Grab some napkins and dig in to this immensely flavourful, absolutely delicious chickpea salad sandwich. All you need is 10 minutes and 10 ingredients! No mayo, no oil, just wholesome food, made delicious.
This recipe was originally published in March 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.
This sandwich will quickly become your go-to with flavours like dill, tangy mustard, earthy, nutty tahini and SO much more.
It’s crunchy, it’s creamy, makes great meal prep and it’s down right delicious.
As an added bonus, it’s HEALTHY and you’ll be pleased to know that the calories in chickpea salad is quite low!
Since we’re opting for no mayo, this sandwich is virtually fat free and diet friendly. But don’t worry, there’s no sacrificing flavour here.
How to make it
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Gather your ingredients.
Begin by gently mashing your chickpeas using a potato masher or large fork. Leave some pieces whole, and do not over mash. (photo 1)
Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well to evenly coat. (photos 2-3)
Serve your chickpea salad sandwich with your favourite sliced bread (gluten free, if needed) and some lettuce and sliced tomato.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich FAQs
Spread it on crackers or celery. Wrap it up with tortilla bread. Or top a bed of lettuce.
Yes, just don’t assemble your sandwich until you’re ready to eat, or shortly beforehand so your bread doesn’t get soggy.
If you keep your chickpea salad unassembled, you may store in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
What substitutions can I make?
- For the bell pepper, you may use any colour you have on hand, or sub for red onion or shredded carrots, if preferred.
- If you don’t have celery, you may sub for cucumber, or another crunchy veggie you have on hand.
- For tahini free, use almond or peanut butter, for nuttier flavour.
- You may use raisins, chopped dates or chopped prunes if you do not have dried cranberries on hand. Or, use fresh grapes that have been halved if you don’t have any dried fruit available.
- Use your favourite mustard. I like yellow mustard, but sub for Dijon, if preferred.
Expert Tips
- Do not overly mash your chickpeas. You want texture, so keep some pieces whole.
- Prepare the salad in advance, but hold off on assembling your sandwich until the day you plan to eat it to prevent soggy bread.
- Try this chickpea salad without the bread, if preferred. Top it over a bed of romaine, iceberg or baby spinach. You may also make it a wrap. Or spread it on crackers or celery.
More vegan wraps + sandwiches
- Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Vegan Chicken Burgers
- Smashed Chickpea Salad Wraps
- Asian Slaw Veggie Wraps
- Mushroom Risotto Burger
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained & rinsed
- 1/2 cup celery diced (approx. 1 medium stalk)
- 1/2 cup red or yellow bell pepper diced (approx. half a medium pepper)
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons dill weed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
For Serving
- whole grain sliced bread gluten free if preferred
- sliced tomatoes, pickles, lettuce
Instructions
- Place the drained chickpeas in a mixing bowl and use a fork or potato masher to gently mash them. Leave some whole, don't over mash, you want some texture.
- Add all remaining salad ingredients and mix well.
- Serve on sliced bread of choice (soft or toasted), with lettuce, tomato and pickles, if desired.
rosa
Haha thanks Nicolas, enjoy!
rosa
Thanks Natalie!
Beth Pierce
I know what I am having for lunch today; this looks delicious and I love how quickly it can be prepared!
rosa
Thanks Beth, hope you enjoy!
kim
So easy and so flavorful! Love this recipe!
rosa
Thank you Kim!
Claudia Lamascolo
this looks so darn good I would eat this for breakfast.. A must try!
rosa
Thanks so much for the kind words Claudia!
Meghna
I want this so badly during the weekend grab and go type of lunch in a hurry. It looks super delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
rosa
Thanks so much Meghna!
Jillian
I enjoyed this chickpea salad tonight without bread and it was so dill-Icious — I really enjoyed the dill spice flavour in it!! Next time, I’ll add some chopped lettuce or spinach and diced tomatoes and pickles so I can enjoy all the flavourings of the sandwich without the bread. 😋😋😋
rosa
Thanks so much for the feedback Jillian. Great idea to add the toppings right into your salad. 🙂
David Garlick
Why am I draining the chick peas if the water is just going into the food processor as another ingredient?
rosa
Hi David, thanks so much for your question! You only want 1/2 cup worth of the chickpea liquid in your food processor. (Not more). That is why you should drain it first (reserving the liquid) and use 1/2 cup for this recipe. You may discard the rest. Hope that clears things up. 🙂
rosa
Thanks Stephanie, hope you enjoy!
rosa
You’re so welcome Julia! I think all busy families need a 5 minute recipe here and there. 🙂
rosa
Thanks so much Emily. Hope you enjoy!
Lauren Vavala | DeliciousLittleBites
I LOVE chickpeas in any and every way! Can’t wait to give this sandwich a try! Also, I had no idea that the liquid in the can actually had a name – how interesting!
rosa
Thanks for the feedback Lauren. I hope you love this sandwich as much as my family and I. 🙂
Jacqueline Debono
I love chickpeas so am sure I’d like this sandwich. I didn’t know the liquid from canned chickpeas was called aquafaba and is good for you! Have to remember that!
rosa
Hi Jacqueline, I only recently learned about this magical and versatile ingredient aquafaba. Hope you enjoy this sandwich!
Tara
I’ve been trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into my diet, and it’s easiest to do at lunchtime. This is perfect!
rosa
Thanks Tara! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Diana
Sounds delicious! I’m going to see if I can get some more chickpeas into my kids’ bellies this way!!
rosa
Thanks Diana, hope your kids enjoy!