This tasty Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich is a plant-based powerhouse of a lunch! Make it in advance for a party or picnic or to take along as an easy weekday lunch for work or school.
Paul just informed me that I’m a millennial and it straight up ruined my day.
HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS?!
Somehow I thought I was exempt…
I mean sure I don’t answer my phone when it rings. I obviously Instagram my food every dang day. And of COURSE I don’t have cable, surviving entirely off Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video for all my entertainment needs. My laundry detergent is plant-based, my back yard is teeming with home-grown veggies, and after working out I trade my sweaty yoga pants for a clean but identical pair, because stretchy pants are LIFE, people! LIFE!
I guess I have no choice but to wave the white flag on this argument. I’m a millennial. The kind of millennial who makes tuna salad out of smashed chickpeas and veggies and offers no apologies because IT’S DELICIOUS, YO!
I’m hopelessly obsessed with this chickpea salad. There. I said it.
It’s so fresh and full of flavor that it puts every tuna or chicken salad I’ve ever had to shame.
Seriously!!! I have no problem eating it straight out of the bowl, though it’s also stellar in sandwich form, and atop a bed of leafy greens and veggies. Hellooooo versatility!
The first round of photos I took of this recipe failed to justify just how scrumptious this dish is so I had to reshoot the following week. Was this self-sabotage in an attempt to enjoy yet another round of chickpea deliciousness? Maybe.
Probably.
Absolutely.
Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This smashed chickpea sandwich is the BEST!
Another fun fact about this recipe? Everyone can enjoy it!
Ok fine, everyone except my primal paleo peeps who don’t do legumes. Man they’re missing out right now! This crunchy chickpea salad is vegetarian with an easy peasy swap to make it vegan. It’s also dairy-free and gluten-free and packed to the brim with all things veggie.
Whether you raid your garden, your local farmer’s market, or even the grocery store produce aisle, this salad is sure to rock your plate and veg up your eats!
special diets and swaps
Need to make a few swaps to fit your dietary needs? I’ve got your back! This rockin’ recipe is amazingly versatile.
The main ingredients of the mashed chickpea salad are chickpeas, scallions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, pickles, sunflower seeds, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, yellow mustard, dill, basil, salt and pepper.
vegan chickpea sandwich
Use your favorite vegan mayo and you’re good to go! Other tasty swaps include hummus (YES PLEASE!) and/or mashed avocado.
gluten-free chickpea sandwich
Serve this crunchy chickpea salad in lettuce wraps, salad-style on a bed of greens, or on your favorite gluten-free bread. I’m no stranger to eating this stuff straight out of the bowl with a spoon – so good!
I’ve also had it on those gluten-free nut thin crackers and it’s downright delish!
As for my T-Rex friends, pretty please promise me you’ll try this?! Put down the bacon and pencil in some plant based lovin’ for lunch today!
Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained + rinsed
- 3 stalks green onion
- 2 stalks celery
- ¼ cup chopped shredded carrots
- ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickle
- ¼ cup store bought or homemade mayonnaise vegan or regular
- 1-2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- ⅛ tsp dried dill or fresh, to taste
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 3 TBSP unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
- 2 TBSP fresh chopped basil plus extra to taste
FOR THE SANDWICH:
- multi-grain sandwich bread
- arugula or romaine lettuce
- extra basil as desired
- optional tomatoes and/or red onion
TASTY SANDWICH SPREAD OPTIONS
- spicy mustard
- hummus
- mayo
Instructions
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas and add them to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher until texture appears flaked, almost like tuna salad. I use both a potato masher and follow up with a fork to make sure every chickpea is deliciously smashed. You could also use a food processor and skip the arm workout!
- Chop your green onion, celery, shredded carrots, pepper, and pickles.
- Add to the bowl with your chickpeas, then add mayo, dijon, yellow mustard, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat.
- Fold in sunflower seeds and basil (as much or as little as you’d like) and adjust any ingredients to taste.
- Pile high on bread with all your sandwich fixings or enjoy as a wrap, with crackers, on a salad, or simply dive into the bowl spoon-first – anything goes!
Notes
Nutrition
Seriously LOVING this healthy Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich like WOAH — I can’t wait for you guys to try it!
crazy for chickpea recipes?
- Greek Chickpea Salad – READER FAVORITE!
- Roasted Broccoli Chickpea Arugula Salad
- Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup with Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas
- Crispy Roasted Shawarma Chickpeas
More Tasty Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
- Cranberry Pecan Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- NEW! Buffalo Chickpea Sandwich
- Chickpea Salad Sandwiches – 4 Ways!
