A twist on a classic – Smashed Pimento Chickpea Sandwich (vegan pimento cheese) is hearty, flavor-packed and reminiscent of pimento cheese. Like my Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich, this smash comes together in ten minutes (with a little advance prep) then share it as a spread, or as a sandwich! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
Vegan Pimento Cheese
Y’all know the sandwich.
The classic pimento cheese.
It’s big in Texas, at least where I grew up and is familiar as apple pie…
…and big hair.
This vegan pimento sandwich offers similar taste and texture sans cheese for a delicious dairy free option!
Trying Something New with Chickpeas
Since making my first smash-up, the Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich, I knew I wanted to create a new favorite inspired by an old recipe. Oh what chickpeas can do!
Although I started making this recipe years ago, it was a visit from my pimento cheese lovin’ Ma that helped me taste test this one since she’s a big fan of the classic. I wanted her to give it a go before I shared it on the blog since, after-all, she is a pimento cheese expert.
With the help of nutritional yeast, paprika, red bell peppers and some good mayo, I’m completely smitten with this version of Vegan Pimento Cheese. I even impressed my pimento cheese expert Ma who lovingly hesitated and looked at me as if I’d lost it. Whaaa… no cheese?
Quick Guide: How to Make Vegan Pimento Cheese Chickpea Sandwiches
This spread is simple to pull together and is versatile enough to be enjoyed as a sammie, stuffed into pitas or with your favorite crackers. It’s delicious with celery and cucumber too. In summary, here’s how to make it (see recipe card for details):
- First, char red bell peppers under the broiler, gas grill or on a gas stove top range (see recipe notes). I like to use the gas stove top when roasting one or two peppers but if I have more, I turn on the broiler. It takes about and about 20 minutes under the broiler, 15-20 minutes on a grill or 10 minutes on a gas range.
- Second, place the peppers in a bowl and cover for about 10 minutes. This will help the charred skin release with ease.
- Third, mash up the chickpeas, and spices together.
- Next, peel the peppers and give em’ a good chop.
- Last, fold the peppers into the chickpea mixture.
PRO TIP: If you need a quick fix, whole roasted red bell peppers are available in a jar. They’re expensive, and not as flavorful as if you roast your own, but I use them in a pinch. Also, bell peppers can be roasted ahead of when needed, at least two days. They freeze beautifully too!
Pro Tips
- Enjoy this scrumptious spread for game day eats, picnics, on crackers, with celery, stuffed in pita bread, or simply on Multigrain Sourdough Bread.
- Spice it Up! Douse with a few shakes of Tabasco, and top with Pickled Banana Peppers for an added kick!
- Prep Ahead: Find whole roasted red bell peppers packed in water (not oil), in jars. Or, roast and peel the red peppers up to two days in advance.
More Vegetarian Sandwiches to Love
- Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Smashed Chickpea Salad with Pecans and Grapes
- Greek Pita Stuffed Sandwiches
- Italian Pressed Sandwich
- Mushroom and Goat Cheese Veggie Paninis
Vegan Smashed Pimento Chickpea Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (280 grams) Chickpeas cooked, drained and rinsed (one can)
- 1 tablespoon Onion minced
- 1/2 Lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Organic Cane Sugar (optional or to taste as mayo brands vary in their sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 3-4 tablespoons Mayonaise I use Just Mayo or Follow Your Heart
- 2 Roasted Red Bell Peppers patted dry and diced small (about 1 cup / 200 grams diced) prepared or roasted at home*
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- Pickled Banana Peppers (optional) for an little kick!
- A few shakes of Tabasco
Instructions
- After draining the chickpeas, put them on a kitchen towel and pat dry. In a large mixing bowl add the chickpeas, onions, lemon, yeast, salt, sugar (optional – but for that authentic flavor!), paprika, and mayo.
- Use a potato masher to rough-mash the mixture until most is smashed but there are still some whole chickpeas left. Stir in the diced roasted bell peppers, add a few grinds of fresh pepper and shakes of Tabasco. Taste for seasoning adjustment.
- Store in a lidded container, in the refrigerator, for up to three days.
- Serving Suggestions: Use this pimento chickpea as a spread on toast, crackers or sandwiches. Use it as a dip with sliced veggies – celery and cucumber are quite tasty.
Best pimento and no cheese I’ve ever had! You need a cookbook! I’d buy it and tell everyone I know to buy it!
Hiii Stasey! Yay!! Thank you for your note and enthusiasm. I appreciate you!
