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two chickpea salad sandwich halves on a plate with potato chips and cornichons.
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Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 5 to 6 sandwiches
Calories: 435.8kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • ½ heaping cup (90g) red onion, roughly chopped (about ½ small onion)
  • ½ heaping cup (90g) celery, roughly chopped (optional, see Note 1)
  • ½ cup (15g) fresh dill, tightly packed (no tough stems)
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) capers, drained
  • 2 (15-ounce / 425g) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons (36g) dill pickle relish (or 2 dill pickles, roughly chopped)
  • 1 fat clove garlic, minced, grated, or crushed with a press
  • 1 small lemon, zested and juiced (see Note 2)
  • ⅓ to ½ cup (75 to 112g) vegan mayo (see Note 3)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or whole grain mustard)
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For serving

  • 10 to 12 slices sandwich bread (see Note 4)
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, halved (if toasting bread)
  • A few pats vegan butter (optional, if toasting bread)
  • Sandwich fixings of choice (e.g., crisp lettuce, sliced tomatoes / cucumbers, pickles, etc.)

Instructions

  • In your food processor bowl (see Note 5), combine the onion, celery if using, dill, and capers. Pulse repeatedly (don’t continuously blend) until the ingredients are finely chopped.
  • Add in the chickpeas and pulse again until chickpeas are crumbled into small pieces but not pureed. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
  • To the chickpea mixture, fold in the dill pickle relish, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice, mustard, black pepper to taste, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and mayo (½ cup / 112g mayo for a creamier, richer mouthfeel; ⅓ cup / 75g for a lighter vibe).
  • Mix everything well with a spatula until well-combined and creamy. Taste, adding more lemon juice, mustard, salt, or pepper as desired.
  • For toasted sandwiches (my preference): Lightly toast each slice of bread using a toaster, toaster oven, broiler, or a frying pan. While still warm, rub each slice of bread with the cut side of a halved garlic clove. If desired, spread a thin layer of vegan butter on one slice of bread.
  • Assemble the sandwiches: Scoop a generous amount of chickpea salad onto each slice of bread. Top with sandwich fixings and sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper (if desired, lightly drizzle the veggie toppings with extra virgin olive oil). Top with the remaining slice of bread and slice in half, or serve as open-faced sandwiches).

Notes

  1. If you don't love celery, feel free to omit it or replace it with the same amount of cucumber or red bell pepper. Or if you don’t have fresh celery, you can replace it with ½ to 1 teaspoon of celery seeds.
  2. The lemon zest adds a bright lemony flavor. If you don't want that, feel free to omit it or add just half of the zest, then taste and add more as desired.
  3. Use ½ cup / 112g mayo for a creamier, richer mouthfeel; ⅓ cup / 75g for a lighter vibe. Our favorite vegan mayo brands are Just Mayo and Follow Your Heart Vegenaise; we also like Sir Kensington's vegan mayo. If you need a mayo-free alternative, replace the mayo with: 1/4 cup (56g) well-stirred tahini, 4 oz (112g) creamy coconut yogurt, and 1 TBSP (14g) extra virgin olive oil.
  4. This makes 5 to 6 sandwiches using standard sandwich bread. If you are using bakery-style bread, you’ll likely get 4 larger sandwiches.
  5. If you don't want to use your food processor: (1) finely chop the onion, celery, dill, and capers; (2) mash the chickpeas in a large bowl with a sturdy fork or potato masher until chunky; (3) mix in the chopped veggies/herbs and the dressing ingredients.