Chickpeas are such a versatile and delicious plant-based protein. They’re inexpensive, extremely nutritious and high in all kinds of vitamins and minerals. And because they are high in both protein and fiber, they’re satisfying and keep you feeling full. I almost always have a couple cans of chickpeas in my pantry, whether it’s for this chickpea salad, or some of my other favorite chickpea recipes like chickpea curry, homemade hummus, or crispy roasted chickpeas. This chickpea salad can be made ahead of time and assembled for sandwiches when you need it, making it perfect for meal prep. Bonus: my kids LOVED it. I can’t WAIT to make it again and again, and I know you’ll love this delicious easy recipe!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Canned Chickpeas – or the equivalent of cooked chickpeas. Another legume like white beans may be used here, though the texture won’t be quite the same. Lemon Juice Fresh Garlic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Mayonnaise – this can be omitted or a vegan alternative used if needed. Green onions – finely diced red or sweet onion may be used instead, and will have a more potent onion flavor. Herbs – I used dill, mint, oregano, and parsley. Use what you have here – chives, basil, tarragon, a small amount of thyme, and other delicate fresh herbs will be great depending on what you have and your flavor preferences. I don’t recommend rosemary, as it can be a bit tough in texture when fresh. Crushed red pepper – optional, but adds a nice subtle kick. Salt and Pepper Bread – or a halved croissant, pita pocket, lettuce wraps, or crackers, for serving. Lettuce, tomato, or other sandwich fixings – whatever you want! Sprouts, sliced avocado, sliced onion, etc. all work well here.
How to make Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Just mix together the mayo (vegan if necessary), lemon juice, herbs, green onions, red pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice in the bottom of a large or medium bowl. Then, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and use a potato masher to mash to desired consistency. Stir it with a spoon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Then, assemble your sandwiches and enjoy! As an alternative, you can use a food processor or blender instead. The only reason why I didn’t is I hate cleaning them, hah! Just add everything except the chickpeas and blend together, then add the chickpeas and pulse until you reach the desired consistency. Season to taste.
Tips and Tricks
Be sure to rinse your chickpeas thoroughly. Drain the canned chickpeas in a colander and rinse well until you see no foam at all and the water runs clear. This will remove the canning liquid, which both contains a lot of excess salt and also is the stuff that can cause indigestion with beans. When mashing the chickpeas, your goal is to make it a more homogenous texture that will hold together in a sandwich. If you didn’t mash it, the chickpeas would just come rolling out of the sandwich! So make sure you mash it enough so that it sticks together enough to hold up well in a sandwich. The only ingredient that isn’t vegan that is listed is mayonnaise. Just be sure to use a vegan substitute if needed (or for an egg-free version). Or, you can replace it with more olive oil or a half of an avocado, mashed up. Store leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to around 5 days.
Other vegetarian sandwich recipes
Caprese Sandwiches Veggie Wraps Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich Vegetarian Pita Sandwich
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