My mouth still waters for pimento cheese although it has been years since I have had it. Traci, I hit the jackpot when I discovered this recipe. It is absolutely delicious and has become a favorite ‘go to’ sandwich. Thank you so much.
Hiii Susan! Oh my gosh, thank you for sending a smile and giving the recipe a try! I grew up on Pimento Cheese, and like you, the flavors are super familiar. SO happy you’re enjoying this version of it!
I forgot to rate the recipe with 5 stars
Hooray! Thank you, Susan :D
My husband has this “What’s for dinner?” thing. With Covid it’s also been “What’s for lunch?” So with a stash of chickpeas and black beans in the pantry, I keep looking for new ideas. This and your dill recipe are “in the rotation”. I grew up in NYC 70+ years ago with an Irish mother. So the only pimiento cheese I knew was that supermarket Kraft inlittle glass jars. But I knew it was something unlike anything Mommy made. :-) Thanks for the recipe and the memories
Hiii Lucida! LOL “what’s for lunch and dinner?!” You grew up on pimento cheese too?! We ate it all the time.. even my dedicated regular pimiento cheese loving Ma approved :D SO happy to hear y’all are enjoying the smash ups!
So so good. Thanks for such a delicious, healthy recipe. Can’t wait to try more.
Hi Susan! Thank you for your note and sending a smile! I love this sammie and so happy you do too!
Hi Traci! I loooove chickpeas and am super excited to try this and your other recipes. Thank you Pinterest for leading me to Traci’s page lol. I do have one friendly consideration…this recipe isn’t vegan with traditional mayo and you don’t suggest an alternative but the recipe is listed as vegan. Can you please update or say there’s a vegan option if you don’t use mayo?
With love and now anticipation to make these recipes lol,
Courtney
Hi Cortney! Thank you for your note and stopping by! I do suggest using Just Mayo (a vegan mayo) on the recipe. But there are several different varieties of mayo, vegan or not, so use what is suitable to your specific dietary needs. My favorites are Vegenaise and Just Mayo. I’m not sure of a different option instead of mayo.. perhaps a cashew based, homemade-type mayo?
Hi- what does the nutritional yeast do in the recipe? I can’t find it and was just wondering what it tasted like?
Hi Alex! Nutritional yeast gives the smash up a cheesy taste without the cheese! It’s sold in some ‘health food’ stores in bulk or Frontier Co-Op sells it as well. I hope this helps.
I just made this and only made half a batch in case I didn’t like it…then stood here to taste it and now half of the bowl is gone. This is amazing!!!!!!!! Thanks for such a great, easy recipe!
Hi Katie! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! Easy and so good, right? Who knew?
A lovely sandwich served on toasted sourdough with some dill pickles and roasted carrots on the side. I also love smashed chickpeas with curry, raisins, plain yogurt, cumin and lettuce on toasted whole grain bread. So many good flavour variations. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hiii Vivian! Thank you so much for your note and giving the recipe a go. Toasted sourdough…… I’m SO with you. I’ve had smashed chickpeas with curry and love it too… perhaps another smashup I need to blog about! Thank you for your tip!
I. CAnt believe how much I love chickpea sandwiches, who’d have thought?
Gorgeous sandwiches all the time and I love those mixes on top of lovely big baked potatoes for,that perfect lazy dinner at end of long day.
That is such a great idea, Pongodhall! On top of baked potatoes? Mmmmmm!
I found a Pimento plant in s nursery once, and bought it and grew pimentos, here in the Northwest! So they are doable, and taste like spicy-hot red peppers, so your recipe as usual is great and spot on. Looking forward to trying it this!
How about that, Greg! The farmer I purchase most of my produce from said the peppers that are flower shaped above, are pimentos (and he showed me in his seed book). But the pimentos Wikapedia speaks of are smaller. The pimentos from the farm taste like the ones in the original pimento cheese of my childhood. But I just don’t know! I hope you enjoy the recipe, never-the-less! :D
In NOLA now but I can’t wait to try this sandwich when I get back. Is it on our local Screaming Banshee bread?
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Lady… I put this on Oystercatcher’s sourdough :D ! A treat indeed! Have a fabulous trip… it’s raining again and I couldn’t be happier!
Hi Traci, what a lovely recipe and the beautiful pictures…Even I don’ t know the original I will give this one a try. Have all ingredients here (yay!), so I can make it tonight. Greetings! Chris
Thank you so much Christine! I hope you like it… it’s unique but those roasted bells win my heart every time! :D