Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe

I reimagined classic chicken salad into a Vegan Salad Sandwich made with mashed chickpeas and less than 10 ingredients, and I share clever pantry swaps and assembly shortcuts that keep it pantry-friendly and simple to make.

I never thought a chickpea salad would make me stop mid-bite, but this one did. With mashed chickpeas and a dollop of vegan mayonnaise it hits that creamy, a little tangy place you often miss, without trying too hard.

I kept things simple on purpose, because simple sometimes fools you into loving more, and I wanted to see if pantry staples could become the Best Chickpea Salad Recipe I keep bragging about. This Vegan Salad Sandwich version even had my skeptic friend asking what the secret was, and I couldn’t help smiling, not telling them everything.

Ingredients

• Hearty chunky base; full of fiber and plant protein, keeps you full longer, versatile.
• Creamy binder, adds richness and moisture, mostly fats so mind portion sizes, processed sometimes.
• Tangy vinegary bite, brightens flavors and adds crunchy salty pop, great if you like tang.
• Fresh acid that wakes it up cuts richness gives bright citrus lift and zip.
• Crunchy low calorie veg, subtle green flavor and extra texture, classic sandwich crunch.
• Sharp sweet heat small bits give a punch without overpowering, tiny pops of bite.
• Mustardy tang keeps mix cohesive adds subtle spice and depth, tiny goes far.
• Salt amplifies flavor pepper gives warm bite use to taste, don’t overdo it.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup celery finely chopped (about 2 stalks)
• 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish or 1 small dill pickle finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How to Make this

1. Drain and rinse the 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas well, pat dry with a towel, then transfer to a medium bowl; if you want a smoother, creamier texture rub a few chickpeas between your fingers or towels to remove loose skins, but don’t worry about doing them all.

2. Mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly broken down but with some whole or pea-sized bits left for bite, you want that “chicken salad” feel not a paste.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until combined, scrape the sides so everything mixes evenly.

4. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped celery and 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, mix them in so the crunch is distributed.

5. Fold in 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish or one small dill pickle finely chopped, this gives the salad the tang and personality it needs.

6. Season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, then taste and adjust a pinch more salt or pepper if it needs it.

7. If the mixture feels too dry add a little extra mayo or a splash of the pickle juice, if it’s too wet mash in a few more chickpeas to firm it up.

8. Chill the salad 10 to 30 minutes to let the flavors marry, though you can eat it right away if you’re impatient.

9. Build sandwiches by spreading the chickpea salad on bread or rolls, add lettuce or greens if you like, top and press gently.

10. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, give it a quick stir before serving if the liquid separates.

Equipment Needed

1. Can opener and colander (to open, rinse and drain the chickpeas)
2. Clean kitchen towel or paper towels, for patting the chickpeas dry
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Fork or potato masher, whichever you got for breaking up the chickpeas but keeping some texture
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for mayo, mustard, lemon juice, salt etc)
6. Cutting board and a sharp knife, to finely chop celery, onion and pickle
7. Rubber spatula or mixing spoon to scrape the bowl and combine everything
8. Airtight container and access to the fridge for chilling and storing leftovers

FAQ

Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Vegan mayonnaise: mashed avocado (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup for similar creaminess), hummus, tahini thinned with a little water or lemon juice
• Dijon mustard: yellow mustard for milder taste, stoneground mustard for texture, a bit of prepared horseradish if you want more bite
• Celery: diced cucumber for crunch, finely chopped bell pepper, shredded carrot
• Dill pickle relish: chopped cornichons or dill pickles, capers for briny pops, chopped green olives

Pro Tips

– Use a mix of textures. Mash most chickpeas but leave lots of pea sized bits for bite, and chop a few extra whole chickpeas fairly coarse so it doesnt turn into a paste. A little contrast makes it feel like real chicken salad.

– Tame the onion and control moisture. If the red onion is too sharp, soak the chopped pieces in cold water for 5 minutes, drain and pat dry, or theyll overpower everything. Also finely chop the pickles so you get tang in every bite without big soggy chunks.

– Taste as you go, dont dump everything in at once. Start with less mayo and lemon than you think you need, then add more a little at a time so it wont get too greasy or too flat. If it comes out a bit bland, a tiny pinch of sugar or a splash of pickle juice can wake it up.

– Make-ahead and serving hacks. Chill it so flavors marry but take it out 10 minutes before serving so it isnt cold and dull. For sandwiches toast the bread or add a lettuce leaf to keep things from getting soggy, and dont freeze mayo based salads because the texture will go weird.