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If you’re looking for an easy and affordable lunch idea, this chickpea salad is perfect for you. It’s loaded with plant-based protein and takes just a few minutes to assemble.
Instead of using mayo, this hearty sandwich filling is made with creamy avocado. (Don’t worry, it’s not noticeable.) Paired with crunchy celery, red onion, and fresh dill, it tastes like classic egg salad, but this version is vegan-friendly.
Stuff it into sandwiches and wraps, or pile it onto a crunchy cracker or rice cake. You’ll want to eat this again and again after you taste it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“I keep coming back to this recipe over and over…so good!” – Linda
Chickpea Salad Ingredients
- Chickpeas. Using canned chickpeas for this recipe makes it as quick and easy as possible. Be sure to rinse and drain them well before using.
- Avocado. A ripe avocado provides a creamy base instead of using mayonnaise.
- Veggies. Diced celery and red onion add the perfect amount of crunch.
- Lemon Juice. Adds a tangy, refreshing flavor.
- Mustard. This adds even more depth of flavor, so it tastes like classic egg salad.
- Fresh Dill. Freshly chopped herbs make this recipe really stand out, but a pinch of dried dill can be used as a substitute if needed.
How to Make a Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Step 1:
In a large mixing bowl, add the avocado, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Use a fork to mash them together, almost like you’re making guacamole.
Step 2:
Rinse and drain the can of chickpeas, then add them to the bowl along with the diced onion, celery, and fresh dill. Use the fork again to mix well, mashing some of the chickpeas as you go.
The texture of this chickpea salad is up to you, so mash as much or as little as you like. If you prefer more of a mashed salad, use a potato masher to help.
Step 3:
Taste the chickpea mixture and adjust any seasoning to your liking, adding a pinch of salt or black pepper if needed. For added sweetness, you can add up to a teaspoon of maple syrup or the juice from a jar of bread & butter pickles.
Serve this chickpea salad just like you would tuna salad or chicken salad. It’s the perfect filling for lettuce wraps or between slices of whole-grain bread. (This recipe is gluten-free when you use gluten-free bread.) Add sliced tomatoes, red onion, or any other veggies you love.
Storage Tips
Store leftover chickpea salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The avocado will start to turn brown over time unless you add extra lemon juice, so keep that in mind if you want to make this as part of your meal prep routine.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
Chickpea Avocado Salad
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
- 1 ripe avocado , pitted
- 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 celery ribs , diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced dill (optional)
Sandwich Assembly
- sliced bread
- sliced red onion
- sliced tomatoes
- lettuce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the avocado flesh, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to mash it together, until creamy.
- Add in the drained chickpeas, red onion, celery, and fresh dill. Stir well, mashing some of the chickpeas as you go, until it reaches your desired texture. Taste the chickpea filling and adjust any seasoning to taste.
- Serve the chickpea salad right away as a sandwich filling or in a lettuce wrap. For a sandwich, serve it on whole-grain bread with sliced tomatoes, red onion, and lettuce, or use any toppings you have on hand. It tastes remarkably like an egg salad sandwich.
- Leftover chickpea salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It will brown slightly over time, because of the avocado, but it still tastes good!
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Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this simple chickpea salad sandwich recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
I love this recipe! I don’t always like the flavor of spiced brown mustard, so I opted for 1 tsp of spiced brown mustard and 1 tsp of vegenaise and it came out great! Just the right hint of mustard and sweetness from the vegenaise!
And would totally agree, this sandwich is perfect substitute to either an egg salad sandwich or tuna sandwich. Thanks for this great vegan version!
Delish! I mashed most of the chickpeas, added capers and served it over spring mix and quinoa. I have some leftover vegan cheese sauce from your quesadilla recipe so I put a few dollops of that on top. Yum!
I love that your recipes are so simple.
Thanks so much!
OMG! This is so good!!!
Delicious. You use a lot of red onion in your recipes,which I don’t like. Do you have a suggestion for a substitute or just to omit from recipes?
Green onion is much more mild and less noticeable in texture, if you’d like to try that.
This recipe is easy to make and tastes delicious! It’s a family favorite in our house!
I’m excited to try this! I don’t eat eggs anymore and I really miss egg salad sandwiches.
Have you made it with mayo instead of avocado? My avocados aren’t ripe yet. Just curious
Delicious! Loved the dill pickle in it 🙂
Delicious! I think the pickle and dill is essential! Yummm 😋
This was so good! I added some cracker black pepper and half a teaspoon of garlic powder and a pinch of cayenne. I also used a teaspoon of dried dill since I didn’t have fresh. I will definitely be saving this recipe and making again in the future