This chickpea salad sandwich recipe is the answer to all of your vegetarian lunch needs! It's filling, healthy and can be made in just 10 minutes.
Before there was chickpea salad, there was chicken salad. Growing up, chicken salad sandwiches were my favorite lunch.
With just shredded chicken, mayo, a little bit of mustard and dried dill, those sandwiches could easily fill up my belly and my heart.
This is one of the first recipes I shared on Cozy Peach Kitchen and it is still as good as ever. In fact, I've been eating this recipe (or some variation of it) for years!
Why this recipe works
- Quick & easy: I'm talking inexpensive pantry staples and only 10 minutes. What's better than that?
- Versatile: Keep it traditional with sandwich bread or make a wrap, eat with crackers or make a salad with leafy greens.
- Easily customizable: You can make curry chickpea salad and avocado salad, but I like to start with this "traditional" creamy base made with mayo.
- Healthy: Chickpeas are a great meatless alternative because they are packed with fiber, vegan protein, and complex carbohydrates. Smash them up with a handful of seasonings, toss with veggies and you have yourself a satisfying vegetarian (or vegan) lunch.
Main Ingredients
This recipe is made up of a few components: chickpeas, veggies and add-ins, "creaminess" factor and seasonings.
Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, we'll use about 3 cups total or two 15 ounce cans.
Veggies: I use the classic combination of celery, onion, and carrots. You can also try out bell peppers, diced broccoli, or any other fresh veggie you have on hand.
Mayo and tahini: I use olive oil mayonnaise and tahini, but you can use 100% tahini or 100% mayonnaise. If you like a reaaally creamy salad you can double the mayo.
Spices: Whole grain brown mustard adds a bunch of flavor. You can also use Dijon, spicy brown mustard, or honey mustard for a different flavor. Keep seasonings simple with salt, pepper and dry dill.
Extra add-ins: Add toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds for extra crunch and depth of flavor. You can also add dried fruit like raisins or dry cranberries.
Step by step instructions
- Mash, mash, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher (this potato masher is convenient for so much more than just mashed potatoes). Leave a few whole chickpeas intact for texture.
- Add apple cider vinegar, dry dill and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the remaining ingredients: red onion, carrot, celery, sunflower seeds, raisins. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste and taste for salt.
- Chickpea salad is best served cold. Toast whole wheat bread and top with all the best sandwich makings: pickles, lettuce, tomato and avocado.
Recipe FAQ
If you use a vegan mayonnaise the recipe will be vegan.
Yes! Freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw completely in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Keep refrigerated in a closed container for 4-5 days.
Yes! This recipe works well with white beans in place of chickpeas.
Serving ideas
This recipe is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free bread, but you don't have to go the sandwich route!
- Salad: Add to a bed of lettuce or spinach and drizzle with tahini goddess dressing.
- Snack or appetizer: Serve with crackers or baby carrots as a spread or dip.
- Wraps: Wrap up in a tortilla instead of bread for a handheld meal.
This recipe makes 5 sandwich servings, so you can prep this for a work-week of lunch.
I pack my sandwich in these glass containers and bring this freezable lunch box to work to keep my sandwiches cool until lunch-time.
Looking for more meal prep recipes?
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Classic Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 15 ounce cans chickpeas see note 1
- ¼ cup mayonnaise substitute vegan mayo to make vegan
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar see note 2
- 1 teaspoon dry dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup diced carrot
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup raisins
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 10 slices bread of choice
- lettuce, tomato, avocado, etc. for serving
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas, mayonnaise, tahini and mustard a medium bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until most of the chickpeas are broken down. I like to leave a few whole pieces. You can also use a food processor to break down the chickpeas.
- Add apple cider vinegar, dry dill and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the remaining ingredients: red onion, carrot, celery, sunflower seeds, raisins. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste and taste for salt.
- Portion out ⅕ of the recipe onto a slice of whole wheat bread. Top with lettuce, tomato, and all of your favorite sandwich fillings.
Video
Notes
- Chickpeas: If using canned chickpeas, drain off liquid and pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel or cloth to remove excess moisture. Two cans chickpeas = ~3 cups.
- Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with regular vinegar or lemon juice as needed.
- Leftovers: This recipe makes 5 sandwich servings that last 4-5 days refrigerated in a closed container. To keep bread from becoming soggy, the sandwiches are best if made the day you plan to eat them. I pack my sandwich in these glass containers and bring this freezable lunch box to work to keep my sandwiches cool until lunch-time.
Barbara
I absolutely love this recipe. I use it on salad or sandwich .I have given recipe to few friends who also love it. I keep it in fridge ready to use. Great for summer time
Cassidy Reeser
So glad you like it! And thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Katharine
Since becoming a plant based eater, I make this recipe all of the time. It is one of my favorites. I make wraps out of it as well as putting a scoop on top of a green salad. Yum!! I also change it up a bit and put chopped dill pickles in it instead of dill. It makes it more like the tuna salad I used to make. Thanks Cassidy.
Cassidy Reeser
That's so great to hear! I love the idea of adding dill pickles, I'll have to do that next time I make this.