This chickpea salad sandwich is a delicious and healthy vegan lunch idea that is packed with flavorful vegetables and herbs that are completely customizable to your preferences. By using chickpeas as the base, you'll get a protein-packed lunch that will keep you energized all day long.
If you're looking for some more awesome vegan lunch ideas that highlight chickpeas check out this Kale Chickpea Quinoa Salad, this Israeli Couscous and Veggie Salad, Vegan Tempeh Reuben, and these Couscous and Chickpea Stuffed Peppers.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- A great replacement for chicken salad or egg salad sandwiches
- It's gluten-free and can easily be made with common ingredients found at most grocery stores
- High in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- It's easy to customize with any veggies and herbs you like
- Extremely quick to make. I make a big batch of it in under 15 minutes. I’ll put this chickpea salad in the fridge, and then I have a quick lunch or meal on hand ready to go.
- Chickpeas are super high in protein, vitamins and minerals. They’re a great food to eat daily if you’re cutting out meat.
🥪 Ingredients
- Chickpeas: Be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) before using. You can also use a food processor to pulse them for a creamier texture.
- Vegan Mayo: Look for vegan mayo at your local grocery store, or use a homemade version if preferred. My all time favorite vegan mayo is from Veganiase. There are a lot more vegan mayo options at grocery stores now.
- Veggies: Carrots, onions, and celery are my favorite add ins, but you can use any veggies you like.
- Mustard: You can use yellow or dijon mustard. This helps give a nice acidity that balances out the earthy flavors of the chickpeas.
- Dill relish - This adds a nice dill flavor and crunchiness with the pickles. You can also use fresh dill in this. Adds a nice flavor. Fresh parsley also tastes delicious.
- Avocado - I love using avocado as added creaminess. It also adds healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
- Lemon - I love adding a squeeze or two of lemon juice to help brighten the flavor.
👩🍳 Expert tips
- If you want the chickpeas to be super soft and creamy, boil them on the stove in their water for about 5 minutes. Then strain and mash.
- When I’m feeling ultra lazy, I’ll mix everything together in my food processor.
- Make sure to chop up your onions and celery small (or mix it all in the food processor). If everything is chopped up around the same size, it makes the flavor in each bite more balanced. So you get a little taste of all of the flavors, instead of a big mouthful of a celery chunk.
- If you don’t have a food processor, no problem! Just smash the chickpeas with a fork, or potato masher.
- Toast bread for added crunch and flavor.
🔪 Directions
Step one: Drain and rinse chickpeas. Add the chickpeas and avocado to a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher or back of a fork. You can also use a food processor.
Step three: Add the vegan mayo, salt, lemon, pepper, dill relish celery, onion and mustard.
Step three: Mix with a spoon. Taste and add more seasonings if you'd like.
Step four: Toast bread and assemble a sandwich. Add your favorite veggies like shredded carrots, sliced cucumber or lettuce.
🥗 Variations and substitutions
- Add fresh or dried herbs like dill, parsley, or basil for extra flavor.
- Use different veggies like bell peppers or cucumbers for variety.
- To make this a bit healthier, you could use 1 or 2 ripe avocados for the creaminess instead of vegan mayo.
- I love also adding dry or fresh dill and dill relish. Use sweet relish if you’re not a fan of dill.
- If you don't have chickpeas, great northern beans would also work well.
🥬 Serving suggestions
If you want to serve this on homemade bread, check out my easy 4 ingredient vegan bread recipe. Top with tomato, lettuce, cucumber or other veggies for added nutrition.
Serve with a side of potato chips or soup, like this minestrone soup, vegan broccoli cheddar soup, or this vegan chicken noodle soup.
❄️ Storing tips
This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
🌱 More recipes you'll love
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📖 Recipe
Vegan smashed chickpea salad sandwich with dill
Ingredients
- 30 oz of chickpeas (two 16 oz cans)
- ½ ripe avocado
- ½ cup vegan mayo (Follow your heart's veganise it the best)
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red onion (diced small)
- 1 celery stalk (diced small)
- 2 tablespoons dill relish (or fresh chopped dill)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the canned chickpeas and water in the can to a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and simmer for five minutes. Strain and rinse. This helps to soften the chickpeas to make them creamier and easier to mash.30 oz of chickpeas
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to a mixing bowl. Add in the avocado and mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork.30 oz of chickpeas, ½ ripe avocado
- Add in all other ingredients and mash and mix well.½ cup vegan mayo, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons red onion, 1 celery stalk, 2 tablespoons dill relish, ¾ teaspoon salt, Black pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Taste and add more seasonings if you'd like.
- Put on toasted bread. Add toppings of choice like more mayo or mustard, avocado, lettuce and tomato
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Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Cindy
I used a whole Avacado and my spread for the bread was hummus. Very good!
Maria
Delicious! I'm so glad you loved the recipe
Erin
Absolutely love this recipe! My mom-vegan friend enjoyed it as well. Perfect picnic food, thanks for sharing 😊