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!
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.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
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I am currently pregnant and am stuck in a bit of a lunch rut. Deli-meats are off limits, and I was getting really tired of cheese and crackers (still trying to get in a lot of protein). Then I came across this recipe, this sandwich is a delicious meat alternative! The only change I made is that I don’t care for dill (too strong a flavor for me), but I did use dill pickle relish. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Served on toasted wheat bread with tomatoes and cucumbers. I only docked one star because it makes a little bit of a messy sandwich, I may try it in pita or a wrap next time. You made this mama to be very happy!
Thank you for your note, Anna! So happy to hear you’re enjoying this easy recipe!
Very very delicious. It was quite spicy however with the added turmeric I assume. By far the best recipe out there. Absolutely delicious!
Thank you for your note, Sebastian! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe!
Just made the recipe again and realized it was actually the onions that made it spicy. Maybe I’ll try a different onion haha
Ohhh the red onions *can be spicy. You could soak the red/purple in water to take a little of the bite away. Finely chopped green onion or chives would be nice and offer a milder flavor. So happy to see you’re enjoying the recipe Sebastian! Thank you for the 5 stars!
I add roasted pine nuts, green peas, sweet peppers and a chopped egg. This rarely makes it till the end of the day it’s so delicious 😋
Oooh! Love that flavah bomb Stacie! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! I can see why it doesn’t last… time to make another batch! :D
This was good. I had to saute the onion because raw onion is not my friend, and left out the avc and turmeric. Plenty tangy. I think I may add some shredded lettuce next time to lighten it up a bit. Thank you. I needed a recipe for chickpeas.
Wonderful recipe. Thanks
You got it Omar! Thank you for your note!
I would give this 10 stars if I could! Every year we make fresh tuna salad at Cape Hatteras and I was wondering what in the world we would do this year….Enter this sandwich which is just crazy good and we have already served to friends who are not vegetarian or vegan and they both wanted the recipe. Winner!
Cape Hatteras!!! Ohhhhh it’s been years since I beamed at the Hatteras light.. what a treasure! Thank you Margaret for coming back and leaving a note, for making and sharing the recipe. Isn’t it SO easy and tasty? Now you know what you’ll make at Hatteras! Hooray!
This is delicious! I’ve been trying to find a good chickpea smash salad and yours was the first I came acroos. I’ve made it and no longer need to search for another option. Definitely a hit in my house!
Hi Marta! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a note! So happy to hear your enjoying the recipe. Hooray! I love it too :) !
I’ve tried several chickpea salad recipes, and this is the best! I thought surely I won’t need that apple cider vinegar because the homemade cashew-based mayo I make has ACV and lemon juice, too, but it did need it! The only change I made was to try black salt in addition to the tumeric to give it a little of that tuna salad sort of taste. It was great tonight when I tested it, so if it’s better tomorrow, I can’t wait for my lunch. I’m going to a family cookie-baking day.
Since I’m the only vegan, I’m packing my own lunch. After reading some of the comments above, I toasted sunflower seeds to sprinkle on top as I make up the sandwich. Like one of your other readers, I’ll be eating mine on Ezekial bread. Thanks so much!
Hi Linda! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe… I find this recipe resonates with so many types of eating preferences! I’d like to give your cashew based mayo a go! It sounds delightful!
Amazing! I absolutely love this!!! 😋😍
Thank you Stacy!
Delicious! I subbed a couple tablespoons of yogurt for the vegan mayonnaise since I didn’t have any on hand. We all enjoyed dinner (open-faced on bread toasted with butter, on crackers, and just by itself). Can’t wait to enjoy it for lunch tomorrow. Next time I will add a splash of hot sauce. Thanks so much for an awesome addition to our weeknight menu.
Hello Preeti! Thank you for your note and sharing your yogurt sub Sounds delicious. I think the hot sauce sounds fabulous!