Vegan Tuna Mayo Salad with Red Rice
Forget everything you’ve ever heard about vegan salads being bland… This vegan tuna mayo salad with red rice is a game-changer! Every ingredient in the recipe works together to bring this masterpiece to your bowl—and tummy.
Jackfruit’s meaty texture will give you that vibe of tuna, while plenty of flavours—tangy pickles, creamy mayo, mustard, umami-rich seaweed—come together to create a taste you’ll soon be addicted to.
Served over protein-packed red rice, this dish is not only delicious but also keeps you full and satisfied. A plant-based lunch (or dinner) hero is what I like to call it.
Keep reading to learn all about this vegan tuna mayo salad with red rice, including its nutritional value for your body and how you can whip up yours today 💚
Nutritional Value of Vegan Tuna Mayo Salad with Red Rice
Jackfruit for Gut Health
Jackfruit has a neutral flavour, which can readily absorb marinades and spices. This gives our recipe a meaty texture that will mimic tuna. But jackfruit goes beyond taste — it’s a good source of dietary fiber, essential for gut health. This also keeps you full (so jackfruit is often an addition to weight loss diets). Plus, it offers vitamin C, which will support your immune system.
Red Rice
Let’s ditch that white rice; it doesn’t have much nutritional benefit anyway. Red rice has a nuttier flavor and a chewier texture. More importantly, it's significantly higher in fiber than white rice, so it keeps you energized and aids digestion. Red rice also shines with essential minerals like iron (crucial for oxygen transport) and magnesium (for muscle function).
Vegan Mayonnaise
Who says vegan can’t be creamy? Choose a vegan mayo enriched with healthy fats (like avocado or flaxseed oil). These plant-based fats are great for your heart health. They also give you a feeling of satiety. You can also make your own!
Dijon Mustard
This isn’t your average yellow mustard; dijon mustard adds a delightful tang to elevate your entire salad. But it also has a hidden benefit—allyl isothiocyanate, a compound that can help reduce inflammation in your body and support detoxification. This compound also has some anti-cancer properties.
Gherkins
These tangy pickles cut through the taste of the salad—and keep it interesting. But there’s more! Gherkins are a fermented food, and like the entire family of fermented foods, contain beneficial probiotics which are great for your gut health.
I’m actually a huge advocate of fermented foods for all the health benefits they bring to our bodies. (They're good for gut health, and research says that our gut microbiome can affect every single organ in our body!).
Red Onion
This will add a subtle sweetness to the jackfruit tuna salad. Red onions are also rich in antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage. Plus, they give you some good fiber.
Nori Seaweed
This umami-rich seaweed is a game-changer. Nori adds a unique depth of flavor (similar to that of seafood) that will take your salad to the “tuna level”. It’s also full of nutrition, packed with vitamins and minerals (including iodine, vitamin B12, etc.)
Lemon Juice
I love lemon in any recipe for its bright flavour—and, of course, vitamin C content.
How to Make Vegan Tuna Mayo Salad with Red Rice
To make this tuna salad recipe using jackfruit, you will need a few ingredients, thankfully these are cusomisable and there are alternatives that I will suggest below!
- Jackfruit, must be young jackfruit in a tin
- Sweetcorn, fresh or cooked from frozen
- Vegan mayonnaise, have a go at making your own!
- Dijon mustard, or regular mustard
- Gherkin, swap for capers
- Red onion, swap for spring onion or chives
- Nori seaweed, swap for dulse flakes
- Lemon juice can use apple cider vinegar
To Serve With…
- Red rice, can swap with brown rice, black rice, or white rice
- Lettuce cups or try raw cabbage cups
- Salad Veggies of choice
- Sweet chili dipping sauce, chili or garlic sauce
Vegan Tuna Salad with Red Rice Recipe
Ingredients, check ✅ Let’s whip them up into a delish bowl of vegan tuna salad with red rice! All you’ve got to do is follow these steps:
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 (14 oz) can young jackfruit, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup sweet corn
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped gherkin (dill pickle)
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 sheet toasted nori seaweed, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To Serve:
- 1 cup dry red rice, cooked and cooled
- Little gem lettuce cups (optional, for serving)
- Red cabbage, tomato, cucumber, grated carrot (optional, for serving)
- Pickled Gerkins
- Sweet chili dipping sauce (optional, for serving)
Method:
- First you'll need to prep your jackfruit, you can shred it with two forks then add it to a bowl followed by the other ingredients and mix. Set Aside.
- Next, pick the largest leaves from your little gem lettuces, wash and cut off the white stem at the end, then place them in a bowl, you'll want six leaves, three for each bowl.
- Now divide the jackfruit tuna between the lettuce cups, then add the salad of choice alongside and then the cooled rice to serve.
Enjoy!
The jackfruit tuna will store in the fridge up to 4 days, the flavours will continue to meld, just give it a stir before using again. This jackfruit tuna will go great inside a baked potato, or with pasta.
Check out my other jackfruit recipes for gluten-free jackfruit tuna pasta bake and super easy jackfruit spaghetti dump and bake!
Let’s Join Hands for Your Nutrition Goals!
That’s another great plant-based recipe for you to try—and reach your nutrition goals. If you’ve been struggling with your diet, though, I’m here to help.
Being a qualified nutritionist, I can help you navigate your way through healthy living. From personalised meal plans to assistance with picking the right supplements (according to your body’s needs), I’d love to guide you every step of the way. Towards a healthier and happier lifestyle… together! 💪
If you’re ready to start your own journey, I look forward to speaking to you 😊
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