Name: Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 15 oz can chickpeas, drained + rinsed; 3 stalks green onion; 2 stalks celery; 1/4 cup chopped shredded carrots; 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper; 1/4 cup store bought or homemade mayonnaise ((vegan or regular)); 1-2 tsp dijon mustard; 1 tsp yellow mustard; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 3 TBSP unsalted roasted sunflower seeds; 2 TBSP fresh chopped basil (plus extra to taste); multi-grain sandwich bread; arugula or leafy greens of choice; extra basil (to taste); sliced tomatoes; sandwich spread of your choice: (spicy mustard, mayo, hummus, etc...); I only had grape tomatoes handy

Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich FTW! Whip up this healthy vegetarian chickpea salad in advance for speedy make-ahead lunches or picnic eats.

Some days I seriously wonder why I didn’t call this blog Chickpeas and Crayons.

I clearly underestimated my love of all things chickpea (and the moniker my little one end up rocking as well!) when choosing a title. Lately they’re all I crave and, if you’ve been reading along, you know just how deeply in love I am with these tasty little garbanzo beans.

Playing catch up? Here are a few of my favorite ways to scarf chickpeas lately:

Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich FTW! Whip up this scrumptious chickpea salad in advance for speedy make-ahead lunches or picnic eats.

Since whipping up THIS garden veggie chickpea salad sandwich several weeks ago I’ve been crushing extra hard.

Desperate to enjoy this smashed chickpea salad all Spring and Summer long without tiring of it, I decided to revamp the flavors a little and play around with my garden’s bounty. Since our tomatoes are starting to ripen and my basil is growing out of control, I give you chickpea salad sandwich 2.0: tomato basil edition!

That was a lot of hype for a sandwich, eh? WORTH IT!

I’ll spare you my swoon-fest and get on with the recipe. Grab some chickpeas and meet me in the kitchen!

Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich

A riff on traditional tuna or chicken sandwiches, these smashed chickpea sammies are super healthy and full of flavor – you seriously won’t miss the meat!

Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich FTW! Whip up this healthy vegetarian chickpea salad in advance for speedy make-ahead lunches or picnic eats.

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:

15 oz can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
3 stalks green onion
2 stalks celery
1/4 cup chopped shredded carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup store bought or homemade mayonnaise (vegan or regular)
1-2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 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 leafy greens of choice
extra basil to taste
sliced tomatoes
sandwich spread of your choice: spicy mustard, mayo, hummus, etc…
I only had grape tomatoes handy but feel free to grab roma, heirloom, beefsteak, or any tomatoes of your choosing. As long as they’re ripe this sandwich will rock!

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.
Add to the bowl with your chickpeas, then add mayo, dijon, yellow mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat.
Fold in sunflower seeds and chopped basil (as much or as little as you’d like) and adjust any ingredients to taste. Get creative with your chickpeas, yo!
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 like I tend to do. Enjoy!

Notes

This makes a FABULOUS make-ahead dish for lunches during the week and is great on the go too. Pack a sandwich or salad for lunch/school or make it ahead to serve at a party or picnic.

No sunflower seeds? No problem! Chopped walnuts also work great.

The salad will be great for approx. 4 days in the refrigerator so make it for now, or for later!

Adapted from (affiliate) The Oh She Glows Cookbook + a variation of my beloved Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich.

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator for the chickpea salad. Adjust as needed and based on bread and toppings chosen and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 679mg, Potassium: 431mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2502IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!

special diets and swaps

Vegansaurus Chefs: Use your favorite vegan plant-based mayo and you’re good to go!
T-rex Chefs: Pretty please promise me you’ll try this?! Put down the bacon and pencil in some veggie lovin’ for lunch today!
Gluten-Free Chefs: Serve this crunchy chickpea salad in lettuce wraps, salad-style on a bed of greens, or on your favorite GF bread. I’m no stranger to eating this stuff straight out of the bowl with a spoon – so good!

If you get a chance to try this tasty plant-baed Tomato Basil Chickpea Salad Sandwich let me know!

You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS #PEASANDCRAYONS on Intagram so I can happy dance over your creations! I can’t wait to see what you whip up!