If you get a chance to try this tasty vegetarian chickpea salad sandwich recipe, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
I made this to try for our card club and my husband walked through the kitchen and saw the can of chickpeas on the counter and said I’m not eating that. Mashing those up help disguise them. He loved it. I used pickle relish as we were out of dill pickles. Put it on a wrap with a piece of romaine lettuce and added a little tabasco(he likes heat). He asked for the next one to have the wrap warmed and added the romaine and tabasco and added more sunflower seeds on top.
LOL he sounds like my husband. He will see my grocery haul for the week and give me a raised brow whenever he sees quinoa or kale, lol. I’m so thrilled you both enjoyed the recipe!
Question, the nutrition information, is that per serving or for the entire 4 servings? BTW, absolutely love this recipe!
Hi Deborah! The nutrition info is per serving of the chickpea salad. I was digging in the recipe card and for some reason my calculator thought a can of chickpeas were 679 calories when they’re really only 420 calories as per the can’s nutrition facts so I updated that in my recipe card as well. Hope this helps and I’m so glad you’re loving the recipe! xoxo
This recipe involves a little prep but it’s so worth it! I made it with bread and butter pickles instead of dill pickles, and added arugula and red onion to a sandwich. Amazing flavor!!
Really enjoyed this recipe. I roasted the red pepper and added a splash of lemon juice. But forgot the sunflower seeds! Next time. Will definitely make this again. Thank you for posting. Will check out your other recipes.
Thank you Carol! So happy you enjoyed it!
My husband has recently had to change eating habits of a lifetime. I told him we were trying this recipe and to say he was skeptical would be an understatement. When we finished he said “Well, that’s a keeper”.
I’m so glad he enjoyed it!!! It’s one of those recipes that is crazy versatile too based on what extras you are craving or have on hand. Sometimes I do a tomato basil spin and other times I’ll do cranberry walnut. I’m so happy it made keeper status for y’all!
This salad is off-the-charts incredibly delicious!! I tasted it and loved it even w/out the mayo, but I did add 2 tablespoons and 2 of water. This would be great in a pita pocket, on bread with lettuce (or on its own), on crackers as an appetizer or after school snack for the kiddies, or stuffed in tomatoes on a bed of lettuce. Super nutritious! This my new “oh happy day” go-to recipe. No one would know there are chickpeas in it, making it perfect for even non-vegetarians/vegans. Every ingredient contributes a balance of layers of flavor. The next time I make it, it will be a double recipe!
Yay!!! Thanks Peg!
I had to make this for my vegetarian daughter bc it read so weird and curiosity got the best of me. It is incredible. I think my carnivore son likes it as much or maybe more than my daughter! And it’s about the only dish she’ll eat as leftovers. I ALWAYS make a double batch.
I love this, great with crackers bread or a fork! Great for meat lovers
This is one of my favorite “go to” recipes! I get so I crave it! I was glad to read how obsessed you are with it too 🤣
So so stoked you’re loving it!
I have been making this recipe for a couple of years now and it remains one of our favorites! Your original is the bomb but I usually add grapes to ours when they are in season (my grandma made her chicken salad with them). Every so often I do change it up and make it a curry chickpea salad. Thanks so much for the recipe as I love a good chicken salad but gave up eating any type of bird years ago!
Chickpea sandwiches are my favorite, and I use butter ghee instead of mayo. Using ghee as a spread is one of the common butter ghee uses I practice; here, also I use ghee as a spread. Try grass-fed ghee as a healthy buttery spread, and you will surely love the taste of the sandwich.
https://milkio.co.nz/butter-ghee-uses/
Fab salad with such texture and flavor. I’ve made it twice so far and have shared recipe with others. It’s delicious!!!! Thanks.
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I’m glad it was a hit! xoxo
As a fairly new (2-year) plant-based eater, I have been searching for a recipe to replace the chicken and tuna salad sandwiches I used to love, and this is it! I will be adding it to my rotation of my favorites, and will confidently serve it to anyone–plant-based eaters or not.
Loved this recipe… Delicious!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Karla!
We started making this at the beginning of the pandemic when I was trying to cut costs on meat. My entire family loved it! Even the 13 year old, meat-loving boy!
So happy y’all have been enjoying the recipe!
This was delicious! I think I’ll be making it often. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Terry!
Your recipe was the best doggone salad ever….my my my…so delicious!
I used fresh herbs from my garden instead of dried…I tripled the dill.
