I’m always looking for new and interesting lunch options, particularly ones that I can make a big batch of and enjoy for several afternoons or freeze to use later. This recipe for a vegan chickpea salad sandwich (replacing a tuna or chicken salad sandwich) fits that description nicely. The sandwich is healthy and filling, and isn’t hard to make. This recipe makes about 4 sandwiches worth of salad (or 3 very hearty sandwiches). Add your favorite vegetables to the sandwich and a drizzle of dressing, and you have a filling lunch to sustain you for the rest of the afternoon.
The dressing’s bright lime flavor adds a distinctive and different flavor to the traditional “chickpea salad” dressings, which are often mayonnaise based. I wanted to try adding some citrus, and felt that lime went particularly well with the parsley and dill flavors. You can find a bunch of adjustments on the dressing’s recipe page here. There are suggestions on how to make the salad dressing thicker, substitute out a number of the ingredients, or make it SOS-Free.
The lime herb salad dressing recipe makes about 1 cup of dressing, so you will have the right amount to add to the salad mixture and drizzle additional in your sandwiches.
Citrus Herbed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
Chickpea Salad
- 15 oz chickpeas Canned or cooked from dry
- 1 cup celery
- 1/3 cup green onion
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 1/4 cup jalapeno Diced. Optional
- 1/4 cup Sunflower seeds Optional
- 1/4 cup grapes and/or raisins Optional
- 1/2 cup Lime and herb dressing
Optional sandwich ingredients
- 2 slices whole grain bread
- 1/3 cup mixed greens
- tomatoes, avocado, pickles Optional
- 2 Tbsp Lime and herb dressing Drizzled or spread
Instructions
- Finely dice the celery, green onions, red onion and add add these ingredients along with the chickpeas to a food processor and
- Pulse until well combined (see photograph). If you decide to add the optional ingredients, I recommend slicing the grapes in half and stirring in by hand. If not using a food processor, mash the chickpeas and then stir in the other ingredients by hand.
- Add the 1/2 cup of lime herbed dressing to the mixture, and stir by hand to combine.
- Assemble your sandwich. Toast your bread if desired, and add 1/4 of the mixture to your sandwich. Layer the greens and other toppings, and drizzle a bit of additional dressing on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Using a food processor to make the salad recipe
We used a 14 cup food processor to make this salad recipe. You do not need a food processor – you can mash the chickpeas with a muddler or potato masher if you prefer, and then mix in the remaining ingredients. A food processor is very quick and easy though. You simply add all of the ingredients to the bucket:
Then pulse the blender until you reach approximately this consistency (or whichever you prefer).
After processing, I add the dressing and stir well to combine.
Other uses of chickpea salad
You don’t need to use this in a sandwich. You can also make this recipe for:
- Spreading on crackers
- Adding to a buddah bowl, such as one with grains, vegetables, and greens. Add more dressing to the entire bowl!
- Wraps, including kale wrap
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Shannon
Made this tonight as a newbie to WFPB eating. This may be one of my favorite things I’ve ever eaten. For starters, the dressing is to die for. I will be putting it on everything. Very easy to prepare. I prepared twice the veggies, saving the rest to make it again soon. Like, day after tomorrow soon maybe.
Mary K Engle
I am new to eating plant based – this is the first recipe I used from a vegan website. This was just fabulous! Thank you!
Jen @ Plant Based Recipe
Hi Mary! Thank you and welcome to eating plant based! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!