Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich

If you love chicken salad sandwiches, I think you’ll love this plant-based alternative – the vegan chickpea salad sandwich! This healthy recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes and it’s packed with fiber and plant-based protein. Perfect for vegans, vegetarians, and the veg-curious alike!

Why Use Chickpeas Instead of Chicken or Tuna?

Would you believe me if I told you that your favorite classic chicken salad recipe is just as good without meat?


If you’re not so sure, bear with me. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by these delicious and easy chickpea salad sandwiches. Yep. Chickpeas, not chicken!

Mashed chickpeas can be a great substitute for chicken in your usual chicken salad recipe if you’re:

  1. A vegan or vegetarian
  2. An omnivore who wants to experiment with plant-based recipes
  3. Trying to increase your fiber intake
  4. On a budget
chickpea salad ingredients

Preparation Steps

1. Perfectly Mash Your Chickpeas

Mashing your chickpeas will ensure that your sandwich holds together like a traditional chicken salad. We wouldn’t want those precious chickpeas falling out and rolling away! You can mash chickpeas with a potato masher, fork, or really any implement you can use for smashing things. (I may or may not have used a meat tenderizer to smash chickpeas recently…) Just make sure that you don’t over-smash or blend your chickpeas – we don’t want hummus here.

chickpea salad ingredients

2. Mix in Texture and Flavor

A chickpea salad wouldn’t be complete without a bit of crunch, some creaminess, and a lil kick. Add in vegan mayo (or, for my non-vegan folks, regular mayo is a-ok), lemon juice, mustard, dill, and a pinch of cayenne. Mix, mix, mix and you have a delicious vegan chickpea salad that’s ready in a snap.

The (not so) secret ingredient in this recipe? Avocado! Making this into a chickpea avocado sandwich gives this recipe a more rich texture and a nutritional punch. Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy fats and potassium.

You can serve your chickpea salad as a sandwich, on a bed of lettuce, or (if you’re like me) eat a few spoonfuls of it as a snack!

chickpea salad ingredients in bowl
chickpea salad in bowl

3. Finish Your Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Bread and Yummy Toppings

Any bread will do for this one, but I prefer whole grain for some extra flavor and fiber. (Are you curious about carbs like bread? Are they healthy, or nah? Luckily I wrote a post all to answer some common questions about healthy carbs.) The chickpea avocado salad mix also works great as a filling for wraps, as a salad topping, or as a side.

I used plain old spring mix and tomato slices on my sandwich, but there are SO many other topping options to try!

More Vegan & Vegetarian Sandwich Topping Ideas:

  • Tomato slices
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Arugula
  • Sriracha
  • Avocado slices
  • Onion (or if you’re feeling fancy, pickled shallots)
  • Shredded carrots
  • Cucumber Slices
  • Bell pepper slices
  • Roasted red peppers
  • Sprouts
chickpea salad sandwich
chickpea salad sandwich
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Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This quick and easy plant-based smashed chickpea salad recipe is perfect for a healthy lunch option.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: salad sandwich, smashed chickpea salad
Servings: 6
Calories: 420kcal
Author: Chelsea Jackle, RDN

Ingredients

  • 2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 avocado mashed
  • 4 stalks celery diced
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp stone-ground mustard
  • 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp dry dill
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 12 slices whole grain bread
  • 12 slices tomato
  • 6 cups mixed greens
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Mash chickpeas in a large bowl. You can use a potato masher or a fork for this!
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until just combined
  • Serve on your favorite bread or wrap with lettuce and tomato! (This salad is also delicious as a side or a salad topping.)

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 18.5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.3g | Sodium: 854.1mg | Potassium: 459.4mg | Fiber: 17.4g | Sugar: 12.1g

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