean Sea. And as above stated, the food in southern France tends to be leaner and lighter, as well as more abundant in sea foods, vinegars and olive oil.

So therefore, a Niçoise salad is basically a fancier way of saying “tuna fish salad.” And, in addition to the tuna fish, it’s also usually loaded with an abundance of fresh veg, including Niçoise olives, tomatoes, onions, ect., as well as a crumbled hardboiled egg over top, too.

But since I wanted this to be entirely plant-based, I substituted the hardboiled egg for avocado; both are creamy and similarly textured, and can be mashed and eaten along with everything else in a similar way. If you don’t believe me, check out this BBQ Bibimbap, where I employ the same avocado-y tactics.

Now that you know the origin of the word, make this dish and impress your family, friends and guests with your sophisticated and newly found French connection.

“How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?”

– Charles De Gaulle

How To Make Chickpea Tuna Fish

Chickpea tuna fish is one of those go-to quick meals that I make frequently. Not only is it incredibly easy to whip up in a pinch, but it’s also pretty healthy, the chickpeas and pecans packed with protein, of course.

You need only follow a few steps, and you’ll have yourself a delectable chickpea tuna fish that you can use in this vegan tuna salad, or really on anything you’d like: sandwiches, mock tuna melts, ect.

Firstly, make sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas throughly. This ensures that they won’t taste aluminum-y, like the inside of the can in which they were stored. Plus, it can also help mitigate any… – ahem, ahem – any post-meal flatulence.

Secondly,in a little bit of olive oil, toast the chickpeas in a skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes. I’ve found this softens them up, and therefore contributes to a better texture overall.

Lastly, combine the toasted chickpeas in the food processor with some kind of nut or seed; however, make sure not to over-combine this, because you don’t want a mushy mash of a texture. There should be a little bit of chickpea recognizable. Then, transfer that pulsed mixture to a bowl and add some vegan mayo, some kind of acid (lemon juice, in this case), vegan Worchestire sauce, and a little salt, as well as the shredded artichoke hearts for that extra texture and taste.

Voila: a simple chickpea tuna fish.

Helpful tip: If you don’t have a food processor, mash the chickpeas roughly with a fork and chop the nuts or seeds roughly with a knife, and then combine them in a bowl with the other ingredients by hand.

“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.”

– Claude Monet

Recipe Video

“You can tune a guitar, but you can’t tuna fish. Unless of course, you play bass.”

– Douglas Adams

Vegan Tuna Salad: Make It Your Own!

One of the reasons why I love this particular expression of chickpea is that this vegan tuna salad, or any chickpea tuna recipe for that matter, is highly customizable. Personally, I’m a firm believer in tailoring recipes to fit your own personal preference and penchants, so feel free to stray from this recipe in whatever way works best for you, either practically speaking or gustatorily.

Here are a few of the elements in this vegan tuna salad that I think are easily customizable, and are suggestions based on my own experience swapping out ingredients here and there.

Pecans – instead, use walnuts, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds, or pistachios. I’ve used all four of these, and found them all to work well.

Lemon Juice – instead, use apple cider vinegar, or some other form of acid.

Vegan Worchestire Sauce – if you can’t find this ingredient, don’t fret. Maybe give coconut aminos a try, or just leave it out entirely.

Here are a few elements that you can add to this vegan tuna salad recipe to enhance it further.

Any fresh veg – red bell pepper, onion, ect. Really, mixing in a finely diced pepper or onion adds a heartier crunch to the overall texture, as well as sharper flavors, too.

Seaweed – this’ll make the chickpea tuna fish actually taste like the sea. I’m not crazy about the flavor, so I don’t often do this.

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There you have it, a short guide of substitutions and additions that you can experiment with when you make this vegan tuna salad. It really is one of my all-time favorite meals, as well as one of the first thing I made after switching to more plant-based food (like these chickpea tuna melts). Do consider giving the ol’ chickpea a go, and make this simple and elegant vegan tuna salad – Niçoise style – for yourself and those around you!

“I hate France. It’s like the whole country’s on a diet.”

– Gordon Kormon

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I hope that you enjoyed this vegan tuna salad recipe – Niçoise style. If you did, leave me a comment and recipe rating before you go.

May you have good food in good company,

That Vegan Nephew