I didn’t have green onions so I used red onion.
Linda you just made my day! Thank you so much!
I made this for my family yesterday and everyone loved it! I used green bell peppers instead of red simply because of personal preference and still tasted great! Thank you!
So happy the chickpea salad was a hit! I adore green bell peppers too so that swap is right up my alley!
Wow thank you for this amazing recipe.The texture, taste and spices with the condiments all compliment each other.Definitely making this once a week as a lunch staple!
My daughter , who’s vegan, sent this to me. I’ve been trying to go to the healthier side and this fit the bill for new recipe to try. Loved ot
Yayyy! So glad the chickpea salad was a hit! Thanks Bonnie!
I’m not a vegan nor a vegetarian; however, I needed a recipe for my niece who is visiting and a vegan. This came out great! Definitely restaurant quality. Everyone loved it. Thank you!
Thank you for the glowing review! So appreciate it!
This was absolutely delicious, definitely becoming a new lunch/dinner staple.
It is truly delicious! Leftovers keep well,too. I ate some without any bread or lettuce wraps- it’s that good! You can’t tell that the base ingredient is chickpeas. Thank you for this yummy recipe!
Prepped this for my lunches this week. Absolutely DELISH! WOW!
So so happy you enjoyed it, Karen! xo
OMG!!! I have been making this for sandwiches for the past 3 weeks and love, love it. It is such
a wonderful refreshing salad and I don’t think I will ever get tired of it.
I’m so happy you’ve been loving the recipe, Kay! Woot!
This chickpea salad is delicious! I love it! Goodbye traditional egg salad, hello my new favourite.
So glad you’re loving the recipe, Jeanette! Thank you!
Definitely my favorite chickpea salad (though I did omit the basil). Delicious!
This looks delicious. Going to make it tomorrow. Just want to check what you mean by yellow mustard. Do you mean the Keens powder mustard or just a yellow mustard like you would buy in a bottle?
So excited for you to try the recipe, Leigh! Yellow bottled mustard (the condiment) is what I use to give the salad a little oomph.
AMAZING! My family loved it.
Another home run from Peas and Crayons! I don’t like celery so I left that out and added more of the other veggies.
Two words…absolutely delicious!
OMG – made this yesterday for lunch! Fantastic!!!
My husband said it was the best salad type sandwich he has ever had.
thank you so much!
I didn’t have any fresh basil on hand – but didn’t miss it a bit. so good.
Sorry – I forgot to rate it.
I just made this for this weeks lunches! Had a taste and it’s delicious! I love the added pickles 😋
This is absolutely delicious!!!
Thank you for the recipe!
You sound like my kind of person. I never read the blog before the recipe, but yours caught my eye and I enjoyed it! I’m going to try the recipe this week and I’ll let you know how it turned out thank you for posting it
Mary Ann, I am so excited for you to try this chickpea salad sandwich! It’s one of my favorites and I can’t wait to hear what you think. xoxo
This chickpea salad is amazing! I felt it was appealing just by seeing the picture . . . it is even more beautiful in your own bowl! Soooo good! I will definitely be making this many, many more times!
My friend and i made this as part of our meal prep for lunches for the work week and let me tell you! it is wonderful! we substituted roasted red bell pepper for the red bell pepper and cilantro for the basil because thats what we had on hand. we ate it on crackers instead of bread and it actually tastes just like seafood salad. its amazing!
I want to thank you for this amazing recipe – am thanking you before I even prepare it because just reading it caused every sensory response in my body to stand up and applauded. Will write you again when I make it, but had to thank you ASAP!
Gahhhh thank you Michelle! I love how stoked you are over this recipe and cannot wait to hear what you think! xoxo
I’ve made a few variations of chickpea salad, and this is my favorite. I didn’t have a few items on hand, so omitted, such as the pickle, celery and red pepper – and it still was wonderful. I also used my own homemade mayonnaise. I topped our sandwiches with homemade hummus, slices of cucumber, tomato slice, fresh basil and micro greens. Delicious!!
Just what I had a hankering for!! I substituted cauliflower for the celery and sliced almonds for the sunflower seeds and added a couple tablespoons of radish too. No dill or basil this time either but I’d love to make it again with those in. Very filling and healthy, definitely gonna make again. Thanks!!!
Oh my gosh this was so delicious! The flavors together were so tasty I would have had no idea there were chickpeas in it! I put it on a wrap with fresh spinach, arugula and basil from my garden:) The true test will be seeing if my husband will eat it! We are looking to cut back on our meat and this is a delicious alternative!
