This easy vegan chickpea salad sandwich is one of the best sandwiches that you will ever eat!  Made with mashed chickpeas and a few simple ingredients, you’ll have a sandwich that everyone will love in just a few minutes of your time.

A vegan chickpea salad sandwich with lettuce and tomato cut in half and stacked on top of eachother.

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I was a little skeptical when I first tried this faux chicken salad sandwich, but after one bite, I was sold! This is a must-make sandwich for all vegetarians and vegans!

Since vegan sandwich meat is so expensive, and my boys needed a protein-rich lunch, this was probably the sandwich that I made most for them over the years of school.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s quick and easy to make in about 5 minutes.
  • This is filled with protein-packed chickpeas.
  • It’s an inexpensive meal the whole family will love.
  • This recipe is great for packed lunches and picnics.
  • It’s versatile with so many options, you will never get bored!

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Chickpeas – for the “meat” of your sandwich. A can of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed, or about 1 1/2 cups cooked from dry beans.
  • Vegan Mayo – to make it creamy.  I use my homemade vegan mayo, but you can use any kind.  (You can swap out the mayo for mashed avocado for an oil-free option.)  You can also use vegan sour cream or even vegan yogurt for healthier options. Sometimes I swap out the mayo with vegan garlic aioli or vegan chipotle mayo for more flavor.
  • Celery – chopped up small for a little added crunch. (optional)
  • Dill Pickles – for flavor.  Chopped into very small pieces.  You can also use relish if you want to save a little time. (Pickles are optional, but highly recommended.)
  • Pickle Juice – to mash in with the chickpeas and give it more flavor. (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper– for flavor.
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor, or you can swap this with onion powder.
  • Optional Ingredients – for more flavor, feel free to add finely diced red onion, Dijon mustard, avocado, or fresh dill.

How to make chickpea salad sandwiches

  1. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then pour them into a bowl.
  2. Mash them with the back of a fork or a potato masher until almost all of them are crushed.
  3. Add vegan mayonnaise, celery, pickles, pickle juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  4. Stir it all up until it’s all mixed. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to assemble your sandwiches. Add about 1/2 cup of the chickpea mixture spread between 2 slices of bread and top with tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce if desired.
A collage of 4 pictures showing the process of mashing chickpeas and adding the ingredients to make chickpea salad to make into sandwiches.

Serve on bread, toast, or crackers, or in a wrap, and top with your favorite sandwich fixings like lettuce, tomato, or additional pickles. (Use gluten-free bread for a gluten-free sandwich.)

Tip: If you don’t want to do the work to mash the chickpeas, you can toss them into a food processor and pulse them a few times.  Don’t blend though, or you will get a hummus consistency.

Variations

On Toast – my favorite way to eat this is on toast.  It’s surprisingly similar to tuna on toast.

Grilled – You can butter the outsides of your bread and grill the sandwich to golden perfection in a frying pan.  It’s especially delicious with some vegan mozzarella cheese.

Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich – replace the mayo with vegan buffalo sauce and omit the pickles.  Add additional hot sauce to make it extra spicy!  It’s delicious with some vegan ranch dressing drizzled over top!

Lettuce Wraps – if you are keeping it low carb or you’re gluten-free, serving it on large Romaine lettuce leaves is fresh and delicious!

Veggie Packed – you can add any finely chopped vegetables or herbs that you would like to this salad.  Chopped dill, parsley, or green onions are tasty.  You can also add finely diced carrots, bell peppers, or even grapes or craisins.  Go crazy and make it your own!

Curried – make flavorful curry chickpea salad by adding 2-3 tsp of yellow curry powder to your mixture and swapping out the pickles for raisins, and the pickle juice for lemon juice.  These simple substitutions transform this sandwich into a flavorful alternative that will never leave you bored!

A chickpea salad sandwich on a white plate with a red and white towel behind it.

How to store chickpea salad

When my kids are in school, I make a big batch of this on Sunday nights and use it to make sandwiches for 3-5 days. (The flavors blend well after it sits for a few hours in the fridge, and I think that it tastes even better the next day.)  Don’t use it after 5 days in the fridge.

More vegan sandwiches

Many people make chickpea salad sandwiches as a plant-based alternative to tuna salad or egg salad, but it’s kind of its own thing. 

If you are looking for a sandwich that tastes amazingly similar to tuna, try my vegan tuna salad.  If egg salad is what you are looking for, be sure to try my vegan egg salad sandwich recipe.  You will be blown away by how similar these taste to the real deal!

Looking for lunch ideas for your vegan kids? Be sure to check out my post about vegan packed school lunches to find out all the tricks that I have learned packing vegan lunches for my boys for over 10 years.

A close up of a vegan chickpea salad sandwich with lettuce and tomato slices on it.

Meaty vegan sandwiches

You may also like my vegan chicken salad sandwich, vegan BLT sandwich, buffalo chicken sandwich, vegan burger, vegan bologna, or vegan pulled pork sandwich for some “meatier” options.

Chickpea salad sandwich recipe

A vegan chickpea salad sandwich with lettuce and tomato slices on it on a white plate with a red tea towel behind it.
Diet
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5 from 9 rating

Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Yield: 6 sandwiches
Prep: 7 minutes
Total: 7 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A vegan sandwich made from mashed chickpeas that tastes similar to a tuna salad sandwich.
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Ingredients

To make the chickpea salad

  • 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup vegan mayo, (use soy-free if needed)
  • 1/4 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/3 cup dill pickles
  • 1 tbsp pickle juice
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt , (or a little extra to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

To make the sandwich

  • 12 slices bread, (to make 6 sandwiches)

Instructions
 

  • Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then pour them into a bowl.
  • Mash them with the back of a fork or a potato masher until almost all of them are crushed.
  • Add mayo, celery, pickles, pickle juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Stir it all up until it’s all mixed.
  • Serve between 2 pieces of bread, rolled in a wrap, or on lettuce leaves.

Notes

Variations for your chickpea salad sandwich

On Toast – my favorite way to eat this is on toast.  It’s surprisingly similar to tuna on toast.
Grilled – You can butter the outsides of your bread and grill the sandwich to golden perfection in a frying pan.  It’s especially delicious with some vegan mozzarella cheese.
Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich – replace the mayo with vegan buffalo sauce and omit the pickles.  Add additional hot sauce to make it extra spicy!  It’s delicious with some vegan ranch dressing drizzled over top too!
Lettuce Wraps – if you are keeping it low carb or you’re gluten-free, serving it on large Romaine lettuce leaves is fresh and delicious!
Veggie Packed – you can add any finely chopped vegetables or herbs that you would like to this salad.  Chopped dill, parsley, or green onions are tasty.  You can also add finely diced carrots, bell peppers, or even grapes or craisins.  Go crazy and make it your own!
Curried – make flavorful curry chickpea salad by adding 2-3 tsp of yellow curry powder to your mixture and swapping out the pickles for raisins, and the pickle juice for lemon juice.  These simple substitutions transform this sandwich into a flavorful alternative that will never leave you bored!
Serving: 1sandwich, Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 569mg, Potassium: 120mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 33IU, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 2mg
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