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!
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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
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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.
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This recipe is amazing, I came across it last week and made a batch last night, I’m already using the leftovers as a dip so delicious and filling. Easily a new staple recipe.
Hey Cheyenne! Thank you for your note! Hooray for an easy new staple recipe… SO happy you’re enjoying this! :D
Wow! I can’t believe how tasty my sandwich was! The turmeric gives it that extra flavor. I would have never thought to use turmeric outside of my curries. Along with the chickpea mixture, I also topped my sandwich off with avocados, carrots, and mushrooms. I will definitely keep this in my lunchtime rotations!
Hooray Ang! Thank you for sharing your additions and your kind comment. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipe! Who knew – turmeric! Yay!
Saw this recipe on Pinterest last night about midnight. Got up this morning, got the ingredients together, made is and had half a sandwich for breakfast with a cup of coffee. I loved it. I am a new plant based eater and this recipe will help me stick to it. I cannot wait to try more of your recipes. I am am happy today.
Good Morning Jan! Thank you for your note.. I’m SO happy you enjoyed the recipe.. this one is a favorite around here! I think it tends to get better with an overnight rest too! :D
I have made this twice now and I am in love with it! I can’t get enough! Even the nurses at work have fallen in love with it and I had to send them all the recipe. Thank you so much!
Day made, Emilie! Thank you so much for sharing and enjoying this delicious recipe! :D
I, too, have made this recipe again and as per your instructions, let it set in the fridge overnight. I still enjoyed it as much as the first. This time I added a little celery. Liked the added crunch. Thanks again for the delightful recipe.
This is wonderful! I try to eat vegan as much possible and was really missing egg salad! This such a great substitute. Made 8 sandwiches for a float trip yesterday and they were a hit. Thanks for sharing this!
Perfect for a Spring float trip! Hooray! So happy to hear Sharon and what fun! This sandwich is one of my favorites to take to the great outdoors with me! SO happy everyone enjoyed it! :D
Just whipped up a batch of this for dinner. So delicious! So easy! As a long time vegetarian, I am always looking for new and tasty things and this one definitely makes the list. Thank you!
Hooray! Thank you for your note Laura. So happy you enjoyed it! :D
I just tried this recipe tonight and it is amazingly good! I added some pickle juice for good measure. Thanks so much!
Oooh I like the pickle juice! So happy you enjoyed it ij. Thank you for sharing.
Let me just say this I had to come home to make this chickpea salad, I will tell you this while I take a huge breath AMAZING . You keep the great food ideas coming. My new go to food.
Hey Tracy! Your note totally cracked me up! LOL! I’m so happy you’re enjoying it… I love it too! Thank you for sharing and trying out the recipes!
Just had to comment because this chickpea salad is SO GOOD! I saw it on Pinterest and thought I’d give it a try for dinner tonight, and wow. Having been a vegetarian since I was a kid I can tell you this chickpea filling ranks among some of the best sandwiches I’ve had! :)
That said, the chickpeas didn’t make it on to bread as I shovelled it in with cucumber slices and potato chips…
Hahahaaa! I cracked up reading this, Kirsti! OMG… I completely get it! SO good… And with potato chips? Now I GOTTA try that! Kettle with black pepper would be over the top! LOL! :D
In a great attempt to be vegan, I skipped the typical tuna salad, grabbed some garbanzo beans and followed this recipe. Boy am I glad I did. Took about 10 minutes and its delicious. Thank you for this recipe! Will be making it again.
Surprising, yeah? I hear you Maryam! So happy you tried it and will be making it again! We love it too! :D
My husband and I are trying to eat meatless Monday-Friday, but our biggest hindrance is lunch meat sine it is so quick and easy to pack a sandwich. We made this today during weekly meal prep (using pressure cooker chickpeas instead of canned). THIS RECIPE IS DELICIOUS! It might just be the solution we need to adhere to our diet! Thank you for the awesome recipe! (Note: I omitted onion due to my husband’s preference and added a few shakes of Tabasco to kick it up a notch!)