One of my new favorite recipes!!!! Soooo delicious!!!!! And equally delicious the next day (and I’m normally not a fan of leftovers)!!!
Sooo yummy! The little of bit of pickle and mustard really makes it. I just dipped blue corn chips in it. Will definitely be making again. And again!
I know I am behind on looking at this great website, but I love this recipe. It’s tangy and flavorful. I used basil paste and almond slivers because I was trying to use those up, but I otherwise didn’t make substitutions. It keeps extremely well and goes well with all the suggested “vehicles” above. I love meat but would prefer this over deli meat any day for the flavor as well as being kind to the planet and it’s animals.
Very tasty recipe! I added roasted pumpkin seeds instead of the sunflower seeds. Will make this again.
What is a serving size. I didn’t see it posted
Hi Sandy! The nutrition facts are for the filling itself (you can add more or less to your sandwich/salad based on preference and dietary needs) so you’ll divide it into 4 portions and each will be a serving. If you need the servings in cups I can try to calculate it next time we make it — it’s sooooo good I’m always craving this one!
This tasted so much better than I thought it would. Will make this over and over.
I made this (tho I didn’t have sunflower seeds) and it was absolutely wonderful The second batch will have the seeds in too. Thanks for this: it will be a regular in my fridge (and in between 2 slices of home made bread!)
I have made this a half a dozen times now and we love it. My 8 year old picky picky eater is still on the fence about it but my 10 year old likes it.
Yummy! We have a variety of eaters in our family that range from carnivores to vegans. It is hard to find something that everyone likes, but this was enjoyed by all. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad y’all enjoyed the recipe, Lisa! Thank you!
I finally made this recipe today after bookmarking it long ago. I love all things chickpeas so chickpea salads are a natural extension of that adoration. This was delicious. The dill pickle added a wonderful dimension. I swapped out roasted red pepper for the green pepper since I had some in the fridge that needed to be used. Will definitely put this in the rotation of lunch salads. Thanks for putting together a great recipe.
Delicious, even my hubby liked it. A simple, tasty, vegetarian dish that you could use as a dip for your chips as well as a sandwich. Thank you for great recipe.
Thank you Charlee!
I have made this many times for my family and it is delicious. I am just about to whip up another batch. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Save me some!!! Haha so glad you’re loving the recipe Rachel – thank you!
We just had this for the first time last night and it was AMAZING! I kept picking at it as I was waiting for my husband to get home, I picked at it hours after dinner, and I picked at it right before bed. So satisfying, crunchy, and full of flavor!
We’ve made this recipe dozens of times over the last couple of years. It’s refreshing; it’s terrific. ***Try this on french bread***
Thanks John for the inspiration; I’m gonna try this today on toasted sourdough (my favorite sandwich vessel). My fridge is out and I will have to alter the recipe but I have canned goods, bread and herbs out back so I’m sure I can mock this up to work
Super good! Better than any tuna, chicken or egg salad. My non-vegan husband liked it and I would serve it to company. I did not have red pepper, so I subbed artichoke hearts which worked great. Used ciabatta bread…yum!
Wow! This stuff is seriously delicious! I just made it and already regret not doubling the recipe. Bonus is that my husband and I both find it excellent.
Hi, I’m not a big fan of yellow mustard, would the taste profile change considerably omitting it?with only using Dijon and mayo? Or is there an another option. Suggestion?
Hey Mia! Omit away! It won’t alter the recipe significantly.
I made this for lunch this week; absolutely delicious. Ate it as a wrap as well as on its own. It’s keeper, and I did omit the yellow mustard and was a skeptic of adding pickles(it’s something I don’t buy). You can add so many things. Yum
We’ve made this recipe dozens of times over the last couple of years. It’s refreshing; it’s terrific. ***Try this on french bread***
This recipe is really great. I’ve been a vegetarian for years and I’m always looking for creative ways to make a sandwich!
Thank you Lisa! It’s hands-down my favorite vegetarian sandwich!
Absolutely delicious and SO easy! LOVE this recipe!!
Made this for lunches this week, came out great! Can be adjusted to your personal taste and still be fantastic. Definitely keeping this in my permanent lunch rotation.
I didn’t add any dill or basil and it still is incredibly flavorful. I didn’t have celery so added a bit more dill pickles and sliced some cucumbers (+ tomatoes + spinach) for the sandwich. I could totally eat this plain though. Delicious!
