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This simple chickpea salad sandwich is a creamy and filling vegetarian lunch idea that we whip up all the time! Like a chickpea tuna salad but totally vegan, made with a few flavorful but simple ingredients. My husband asks me to make this for him to take to work ALL the time!
What Makes This Sandwich So Good
- This salad is based on my popular Costco-style chicken salad recipe, but it’s completely vegan!
- Even dedicated meat-eaters will love the flavor and textures in this chickpea salad sandwich. Chunks of rich chickpeas, creamy mayonnaise, tangy Dijon mustard, and fresh veggies make it a perfect lunch or dinner recipe.
- Chow down right away, or use it for meal prep! You can refrigerate the chickpea salad in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Key Ingredient
Chickpeas – You may not have guessed this, but chickpeas are a pretty crucial component of this sandwich. These legumes are high in protein, full of nutrients, and are a great source of fiber. Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans, so you may see them labelled that way at the grocery store, but they’re the same thing.
Chef’s Tips
- Keep your toppings simple! Our chickpea salad sandwich has so much flavor in it that you really don’t need to add much of anything else. Personally, I love the crunch you get from romaine lettuce. Tomatoes and pickles are great options, too!
- Don’t skip the simmer! If you’re using canned chickpeas, the simmering really makes a difference. You can absolutely cook chickpeas from dry if you prefer not to use canned ones, though. If the texture of your chickpeas is a little dry, you can add more mayonnaise to help offset it.
- Got an Instant Pot? Give this No-Soak Instant Pot Chickpeas recipe from our sister site, Easy Healthy Recipes, a try!
- If you’re not on a vegan diet, you can use just regular mayonnaise. It won’t make a difference in the flavor of your chickpea salad sandwich.
More Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
- Hummus Without Tahini
- Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Chickpea Gyros
- Vegan Latkes (Potato Pancakes)
- Cajun 15-Bean Vegetarian Gumbo
- Seitan Grilled Chicken with Vegan BBQ Sauce
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Vegan Seitan “Chicken”
- BBQ Jackfruit Bowls
- Bean and Cheese Taquitos (4 Ingredients)
- Vegan Enchiladas
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
4.93 from 71 votes
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Prep 5 minutes minutes
Cook 10 minutes minutes
Total 15 minutes minutes
This vegan version of my Costco chicken salad is just as creamy and delicious, but totally meat-free.
6 servings
Equipment
medium saucepan
colander or fine mesh seive
Large bowl
potato masher or fork
silicone spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas about 3 ¾ cups
- 2 tablespoons celery minced
- 2 tablespoons yellow onion minced
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 4-5 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 2-3 teaspoons vegan Dijon mustard plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Pour both cans of chickpeas (and liquid) into medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, then pour chickpeas into colander or sieve and drain well.
Transfer drained chickpeas to large bowl. Using potato masher or fork, mash chickpeas until desired consistency is achieved.
Add celery, onion, parsley, vegan mayonnaise, vegan Dijon mustard, and salt to mashed chickpeas. Stir well to thoroughly incorporate all ingredients.
Chill chickpea salad if desired, or serve immediately on bread or in lettuce cups with preferred toppings.
Video
- Be sure to use vegan mayonnaise and Dijon mustard without honey.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate any leftover chickpea salad in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 153calProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 553mgPotassium: 169mgTotal Carbs: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 1gNet Carbs: 10gVitamin A: 141IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Cheryl Malik
In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.
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Yummy! I added chopped apple and pistachio. My new favorite thing
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Ooh, those additions sound delicious! Thanks for sharing, Corrine! 😊
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Outstanding, simple, and truly delicious.
Reply
So glad you enjoyed it, Cindy! 😊
Reply
Delicious! I’m going to try with apple or grapes as suggested!
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Yum, let us know how you like the additions!
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I love this recipe and make variations of it often. If I’m in a hurry, I mash the chickpeas without boiling them. I like to add pickled jalapenos for a little zing!
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Ooh, jalapeños sound fantastic, we’ll have to give that a try sometime. Thanks so much, Candice!
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Try with grapes or green apple and curry powder. Delicious!
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This is our go to recipe for “chicken” salad. A hit every time. I have tried others but this is the best. I am adding apple and maybe walnut tonight. Thank you so much for this recipe!
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Ooooh, love the idea of apple and walnut added in! I’ll have to give that a try. Thank you so much for your review, Starr!
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Absolutely delicious.
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Thanks, Janine! Appreciate you taking the time to share your review!
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Meet Cheryl
Passionate foodie, certified health coach, serial entrepreneur, and mom of 3.
I've been developing and sharing delicious, approachable recipes on 40 Aprons for more than a decade. My goal is simple: take the chore out of mealtime by creating recipes that anyone can cook and that never skimp on flavor.
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