Vegan Tuna Melt

Eating a vegan diet has some challanges including missing out on some of your favorite foods you use to eat when you ate a ”normal” diet. Finding replacements for those meals is one of my favorite challanges. A tuna melt is one of my favorite comfort foods, so I am setting out with this recipe to duplicate a tuna melt using no animal products. This recipe is easy to put together, takes little time, and will satisfy your lunch time cravings.

Step 1: Ingredients

• 1-14 oz can of jackfruit
• 1/4 of a white onion chopped
• 1-15 oz can of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup of vegan mayo
• 2 tablespoons of sweet relish
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 slices of vegan cheese
• 10 slices of vegan bread
• Vegan butter

Recipe yields: 5 Sandwhiches

Most of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store. You might have to go to a more specialized store for the jackfruit and vegan replacement items.

Step 2: Rinse the Jackfruit

Open the can of jackfruit and pour it into a colander and rinse thoroughly with water. After rinsing, transfer to a cutting board.

Step 3: Prepping the Jackfruit

With the jackfruit on a cutting board either chop with a knife or use forks to smash it. The goal is to create a tuna like texture. After you have gotten it to a desired texture, set it aside in a bowl and clean cutting board.

Step 4: Dice Onion

Take a large skillet, ad oil, and heat on medium high heat. While heating the oil, dice your onion.

Step 5: Sauté Onions

When pan and oil have reached desired temperature add garlic. Allow garlic to cook until fragrant then add onion and cook until softened.

Step 6: Cook Jackfruit

Add jackfruit to the pan and continue to sauté it along with the onion and garlic until is softens as well.

Step 7: Rinse Chickpeas

While the jackfruit cooks, open your can of chickpeas, and rinse them in colander.

Step 8: Mash Chickpeas

After rinsing the chickpeas, add them to a large bowl. Using a fork, spoon, or even a potato masher and mash the chickpeas until they become paste like.

Step 9: Add Jackfruit

Remove jackfruit and onion from stove, and add to bowl with mashed chickpeas.

Step 10: Add Seasoning and Mayo

Then add mayo, relish, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Add more or less mayo to adjust creaminess, and add spices to taste.

Step 11: Mix It Up

Mix all the ingredients until well combined.

Step 12: Begin Grilling the Sandwhich

Heat a clean pan on medium heat. While the pan is heating, take two slices of bread and put butter on one side. When pan has reached desired heat place both slices of bread butter side down onto pan, followed by cheese. When cheese begins to soften add tomato to one side.

Step 13: Adding the Mix

Allow the cheese to melt a little more, than add 1/4 cup of jackfruit mix (add more if desired). Spread over tomato or over full slice of bread.

Step 14: Build the Sandwhich

Flip the bread with out mixture on it over and on top of mixture. Gently press down on top of sandwhich. Don not press too hard so not to lose any of the mixture.

Step 15: Flip Sandwhich

Flip the sandwhich, to allow the cheese to melt and bread to cook evenly on other side.

Step 16: Serve Sandwhich

After both sides have been cooked evenly and the cheese has melted remove from pan, and serve warm.