Vegan Tuna Salad with Artichoke Hearts

First, set aside 0.5 cup of the drained chickpeas. Add 1 dessert spoon of olive oil to a small pan and heat. Add the set-aside chickpeas and 0.5 teaspoon of smoked paprika powder, and sauté for approximately 2-3 minutes until the chickpeas are slightly crispy and the spice becomes fragrant. Then, remove the sautéed chickpeas from the heat and let them cool.

Drain the canned artichoke hearts well and transfer them to a food processor. Pulse the processor several times for short intervals to chop the artichokes into large pieces. Then, add the remaining 1 cup of boiled chickpeas to the processor. Process for a very short time longer, ensuring the mixture remains chunky and fibrous without turning it completely into a puree.

Transfer the processed artichoke and chickpea mixture into a deep mixing bowl. Add the smoked paprika chickpeas that you sautéed earlier, thinly sliced red onion, celery stalk, gherkin pickles, and finely chopped capers.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and freshly squeezed lemon juice until smooth. Pour this prepared sauce mixture over the ingredients in the main bowl.

Crumble the salted nori sheets thoroughly with your hands and add them to the bowl. Finally, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and mix gently with a spatula until all ingredients are completely integrated with the sauce.

Let the prepared vegan tuna salad rest in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then, serve cold as a sandwich on toasted bread slices or accompanied by lettuce leaves.