Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

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.

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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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

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. 

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