Growing up, tuna salad was a mainstay in our house. And the way my mama made it, it was a full meal – no need to put it on a sandwich, or serve it with a side. Mama always made it so hearty and so wonderful that one helping simply wouldn’t do! And since I’ve been vegetarian – for, what, 15 years now? – I haven’t had anything like it.
I remember the last time I had her tuna salad, actually. It was right after I’d cut out red meat and chicken but still ate fish, and I came over to my parents’ house after work for dinner, as I did most Wednesday nights when we lived in the same town. I remember mowing down several servings of the salad that night – I might have even brought some home for LeeLee, I can’t recall – and savoring all of the flavors. It must have been autumn, but Florida autumn, which is to say not hot as blue blazes anymore, but not chilly, either. I remember that night so clearly. Food’s funny that way.
But shortly after that evening, LeeLee and I cut out fish for good, and I knew that my tuna salad days were over. Until tonight!
I’ve written quite often about using Sophie’s Kitchen’s vegan “toona” for all sorts of wonderful dishes. I’m pleased to say it fit the bill in this salad as well! The recipe’s below, but suffice it to say, it worked wonders when mixed with pasta shells (well, actually, tonight, we used pipe rigate because I purchased said shells at the Whole Foods – pardon me while I play the grand piano!), celery, relish, vegan mayo, and just a hint of lemon juice, served atop a bed of lettuce and ringed with some cherry tomatoes. And me being me, I topped my plate with a little nutritional yeast, because why not? The creaminess of the mayo – even though I didn’t use a ton – held the meal together and offset the tang of the relish and the pungent Toona. And the crunch of the celery really gave the dish a fresh flavor. Who doesn’t love an extra veggie or two?
As in years past, LeeLee and I each went back for seconds – and maybe a tiny little spoonful’s worth of a third helping for good measure. And we’ve still got a ton left for lunch tomorrow! I can’t wait.
I think Mama will be proud of this take on her classic recipe. And who knows? Maybe she’ll give it a try herself sometime soon (hi, Mom!). I feel certain that she’ll make it shine more than I ever would. So how ’bout it: Will the maestro approach the podium?
VEGAN TUNA SALAD
Serves 4
What you’ll need:
1 box pasta shells
2 cans vegan tuna
4 tbsp. mayo, or to taste
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tbsp. pickle relish
1 lemon
4 cups lettuce
25 cherry tomatoes
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once you’ve drained it, pour the shells into a big bowl and combine with the tuna, mayo, celery, and relish. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the bowl, stirring to combine. At this point, you can either continue preparing the meal to serve it right away or put it in the fridge to wait until later.
Right before serving, divide the lettuce equally across each plate and line the lettuce with the tomatoes. Next, scoop a goodly amount of the tuna salad out of the bowl and place it atop the lettuce on each plate. Gobble it up and go back for seconds!
:)