It’s so crazy versatile right? I legit make it with whatever I have on hand and it’s always delicious! Thanks for the super sweet review, Veronica. So glad you enjoyed it!
These garden veggie chickpea sandwiches look so good. My daughter is all into chickpeas lately and I love fresh veggies so this will be perfect for us. It is like a better version of a hummus sandwich!
I’ve made this three times in the last month and my wife and I can’t get enough of it. What a fantastic recipe! Thanks.
Thank you so much Braxton! I’m honored it’s on repeat in your house!
I have made this twice now. Once with Garbanzo beans and once with white beans. I plan to try tuna next! I make a weeks worth for lunch at work. Easily adaptable to ones personal taste. Love it! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Shelia! I’m so happy you’re enjoying it and having fun experimenting with different mix-ins too! xo
I made this whole my vegitarian daughter was home for a visit and even the meat eaters loved it. I didn’t have a few of the ingredients so just winged it with what I had and it was great. Thanks for a great recipe?
So, so good ! Thank you for this recipe!
This stuff is SO good! My aunt made some for picnicking and I fell in love so much I had to make it myself! However! Mine turned out so much waterier/mushier ? I used a food processor for the veggies…not sure where I went wrong. Still so delicious though! Love it with crackers.
So glad you’re loving the recipe Kelly! When you chop your veggies via food processor the blades pulverize the veggies more than a knife would and releases quite a bit of water from them. I typically do the chickpeas in the processor to shred them then hand-chop my veggies. Processing the veggies separate from the chickpeas and then patting the veggies dry or squeezing them dry in a paper towel after processing should help!
I just made this recipe just like it is. Its the best chickpeak salad sandwich recipe that I have ever made!!! All the flavors come together perfectly. Highly recommend
You’re so right. I found this recipe promoted by a reader on Forks over Knives. I’m thinking fresh peas, radish and sprouts would bring this a new take as well. Gonna have to try it.
This salad is AMAZING! Everybody who has had some has fallen in LOVE!!! I’ve already run out of my first batch (made 2 days ago), and am making some more this afternoon! LOVE LOVE LOVE the flavors!! THANK YOU!!!
So stoked you’re loving it Nacny – thank you! We make it often too – it’s hard to resist!
Do you think a sugar free, fat free greek yogurt would work as a good alt to the mayo?
Hi Stacy! I bet Greek yogurt would make an excellent swap!
I’ve used that too but it kind of tastes like sour cream to me as an ingredient replacement. If you have a blender, you can easily make your own mayo.
Grab a cup of oil (flavor you don’t mind and not cold) & set aside to add last. Start with soy or any milk (not sweetened) around 1/2 cup, room temp. , add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar & 2-4 pinches salt to taste.
Blend a few minutes then add the oil till it thickens. Actually, if you like it more as a drizzle, you don’t have to blend too much. Remember that vinegar/oil/ or water ratios are a necessary balance for any dressing (including Mayo) as to not harm the balance of intestinal flora. I like to add ranch packet to taste as well as crushed olives and fresh herbs at the end….depending on the dish.
Also,
ASHLEIGH
Had an awesome idea. Substituting Mayo for an avocado. Mashed avocados are a wonderful and easy substitute
One of my clients told me of this recipe she would make for a vegetarian bride to be’s shower. I was skeptical! The more I eat it the more I like it. I brought in a bowl to work and my coworkers couldn’t stop eating it!
It’s really just delicious. I used fresh dill & followed the recipe pretty closely.
Thank you so much Vivian! I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
My daughter and I are obsessed with this. It’s delicious, and so versatile… over a plain baked potato for dinner, in a sandwich for lunch, sometimes I add roasted red peppers, sometimes a few slices of mushrooms, whatever is handy. No matter what, it’s absolutely delicious. Thank you for a wonderful meal idea!
Delicious!!! Didn’t put any pickle in since I didn’t have any and just eyeballed the salt, pepper and mustard. Soooo good!!!
I might have “accidentally”Added too much mayo, 🙂
Either way this was delicious and so easy to make! Thank you!
SO good! Never would have thought to make chickpea salad sandwiches before but this was so yummy! Thanks so much!
Thank you Melissa! xo
This is one of my favorite go-to recipes! I make a double batch on Sundays and enjoy it for lunch through the week. Thanks so much!
SO DELICIOUS!!
I had fresh dill but no basil on hand so i just added a lot of fresh dill, and more sunflower seeds (probably 1/4c) cuz i am OBSESSED with their salty crunch.
