Tuna and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ten-minute Tuna and Chickpea Salad with bright lemon tahini dressing, veggies, and herbs. A quick and easy lunch, no cooking required!

Give a warm welcome to the most divine weekday lunch! This dream recipe came to be when I was hangry but not ambitious enough to say, use the oven or take time to cook anything.

I had a bunch of tuna leftover from a big pack I snagged at Costco. I remembered my Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, and Chickpea Tuna Salad with Italian flavors and thought, why not make another version with what I have on hand?

This baby is going into the regular rotation for sure. Step aside, eggs and avocado toast! You're so 2021.

How to make tuna and chickpea salad

For real, this lettuce-less salad could not be easier.

1. Open a can of chickpeas and tuna. Drain them both, and rinse the chickpeas.
2. Add them to a bowl with the pepper and onion.
3. Whisk together the dressing then toss with salad to coat. Devour!

Key ingredients and tips

• Chickpeas: The hearty base of this salad packed with fiber. I always use canned but you could also use equal amounts of cooked from dried chickpeas.
• Tuna: My favorite is pole and line caught albacore tuna in water. I buy big packs at Costco!
• Bell pepper: For color and crunch. Yellow or orange would be great. You could substitute chopped celery or carrot instead. A must in my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, too!
• Onion: A little onion helps add crisp texture and that much needed zing.
• Lemon juice: This salad is so bright thanks to fresh lemon juice. The more the merrier, in my opinion.
• Tahini: Creamy dreamy tahini for epic flavor and satiety factor!
• Extra virgin olive oil: Extra richness pulls the dressing together.
• Dill: A pinch of dill adds amazing fresh flavor. You can omit it if you don't have it on hand. Fresh dill or parsley would be stellar, too.
• Garlic Powder: Garlic always, am I right? A clove of fresh grated garlic would be great here.
• Salt and Pepper: Seasoning is a must!

How to serve

I like to go ham with a fork here, but it you can have fun with this one!

• as a sandwich between toasted bread or pita with lettuce and extra tahini
• as a salad over chopped romaine or arugula
• with crackers and sliced cucumbers for dipping

How to store

Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can add a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors on the last day if need be.

More quick healthy lunches

• Best Healthy Tuna Salad
• Healthy Southwestern Pasta Salad
• Curried Chickpea Salad
• Summer Quinoa Salad
• Easy Black Bean Burgers

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