<p>This study presents a sodium replacement strategy through the development of a chickpea protein–pullulan (CPI-PUL) composite hydrogel for restructuring salt-reduced seafood products. We engineered a dual-network hydrogel system capable of controlled Na⁺ ion release, effectively addressing the textural challenges in low-sodium shrimp surimi while enabling advanced 3D printing functionality. The optimized formulation containing 20% (w/w) CPI-PUL hydrogel demonstrated remarkable performance enhancements, increasing water retention capacity by 44.51% compared to conventional salt-reduced formulations and surpassing high-salt controls by 10.66%. Simultaneous improvements in gel strength (17.53% vs. salt-reduced control; 4.27% vs. high-salt benchmark) were achieved through molecular-level structural modifications. Microstructural analysis using SEM revealed that the CPI-PUL integration induced a hierarchical network reorganization, creating synergistic hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with shrimp myofibrillar proteins. This interpenetrating polymer network architecture enhanced both mechanical resilience and moisture entrapment capabilities, with FTIR spectroscopy confirming stable secondary structure formation. Notably, the hydrogel-modified system exhibited superior 3D printing stability, overcoming typical limitations of low-salt protein matrices in additive manufacturing applications. Our findings establish a novel approach for salt reduction in structured seafood products through biomolecular engineering of plant-protein-polysaccharide hybrids. The dual functionality in both texture modulation and precision manufacturing compatibility positions this technology as particularly valuable for developing nutritionally optimized, customized seafood analogs within innovative food production systems.</p>