Description
This Raw Vegan Tuna Salad is a refreshing and hearty plant-based alternative to traditional tuna salad, inspired by childhood memories. Featuring soaked sunflower seeds, carrots, apple, celery, and dulse flakes for a fishy flavor reminiscent of tuna, it’s a perfect protein-packed, nutrient-rich dish served over greens or wrapped in lettuce. It’s quick to prepare, requiring no cooking, and offers a delicious balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors while supporting thyroid health with iodine-rich dulse.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2+ hours, drained & rinsed
- 3 carrots, ends and tops removed
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/4 small yellow onion, chopped
Flavorings and Add-ins
- 2 tablespoons dulse flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- Mayonnaise (raw vegan mayo), start with 2 tablespoons and add to desired consistency
To Serve
- Arugula, spinach or greens of choice
Instructions
- Prepare Sunflower Seeds: Soak sunflower seeds in water for at least 2 hours, then drain and rinse thoroughly to soften and improve digestibility.
- Process Base Ingredients: In a food processor, add the soaked sunflower seeds, carrots, and apple. Pulse together until finely blended but not a paste; you want some texture to keep the salad hearty.
- Add Remaining Vegetables: Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Finely chop celery and yellow onion. For more texture, pulse celery and onion just a few times in the food processor before mixing them in, or chop by hand if you prefer more crunch.
- Mix in Flavorings: Add dulse flakes, fresh dill, and lemon juice to the bowl. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly, ensuring the flavors meld well.
- Incorporate Mayonnaise: Add raw vegan mayonnaise a couple of tablespoons at a time, mixing it into the salad until you reach your desired creamy consistency that holds the salad together without being too wet.
- Assemble and Serve: Serve the raw vegan tuna salad on a bed of arugula, spinach, or your choice of greens. Alternatively, wrap the salad in romaine or cabbage leaves, adding tomatoes and extra greens for a refreshing, healthy meal.
Notes
- Soaking sunflower seeds softens them and improves their digestibility, resulting in a creamier texture.
- Dulse flakes add an authentic fishy flavor and are a great source of iodine, essential for thyroid health.
- If you only find whole dulse, chop or grind it finely before adding to avoid overpowering taste.
- Adjust amount of vegan mayonnaise to control texture and moisture content.
- This salad can be enjoyed as a sandwich filling, on greens, or rolled in seaweed sheets for a sushi-like experience.
- The recipe originally used two cups of sunflower seeds but one was replaced with carrots to reduce fat content.
- Try adding avocado slices or tomatoes for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (includes soaking time for sunflower seeds)
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: Raw vegan tuna salad, plant-based tuna salad, sunflower seed tuna, vegan salad, raw food recipe, dulse flakes recipe, iodine rich salad, healthy lunch, vegan protein salad