Love this scooped onto cucumber slices and bell pepper chunks as well as ontop of some arugula spinach salad.
Sorry you’re a millenial ;)) I’m just barely too old to qualify! Haha, somehow I’m good with that.
Just don’t say YOLO or “hashtag” in conversations and you can probably keep hiding that fact in public 😉
HUZZAHH! So stoked you enjoyed the chickpea salad! Haha and you will never ever ever hear me utter YOLO but is it okay if I ironically use hashtag a la that hilarious Justin Timberlake hashtag video? Tell me you know the one!
So glad I found this recipe, it’s so easy and yummy. I have a food diary on my blog with what I’ve been eating for our 2 week clean eating challenge, and I’ve had this probably 3 times already!
Ahhhh yay!!!! Thank you Megan!
I loved this! It was so delicious and my “Trex” friends liked it too and said it tasted just like chicken salad
Stoked that it even won over the T-Rex peeps! Thank you Colleen!
Just made this for lunch. Didn’t have pickles so subbed capers. Super delicious, hearty and satisfying.
Capers sound like a awesome addition to the chickpea salad! Thanks Laury!
Omg!! This is so delicious!! Thank you for this recipe!
Btw I added a finely chopped jalapeno…we like all things spicy in our house
Freaking over the added jalapeño – SOUNDS AMAZING! Thanks Amanda!
This was delicious. I’m passing this on to my friends. Perfect with a toasted whole grain quality bread.
Thank you so much Stephanie!
I made this today, I added cilantro instead of basil because I did not have any on hand. This is seriously delicious! I read all the reviews and they are all correct! Excellent recipe! Thank you for sharing this, my son is a new to being vegitarian and I saw this recipe and homerun, he loves it!
I just made this chickpea salad this morning and have it in the fridge for lunch! It was so easy to put together and is so colorful! I can’t wait till lunch to try it! Such a fun recipe, you can make it with whatever you want. Thank you for this one!!!
Wow! This is soooooo delicious! It will def be a regular in my house! Even my 13 year old like it!
Do you completely mash the beans or leave them a little chunky?
Hey Emily! I like mine mashed up real well since they’re less likely to catapult out the side of the sandwich (great visual eh? lol) BUT you can do either, especially if you want to serve it atop a bed of greens! My favorite method lately is to just use my food processor to pulse it all up so it looks almost like flaked tuna salad but it’s alllll chickpeas! xoxo
I. Cannot. Wait. To. Try. This. Thank you for you passion, thank you for sharing.
This is an absolutely stellar recipe! Even my young kids enjoyed eating this! I think I may buy pita bread to stuff this into next time so It doesn’t fall out! Thank you, this will be in my regular rotation!
Thank you for the garden veggie mix for a sandwich plus.Absolutely delicious!
i’ve already shared this with 3 friends as i stand here continuing to stuff my face IT’S SO GOOD
I only had half the ingredients to make this and it still tasted amazing!!!! My new go-to for sure!!!!
This was SO DELICIOUS. My only complaint is that the salad mixture kept squeezing out the side of my sandwich, so I couldn’t eat it as fast as I wanted. I’m already thinking about how soon I can eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. . .
LOL! As a speed-eater I totally feel you! So stoked you loved this chickpea salad as much as I do!! I make it once a week and the leftovers rock!
This is delicious! I’ve been a vegetarian for 22 yrs- finally found something that fills that “need” for tuna salad. AMAZING!
So. Very. Good!
Thank you!
Oh my goodness!!!! I just made this and it is to die for!!!
I love, love, love this recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us, it is definitely a keeper ?
Thank you Dominique! So stoked you enjoyed it!
So, so good. I got this recipe from a vegan friend, but it’s perfect for our kosher-keeping household. I’m always looking for parve (dairy-free, meat free) recipes to add to my arsenal and this one is such a keeper. I made it with vegan mayo so that said vegan friend could also eat it and it was amazing! I followed the recipe exactly as written, except I didn’t have any fresh basil so without the basil.
Ahhhh yay! So so glad to hear it! Thank you Karen!
This looks completely epic!!! I have put the ingredients on my shopping list for next week, cant wait!! Thanks for the inspo xxx
Thank you Georgie – hope you adore the sandwiches!
I made this for my church potluck whic h consist of several vegetarians, people with dietary limitations and just picky eaters. It was a huge hit and I have been asked to bring it next month. I am thinking you made me queen of the potluck!!!! Thanks.
