---
title: "Salad Days: Tuna, Chickpea & Avocado Salad"
description: "Tuna in cans rivals tinned chopped tomatoes in popularity in South Africa. The time is right for a good old-fashioned tuna salad, with a bit of added zing."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "WHAT’S COOKING"
author: "Tony Jackman"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/tonyjackman/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-09-30-lockdown-recipe-of-the-day-tuna-chickpea-avocado-salad/"
published: "2020-09-30T10:36:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 384
---

# Salad Days: Tuna, Chickpea & Avocado Salad

> Tuna in cans rivals tinned chopped tomatoes in popularity in South Africa. The time is right for a good old-fashioned tuna salad, with a bit of added zing.

By Tony Jackman · Published 30 September 2020, 12:36 SAST

## Content

Here’s a nice easy and stress-free recipe from me to keep things going while I deal with some health issues that came up suddenly this week. I’ll keep you all informed; in the meantime, take it easy and make yourself a nice bowl of deliciousness with a whiff of the sea.

**Ingredients**

1 x 400 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed under cold water

2 cans tuna in brine or water, drained

2 ripe, firm avocados

Half or a third of a cucumber (depending on size or how much you need), halved lengthwise and sliced thinly (peeled if you prefer, but the green rind adds colour and crunch)

½ a small red onion, sliced very thinly

1 red capsicum/ bell pepper, sliced julienne

1 or 2 red chillies, chopped finely

3 or 4 Tbsps mayonnaise

Extra lemon juice for the avocado

**Dressing for the chickpeas:**

3 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 Tbsp peanut oil

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp chilli oil

1 Tbsp balsamic reduction or similar

Salt and pepper

**Dressing for the salad ingredients:**

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsps olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

3 Tbsp mint sprigs, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

**Method**

Mix the first dressing ingredients together in a bowl and toss the chickpeas in it. Scoop out the chickpeas to another bowl using a slotted spoon. Leave the remnants of the dressing in the bowl.

To the same bowl, add the ingredients for the second dressing and combine. Toss the cucumber, red onion and red peppers in this, remove to a serving plate with a slotted spoon. Again, leave the remnants of the dressing in the bowl.

To the same bowl add more lemon juice, then diced avocado, coat, and scoop out to the serving plate.

Again, to the same bowl, add the flaked tuna and the mayonnaise, stir and spoon onto the serving plate. Garnish with parsley. **DM/TGIFood**

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