How to make a vegan tuna melt

Who doesn't miss a good ol' traditional tuna melt! For years vegans have suffered without, but now those days are long, long gone. We can get our hands on all sorts now a days, and lucky for all of us, a vegan tuna melt is one of them.

This recipe will show you how to make your own version of vegan tuna, but if you want to skip that step then you can buy vegan tuna or/and a vegan mayo here.

You can also grab some vegan cheese as well! 

This recipe is both delicious and cruelty-free.

Ingredients:

For the Vegan "Tuna" Salad:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Half a cup of vegan mayonnaise (this is a saucy version)
• A quarter cup of celery, chopped finely 
• Half a red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 squirt of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vegan Tuna Melt:

• 4 slices of vegan bread, we prefer ciabatta or panini bread 
• 1 cup of vegan shredded cheese
• A quater cup of vegan butter or margarine
• 1 sliced tomato 
• Half a shredded lettuce, roughly chopped 
• 1 Avocado 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Vegan "Tuna" Salad:

• Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher. You want them to be partially mashed, but some texture should remain.
• Add the vegan mayonnaise, chopped celery, red onion, dill pickle relish, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice to the mashed chickpeas.
• Mix everything together until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

1. Assemble the Vegan Tuna Melts:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Spread a thin layer of vegan butter on one side of each bread slice. This will be the outside of your sandwich.
• Place two slices of bread, buttered side down, on a baking sheet or oven-safe tray.

1. Add the Vegan "Tuna" Salad:

• Divide the prepared vegan "tuna" salad evenly between the two slices of bread on the baking sheet, spreading it out to cover the bread.

1. Add Vegan Cheese:

• Sprinkle half of the vegan shredded cheese onto the "tuna" salad on each slice of bread.

1. Top and Grill:

• Place the other two slices of bread, buttered side up, on top of the "tuna" salad and cheese to create sandwiches.
• Bake the sandwiches in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

1. Serve:

• Remove the vegan tuna melts from the oven and let them cool for a minute.
• Optionally, add your favourite toppings like tomato slices, lettuce, or avocado.
• Slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

Enjoy!