I very recently became vegan, and I’ve been craving a sandwich! This hit the spot! I’ll definitely be making this again, and it’s a great spread to take to potlucks as well! I actually made this with chickpeas that I cooked myself rather than from a can, and it was just SO delicious and creamy.
This is delicious!! It has become a regular part of my weekly meal prep. Very tasty and so easy to make!
Amazing and so versatile. I loved this.
Amazing and so versatile. I loved this.
I never comment on things like this but this was so good I felt like I had to! This was really amazing and my carnivore of a fiance LOVED it! Subbed 1 whole avocado in place of the mayo and it was delicious!
I’m so honored you stopped back over to let me know what you thought! Thank you Ashleigh! 🙂 Super stoked it was a hit and love the avocado for creaminess!
I tried this because it looked good in the photo. I didn’t expect it to be so delicious! I have tried other “healthy” recipes and many times I’ve only made them once. I’ll be eating this one often!!
I absolutely love this! I rarely comment on a recipe, but I just couldn’t not let you know how amazing I found this chickpea salad…. thanks!!!
Excellent, even without any bread. Added Oasis brand roasted red pepper hummus. A favorite!
So happy you enjoyed it Frances! Love the addition of red pepper hummus!
LOVE this! Very easy to make and could be adapted to fit a variety of tastes. Always a huge fan of something I can make ahead.
Hi, Jenn! The pic with your recipe had me stop and look into the ingredients. Didn’t have the sunflower seeds or basil on hand, but I’m glad that didn’t stop me from making this! I really couldn’t figure out what the taste was going to be like, as I don’t add veg to tuna or egg salad, but the reviews were enough for me to give it a go. Just had some in lettuce wraps. Delicious! I have girlfriends who I know will love this, too, so I’ll be passing it along, Thanks! ?
Jenn, my dh tried a spoonful and he really likes it! Said it’s reminiscent of both potato salad and egg salad. 2 thumbs up!
Yayyy!!! Thanks Diane!
Tasty!
This was so delicious. The flavors blend so well and it was great in a wrap!
This is perfect! I love chicken salad, but don’t care about the chicken part. And I usually have chick peas in the pantry. Whipped this up for lunch the other day and it totally hit the spot. Thanks!
I didn’t notice the nutritional breakdown for this recipe. Is it available?
Thank you
Hi Anne! I don’t typically include them because so many readers use different ingredients/mix-ins/swaps for the recipes and I don’t want to mislead anyone. The best way to get a nutrition breakdown is to use your favorite calculator and enter what you’d like to use. I’m loving myfitnesspal.com and it’s free!
Thank you so much for sharing. This sandwich is truly amazing . It will be my go to lunch. Awesome recipe !
So happy you enjoyed it Ashli and that it will be your go-to lunch – thank you so much!
Thank you for your recipe, I changed it with the ingredients that I had on hand. I added avocado ,Brussels sprouts ,and walnuts.I did not add any mustard, but added Grey salt. The pickles,carrots and scallions really added to the flavor. I liked the combination of mashed garbanzo beans with vegtables. Very versatile recipe.
Great recipe, I was looking for something new. Made a few changes only because I didn’t have the ingredients. I added dill paste because I didn’t have any dill pickles, I didn’t have any carrots, so I used banana peppers. Yummy dish thank you
Can yoU replace the vegan mayonnaise with anything? We are on a p plant-based diet but we use a lot of vegan recipes.
Hi Lisa! 🙂 I’m unfamiliar with what other vegan alternatives might be used in place of vegan mayo (aside from traditional mayonaise or greek yogurt, both which would not be vegan) – if you have a swap you make at home on the regular and enjoy I’d for sure think it’s open to experimentation! I think I’ve seen hummus used before as a swap for mayo and that may be interesting! Let me know as I’d love to know what you try/like! xoxo
Wondering if quacamole would be a good sub for mayo????
Yesssssss do it!!!! I make a chopped salad that uses a homemade mayo-free avocado dill dressing and it’s crazy good! I think that the same concept would work here too – LMK how it goes! I’d say start with a little and then keep adding more to taste and you’re good to go 🙂
Am definitely making this for a school lunch sandwich! Hope the bread doesn’t go to soggy though but thanks for the recipe
Hey Shania! So excited you’ll be trying it! The chickpea salad isn’t super wet like tuna salad is so if you put lettuce on each side touching the bread and the salad in the middle the fluffy bread should be a-ok! 🙂
I can my own chick peas and have 27 jars awaiting…guess what I’m making tonight?! YUM! This looks heavenly, thanks for sharing!
