My Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich makes an easy and delicious sandwich, but the chickpea filling is also perfectly suited as a dip or spread. It features cooked chickpeas, tangy pickles, onions, stone ground mustard, and mayo with a bit of pickle juice. Try it with sourdough bread, crackers, tucked into wraps or as a dip with celery, or cucumbers. This reader favorite recipe is ideal for a week-day lunch, light dinners, a weekend picnic or potluck!
You will receive recipes and kitchen tips, along with information about our partners and offerings. For more details, review the Vanilla And Bean privacy policy.
THE Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This was the very first sandwich I blogged about on Vanilla And Bean back in 2015, just one year after I published my first recipe. This smash-up has been loved and made by many, becoming a fast favorite with readers, and made more times than I can count in my own kitchen.
And for good reason! It’s super simple to pull together, economical and can be made with pantry ingredients. The best part is, it only takes about 10 minutes to whip up! I found smashed chickpeas to be so versatile, I also created this Vegan Pimento Smashed Chickpea Salad and these mouthwatering Buffalo Chickpea Salad Wraps. With chickpeas in the pantry, they’re a blank canvas for so many flavors!
This Recipe Is
- the most made chickpea recipe in my kitchen
- reminicent of Deviled Egg Salad, yet plant based
- tangy, filling and make ahead ready
If you love homemade veggie sandwiches, you’ll enjoy this simple yet flavor packed recipe.
“Excellent recipe, goes over well with all crowds. Can be jazzed up or left as is, awesome fiber and protein source to have in fridge and snack with chips or as a full meal sandwich. Have not served this to a person who didn’t enjoy!”
Hannah
__________________________
How to Make Smashed Chickpea Salad
step by step
I tested this recipe in a food processor and also simply smashing the chickpeas. The food processor breaks the chickpeas down too far and also creates a different texture. I prefer the softer/chunky texture when made with a fork or mini masher, plus there’s no food processor to clean.
Add an Egg: a chopped hard boiled egg is a delicious addition to this salad. Follow my Steamed Hard Boiled Eggs recipe (for a fuss free egg peel), dice then stir into the salad. Adjust salt and pepper to taste – and a bit more mayo.
Traci’s Tips
- Home Cooked: for even better flavor and texture, try cooking your chickpeas from scratch!
- Chill It: this recipe improves with a little time in the fridge, so if you can, make it ahead and let it marry.
- More Creamy Please: if you prefer a creamier smashed chickpea salad sandwich, add an additional tablespoons of mayo.
- Make it Vegan: you can use your favorite mayo in this recipe, but to make it egg free and vegan, I use Vegenaise.
10 Minute Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 (425 grams) Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed (aka Garbanzo) or use 1 3/4 cup home cooked chickpeas
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (55 grams) Dill Pickles, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (35 grams) Purple Onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 an onion
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) Mayonnaise, I use Vegenaise
- 2 1/2 teaspoon Stone Ground Mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar, or pickle juice
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Dill , fresh-chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Turmeric, optional for color
- 8-10 Grinds of Fresh Black Pepper
For the Sandwich (options):
- Multigrain Sourdough Sandwich Bread, or bread of choice
- Sprouts, Leafy Greens (like Kale, Arugula, Romaine), Shredded Carrots
Instructions
- Using a potato masher or fork, rough-mash the chickpeas until most is smashed but there are still some whole chickpeas left. Add the pickles, onion, mayo, mustard, vinegar or pickle juice, salt, dill, optional turmeric and black pepper. Mix well. Taste for seasoning adjustment, adding an additional tablespoon of mayo for a creamier texture.
- Store in a covered container for up to three days. Delicious alone or piled high on multigrain with accompanying veggies.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.
Hi Traci! I’m a new subscriber to your blog and I’m so happy to have found it! I’m in the process of converting to a mainly vegan/vegetarian diet (with some occasional dairy and fish as a rare treat :)
In an effort to prepare a quick lunch and use up a lonely tin of chick peas in the cupboard I typed ‘chick pea’ into your search engine and voila! YUM!
In an effort to curb my food/grocery spending habits I used what I had in the fridge and cupboard so added some freshly chopped parsley instead of dill and some chopped green olives and capers instead of the pickles :)
Teamed it with yeast free Spelt flour bread and some chopped lettuce. Sooo yummy, wholesome and really filling!
Thanks so much again for the recipe and keep up the great work with this beautiful blog :)
Obsessed. I eat this often, perfect with sweet potato fries!
Hooray!! Thank you, Dawn! And oh, I’ll have to give it a go with SPF!! :D
OMG!!! this recipe is amazing got everyone hooked ! This will be a staple from now on in my house :)
Hehe… Hi Simone. It’s a favorite for sure around here! Thank you my dear, and I hope you enjoy it! :D
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I made it following the recipe then tasted it… I HAD to make a double batch. I also made it to have for dinner later tonight and I’m not sure I will be able to wait. This will now be a regular meal in our house!
Thank you for posting an incredible vegan recipe!!!
YUM!
Hooray! So happy to hear this Kerry and thank you for sharing your success! Good thing it whips up fast and easy… another batch is always just a bit of work away! :D
Whipped this up while I should have been getting ready for work ! OMG awesome stuff, I did not have vegenaise so just mashed some avo into mix instead. So good will definately be making this again and again !!!! You could also take down a little smoother and use as dip for veggies or crackers. Oppsy better go get ready for work ;)
Oooh, the avo sounds fabulous, Kaz! And using it as a dip for veggies or crackers is a delicious idea! Thank you for sharing Kaz! :D
Awesome! I’ve been missing tuna mayo sandwich ever since I’m a vegetarian. This alternative is so perfectly matching my craving!
I had to adapt a bit : Used white beans because I had no chickpeas on hand. I also added some capers and replaced vinegar with lemon juice. I just thought : what would I want in a tuna sandwich, and it turned out great.
I’ll post the adapted recipe on my blog with a link to you :)
Oh this is so good to hear, Fleanette! Would love to see your version on your blog! Please let me know, and thank you for sharing your modifications! So happy you enjoyed it! :D
This was incredible. It’s no doubt a new staple in our diet. Tangy, crunchy, smooth … all in one bite. Thank you for sharing this.
Woot woot! Thank you for sharing, Ron! So happy to hear! :D
This was really great! It’s like a dub on egg salad. I used to love egg salad before I became vegan, and now I have this. It’s really amazing.
Even if you don’t like creamy things like me, you can add less mayo and it’ll still be great.
I added some dill pickle juice, too! lol
Overall, this is so great and really easy :)
Thanks so much for sharing, Gwynneth! Day made! Great tip on the pickle juice :D !
…..I have no words other than THANK YOU for posting this!!!!!! How awesome to find a yummy and easy/quick lunch to make for the week; you really hit the nail on the head with this. It reminds me of my childhood, except it tastes BETTER than any chicken salad I have ever had. My husband and I have recently started a vegan lifestyle and finding recipes/ideas like this make the transition oh so easy. I have even shared this with my not-so-healthy mother in hopes she sees how easy it is to make comfort foods healthy :) Thank you so much again!! <3<3<3
You are most welcome Kristin! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! And yes, childhood. I get it. :D
As a fellow weed puller, thank you! I sometimes think my neighbors must think we are a little loopy out there pulling our weeds by hand, no chemicals. But it is so worth it! I wish more people would see how easy it is to not use the chemicals… But the lure of a perfect garden and lawn is powerful in this country. A waste of time and so, so bad. Off the soapbox, I have to say, I really love the look of that sandwich! Might just be lunch today, after an hour or so of weeding :)