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!
Dijon Vinaigrette Makes This Chickpea Sandwich Sing!
Like most things, I have to add my distinctly Mediterranean vibe to this chickpea salad sandwich recipe.
I load it up with fresh herbs like mint and parsley, two kinds of olives: buttery Castelvetrano and Kalamata, and a zippy Dijon vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil! It’s tangy, has a little kick, and I use it to replace the mayo often used in salad sandwich recipes for a lighter, more flavorful, never-dry sandwich filling. No mayo needed for this recipe!
I 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 and green onions for depth of flavor. I would happily eat the delicious chickpea salad sandwich filling by the spoonful, but tucked between freshly toasted whole-grain bread, this vegan chickpea salad is a downright treat.
The best part: like many Mediterranean chickpea recipes, you can prep ahead and enjoy for lunches throughout the week.
Why I Like This Recipe
- My Dijon vinaigrette, olive, and fresh herbs give this chickpea salad sandwich a distinctly Mediterranean vibe.
- Mayo just isn’t necessary. The vinaigrette and the smashed chickpeas keep this sandwich filling creamy without compromising the crunch from the veggies.
- It only takes 15 minutes to make, perfect for lunches or meal prep. Make it on Sunday and eat it all week.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich Ingredients
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 can usually has about 1 3/4 cups of cooked chickpeas, which is about 3/4 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.
Smashed Chickpea Sandwich Tip
You can certainly keep all the chickpeas whole for this recipe, but I like to use the back of my fork to smash about half the chickpeas before mixing them with the other ingredients.
It creates a creamier, more cohesive filling that sticks to the toasted bread and absorbs all the delicious flavors from the vinaigrette.
The creamy filling is a perfect contrast to the toasted bread.
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 1/4 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 1/2 teaspoon each) and whisk to combine. Continue whisking as you drizzle in 1/2 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 1/4 cup each of pitted Kalamata and Castelvetrano olives. Chop enough fresh parsley leaves to give you 1 cup, and enough fresh mint leaves for 1/4 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.
- Add chicken: Take a page from my Chicken and Chickpea Salad with shredded poached chicken (rotisserie works).
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 or go for a soup, sandwich and salad setup:
- Greek red lentil soup
- cucumber salad
- hummus with pita chips
- glasses of iced Karkade (Hibiscus Tea)
Yes! And specifically Mediterranean Diet friendly. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are high in plant-based protein and fiber. Using Dijon vinaigrette made with EVOO means this sandwich is lower in saturated fat than other recipes. Fresh herbs, olives, and vegetables add micronutrients and antioxidants. It’s one of my genuinely favorite noursighing lunches.
Dijon vinaigrette with Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, shallot, and high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Bright and peppery it cuts through the richness of the chickpeas without heaviness.
Yes! It’s even better the next day. Chickpeas absorb the vinaigrette. Just store in an airtight container in the fridge.
A smashed chickpea sandwich uses slightly smashed chickpeas for a creamier filling that clings to the bread. Use the back of a fork to roughly smash the chickpeas to your liking.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Fresh Veggies and Herbs
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Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 Persian cucumber, chopped
- 4 radishes, chopped
- 2 green onions, trimmed and chopped (both white and green parts)
- 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/4 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, chopped
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe (see note)
- 8 slices whole grain bread, toasted
Instructions
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Mix. Add the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl and lightly mash them with the back of a fork. To the bowl, add the celery, carrot, cucumber, radish, green onion, olives, parsley, and mint. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper and toss gently to combine.
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Dress. Add as much of the dressing as you like, making sure you coat all the chickpeas and veggies well. Toss to combine.
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Serve. Spoon the chickpea mixture over 4 of the toasted bread slices and top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I typically use the whole 3/4 cup of vinaigrette but you can start with half the amount and go from there. Save any remaining vinaigrette in the fridge for up to two weeks. Simply give it a shake or whisk before using. If the oil has separated and hardened, use whisk to incorporate it (it may just take a few minutes to warm up).
- To meal prep this sandwich: Store the dressing and chickpea mixture in separate containers in your fridge, then dress/toast only the amount you want. The chickpea mixture will keep for up to 3 days.
- Nutritional info does not include the Dijon Vinaigrette.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
The Mediterranean Diet Starter Kit
The vibrant pantry essentials you need to start cooking the Mediterranean way.
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