Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Fresh Veggies and Herbs

This simple chickpea salad sandwich turns a humble can of chickpeas into a protein-packed vegan sandwich recipe everyone will love. With no mayo and a zippy Dijon Vinaigrette, this healthy lunch or dinner is herbaceous, rich in texture, and loaded with Mediterranean flavors!

I believe that to make a salad you actually want to eat you can’t be shy: you need a bold amount of color, freshness, and texture. This chickpea salad sandwich is no different! I would happily eat the delicious filling by the spoonful, but tucked between freshly toasted whole grain bread this vegan chickpea salad is a downright treat. 

I like to mash the chickpeas so they get a bit creamy and hold together nicely. Then I load them with my usual suspects: fresh veggies for crunch, parsley and mint for freshness, and olives and green onions for depth of flavor. 

The creamy-meets-crunchy filling is similar to a classic egg salad sandwich–though there are no eggs involved. And a zippy Dijon Vinaigrette replaces the mayo for a lighter and more flavorful approach. 

The best part: you can prep the sandwich ahead and enjoy it for lunches throughout the week. Or wrap everything up to bring to work or a vegan picnic when the sun is shining!

Chickpea Salad Sandwich Ingredients and Substitutions

This vegan sandwich recipe uses pantry staples. A humble sandwich with bold flavor, what’s not to like? You’ll need:

• Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas but you can boil them yourself from dry if you prefer–see How to Cook Chickpeas for 3 easy methods. A 15-ounce usually has about 1 ¾ cups of cooked chickpeas, which is about ¾ cup of dried chickpeas. 
• Celery, carrot, and cucumber adds a welcome crunch and freshness. I prefer Persian cucumbers as they have sweet and tender skin. If using standard slicing cucumbers, peel off the waxy skin before chopping them.
• Radishes add a peppery kick and a nice crunch.
• Green onions add a sweet and savory depth of flavor. Yellow or white onions would be too strong but you can substitute with chives, red onion, or shallots. 
• Olives add a tangy, briney flavor for balance. I like the combination of bold Kalamata and buttery Castelvetrano, but you can use whichever olives you prefer or substitute with pickles or capers. 
• Parsley and mint are very important, don’t skip them! They bring so much flavor and freshness. You can use other tender herbs if you prefer, like dill, basil, or cilantro. 
• Dijon Vinaigrette is peppery and tart, the perfect match for the rich chickpeas. To make it, you’ll need Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Bread: I like the wholesome flavor of seeded whole-grain bread for this chickpea salad sandwich, but you can use whichever type of sandwich bread or gluten-free bread you like.

How to Make a Protein-Packed Vegan Sandwich

This chickpea salad sandwich is one of the simplest chickpea recipes out there: just mix, dress, and stuff! Here’s the step-by-step:

• Make the Dijon Vinaigrette. Finely chop a small shallot and add to a mixing bowl (1 tablespoon or so of chopped shallot.) Add ¼ cup Champagne vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and a splash of water to help with the emulsion. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper (about ½ teaspoon each) and whisk to combine. Continue whisking as you drizzle in ½ cup olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking and set aside.
• Mash the chickpeas. Drain and rinse 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas. Add to a large mixing bowl and lightly mash with the back of a fork until they’re still chunky but a bit more pasty. This will help the mixture stay together. 
• Chop the veggies, adding to the bowl as you go. Chop one celery stick, 1 Persian cucumber, and 4 radishes. Peel and chop 1 carrot. Trim and chop 2 green onions (both white and green parts.) Chop ¼ cup each of pitted Kalamata and Castelvetrano olives. Chop enough fresh parsley leaves to give you 1 cup, and enough fresh mint leaves for ¼ cup. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper and toss gently to combine. 
• Dress. Add as much of the dressing as you like, making sure you coat all the chickpeas and veggies well. Toss to combine. 
• Toast the bread. For 4 sandwiches, toast 8 slices of bread until golden.
• Serve. Spoon the chickpea mixture over 4 of the toasted bread slices and top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Enjoy!

Ways to Mix it Up

This chickpea salad sandwich is easy to tweak and adapt based on your mood and what you have. If you have other fresh veggies on hand, like bell peppers, avocado or arugula, feel free to throw them in the mix. Here are some more ideas to play with the flavors of this recipe:

• Add cheese: Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the bread for more tangy-creamy flavor. Or add crumbled feta to the mix. And if you love that, try this Veggie Sandwich with Whipped Feta and Pepperoncini next.
• Add pickles: Add an extra tang with quick pickled red onions, pickled cucumbers, or even finely chopped preserved lemons.
• Make it spicy: Add a thin layer of harissa to the bread–you can make homemade harissa or order my favorite online at our shop.
• Make it gluten-free: You can, of course, swap in your favorite gluten-free bread. But I also love to skip the bread altogether and pull apart endive to make perfectly crisp cups for filling. Or serve on a bed of lettuce.

What to Serve with this Vegan Sandwich Recipe

I love to keep this chickpea salad sandwich’s vegan picnic vibes. Give the classic packed lunch a Mediterranean twist with a side of fresh green grapes, pita chips, pickled turnips, and glasses of iced Karkade (Hibiscus Tea).

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