Sooooo excited for you to try it Anita! LOVE that you can your own chickpeas – totally one of my bucket list goals! 🙂
This was FABULOUS!!!! This was the first time I have ever tried chickpeas and was thoroughly impressed! I don’t like dill pickles, so I used pickle relish instead and it came out great! So in love with this recipe and I will be making it again and again!
So super happy you enjoyed it Crystal, thank you!! 🙂
This is the first vegan recipe I made on my first day in my vegan lifestyle. This was amazing! Thank you so much for this…it will be a regular in the rotation! Easy, flavorful and super filling. I made a whole sandwich and probably could’ve done with half and a small cup of soup! Thanks again!
I love this recipe as well as the basil tomato version. Everyone who has tried it loves it. It is super easy to double and triple recipes for a potluck. I eat with a bed a greens- dandelion greens add a wonderful bitter taste to the overall blend.
Thank you so much Cathy! I’m so thrilled the recipe has been a hit and love the idea of serving it over a bed of dandelion greens 🙂
This makes a fabulous salad sandwich! I didn’t have any dill pickles or dried dill, so I used a 1/4 cup of sweet relish. I toasted some whole wheat bread and put a little mayo on the toast, added some romaine lettuce leaves and piled on the chickpea salad. Heavenly! I can’t wait until tomorrow’s lunch… and dinner!
Just made this and was so delicious! i substituted the celery for cucumbers and used low fat light mayo. unique and fun recipe that can be used as a dip or for a sandwich
Thank you Steph! Brilliant use of cucumbers – I’ve got to try them in place of the celery next time I make this 🙂
Made this today and it is my new favorite salad! Used red onion and fresh dill. Will make this again and again! Thanks for the delicious recipe.
Yay!!! Thank you Lisa — so super stoked to hear it!
Can you freeze this?
Hi Beverly! The fresh veggies in this salad wouldn’t freeze well unfortunately.
Love your recipes—- would REALLY love to see nutritional info! Am I missing something?
Hi Dianne, thank you! I do not currently have a nutrition calculator in place because I find them to be wildly inaccurate at times, especially since everyone uses different ingredients and makes swaps to suit what they have on hand or preferences/allergies and such. This particular recipe is so up in the air based on what bread is used or if lettuce wraps, crackers, pita, etc.. are used instead, but you can 100% paste the recipe into myfitnesspal.com with the options you choose to get the nutrition info custom to the serving method/ingredients you choose. For sure let me know if there’s anything I can do to help! xoxo
Made a giant bowl of your chickpea salad. It’s super yummy!! Substituted the mayo for Greek yogurt and added an avocado, bc I needed to use it. Thanks for the recipes!
Do you have a suggestion for a dill pickle substitute? I love them but those aren’t available in my country. We have sweet pickles but I don’t like those and that doesn’t seem like a good sub anyway.
Hey Zoe! I’m not a fan of sweet pickles either. You can actually skip the chopped pickle entirely and the recipe will still be stellar! I make it both ways depending on what I have available and love it with and without.
5 stars! It is a keeper. Excellent taste. I just put mine on top of a piece of toasted pita bread. Highly recommend this. Thank you for posting this!
Ahhhh yah thank you Michelle! So glad you enjoyed it and tossed pita bread sounds like a marvelous pairing! 🙂
Making this tomorrow!!! ❤️
Eeeeee! So excited, Cindi! Hope you love it as much as I do! 🙂
We just started making a chickpea salad at the bakery where I work and it is AWESOME, but this one looks amazing. I’m going to have to give it a try!
I just made this veggie chickpea salad using onion flakes since I was out of green onions. This is delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I had a can of chickpeas in my pantry staring me down. If it was animated it would ask me, “Are you ever going to make something out of me?” Lol. Why yes chickpeas, you are now a yummy veggie salad sandwich. Thanks again, I’ll be making this often.
Your neglected pantry goods talk to you too?! So relieved it’s not just me… bahaha! Super glad the onion flakes stepped up to the plate in place of their scallion counterparts and thrilled you enjoyed the chickpea salad! Thanks so much Tami! 🙂
I’m not a millennial so maybe that’s why I never thought of doing this! Sounds fabulous!
Haha hope you get a chance to try it Abbe! SO GOOD! 🙂
Uhhhh don’t mind me, I’ll just be over here drooling on my keyboard. YUM!!!! This looks so good, Jenn!
Girrrrrrl you need this sandwich! Thanks love!