FitTuna and Chickpea Pita Pockets
A no-cook lemony tuna and smashed chickpea salad with crunchy cucumber and red onion, stuffed into warm whole-wheat pitas.
Photo: Tjeerd Wiersma from Amsterdam, The Netherlands via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized. The photo shows a similar dish and may differ from this exact recipe.
Some days the best meal prep is the one that needs no stove at all. This tuna salad gets its body from chickpeas smashed with a fork, so you need only a little olive oil and lemon instead of a big scoop of mayonnaise. Chopped cucumber, red onion, parsley and capers keep every bite fresh and briny.
It is a great pantry lunch: canned tuna, canned chickpeas and a few fresh vegetables. Make the filling up to three days ahead and stuff the pitas when you are ready to eat so the bread stays soft.
The method
- Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and mash roughly with a fork or potato masher, leaving about a third of them whole for texture.
- Whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard directly in the bowl until the chickpeas look creamy.
- Flake in the drained tuna and fold it gently so it stays in small chunks rather than turning into paste.
- Add the cucumber, red onion, capers, parsley, salt and pepper and fold again. Taste and adjust with more lemon or salt.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so the flavors meld, or pack into containers for later.
- To serve, warm the pita halves briefly in a toaster or dry skillet so they open easily without tearing.
- Tuck a few greens into each pocket and spoon in the tuna and chickpea filling.
Coach notes
- For a creamier filling, add 2 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt.
- Canned salmon works in place of tuna with no other changes.
- If your pitas tend to split, use large lettuce leaves or a wrap instead.
Make it your way
We like this filling just as much on a bed of mixed greens with a few whole-grain crackers on the side. It also makes an excellent stuffed avocado or a topping for crisp cucumber rounds when you want something lighter. Double the batch and you have a high-protein snack ready for late afternoons too.
Store & reheat
Refrigerate the filling for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store pitas separately at room temperature. Do not freeze the filling.
*Protein per serving is a rough estimate based on typical ingredient values and will vary with the brands and portions you use. This recipe is for general cooking information and is not medical or nutrition advice. Check labels if you cook for anyone with allergies, and see our disclaimer.
