Chickpea Salad Sandwich

admin — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:53:55 +0000

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If you’re looking for low-lift, substantial, vegetarian or vegan sandwich ideas, you’re going to want to make a deli-sized container of this chickpea salad sandwich filling. It’s not only perfect for really great chickpea salad sandwiches, it’s also a favorite filing in lettuce wraps, and a legit snack spread throughout the week. When you go the sandwich route, it’s like a vegan “tuna salad” sandwich with chickpeas standing in for the tuna. Or chicken salad sandwich with chickpeas instead of chicken. This is not a new concept, but I thought I’d walk you through the version I make around here on many Sunday afternoons.

What I Love About This Sandwich

There are so many things I love about this sandwich. I love the garlic-rubbed crunchiness of the bread in contrast to the softer chickpea salad filling. And I love that it keeps me going for hours. Basically, it’s delicious, and it does the job. If you keep a big container of this in your refrigerator, not only can you make excellent chickpea salad sandwiches all week, you can switch it up all sorts of ways I’ll outline below.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich Ingredients

To take an average chickpea salad sandwich to the next level, pay attention to the ingredients first. I go strong a number of the ingredients others tend to be a bit shy about, but I find this approach delivers a chickpea sandwich filling that hits all the right buttons, and is even better on days two and three. The flavors really come together. Here are some thoughts on the ingredients in this sandwich, and how I choose (or deal with) each one.

Bread: I’m going to argue that there are two routes to go on the bread front. You’re either going to want to choose slices of good, hearty sourdough bread for this sandwich. Slices you can toast or grill brushed with olive oil and rubbed with the better part of a clove of garlic. Or, take the completely opposite approach by choosing a soft, pillowy squishy loaf of some sort of multi-grain sandwich bread. Maybe you lightly toast this bread, but maybe not. I most often opt for the toasted sourdough (pictured throughout), and tend to enjoy it open-faced this way, but there are times when I like this chickpea salad sandwich with a softer bread as well. I suspect you’ll know which camp you’re in from go.
Chickpeas: You smash the chickpeas, and to do so you have a couple options. Because I will do just about anything to avoid unnecessarily having to wash an appliance, I typically hand-smash the chickpeas in a large bowl using a large fork, or (even better!) a potato masher. Some chickpeas are softer than others, it seems to vary from can to can, and I find chickpeas cooked from dry beans generally have more structure. If you end up with harder chickpeas, the fork method can be a bit frustrating. Grab a potato masher or a few quick pulses in a food processor also does the trick. You want to break down the chickpeas, not attempt to turn them to hummus, so go easy on the pulsing.
Mustard: I prefer whole-grain mustard here, but if you have a Dijon-style mustard on hand, by all means use that. I also tend to dial up the mustard quite a bit – more assertive, but still balanced I’d argue.
Relish: I usually reach for whatever deli-style relish Wayne has in the refrigerator door. It’s usually on the sweeter side but doesn’t have to be.
Walnuts: I love the texture and substance a few toasted walnuts bring to this sandwich. Give it a go, even if you’re a bit skeptical. I found myself out of walnuts for this round of sandwiches and really enjoyed the pine nut swap!
Chile: I always add a finely chopped serrano to this chickpea salad sandwich filling, it adds dimension more that spiciness, and a nice pop of green flavor. Optional, of course, but recommended.

Video: How To Make a Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Variations!

The recipe I’m posting down below is my base “go-to” chickpea salad sandwich recipe. But I love to play around. Here are some variations I’ve enjoyed over there years to encourage you to also experiment with the ingredients you have on hand.

Ultra Hippie Chickpea Salad Sandwich: To the chickpea salad, add a couple handfuls of finely chopped kale & toasted sunflower seeds in place of the walnuts, and a tablespoon or so of nutritional yeast. Finish with crushed toasted nori or nori furikake.
Spicy Chickpea Salad Sandwich: I love a spicy everything, but with this sandwich like the lead spicy component *on* the sandwich, not mixed in. Tabasco, Cholula, or other hot sauce sprinkled across the top of the chickpea salad component is where it’s at for me. Calabrian Chile paste is also A+ here as the spicy topping.
Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich: To make this sandwich vegan, use your favorite plant-based, vegan yogurt. You basically want something to pull all the ingredients together, so if you don’t have a vegan yogurt on hand, you can experiment with a vegan mayo, tahini, or a combination of the two as well. Keep in mind, this is basically a vegan “tuna” salad sandwich, with smashed chickpeas standing in for the tuna. And similar to a tuna sandwich, it is very much about personal preference and ingredient ratios.

The recipe included below is my base starting point, but play around a bit with the ingredients you keep on hand and love. Other things I like to mix in (not all at once): shredded basil in summer, a smoked salt, finely shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, a couple teaspoons of miso, a bit of preserved lemon. Have fun, experiment, and let me know any favorite combinations you come up with.

I hope you enjoy this sandwich as much as I do, it really is one of my favorite, easy, feel-good lunches. If you love chickpeas as much as I do here’s where you can browse more chickpea recipes – there are tons!

More Sandwich Recipes

Continue reading Chickpea Salad Sandwich on 101 Cookbooks

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Copycat Erewhon White Bean and Kale Salad

admin — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 03:28:02 +0000

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This Copycat Erewhon White Bean and Kale Salad will be your new lunchtime staple! Nutrient-dense, vegan, and totally delicious.

If you’ve ever been to Erewhon, you know the hype is real, especially when it comes to their famous deli salads. But what if you could bring that same fresh, nourishing flavor home without the $20 price tag?

Enter this Copycat Erewhon White Bean and Kale Salad, a fiber-rich, plant-powered meal that’s just as satisfying as the original. It’s loaded with clean ingredients like creamy avocado, protein-packed white beans, and crunchy seeds, all tossed in a zesty lemon-mustard vinaigrette you’ll want to drizzle on everything.

Why You’ll Love This Kale Salad

Whole food ingredients, nothing processed here!
Packed with plant-based protein and healthy fats
Ready in under 15 minutes
Perfect for meal prep or a quick lunch

Copycat Erewhon White Bean and Kale Salad

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Author: Healthy Helper
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Diet: Vegan

For the salad:

4 cups fresh organic kale, chopped
1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the lemon-mustard vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon date syrup (HEALTHYHELPER saves $$!)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep your kale – Wash and dry it thoroughly, remove the stems, and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Whisk the vinaigrette – In a small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, date syrup, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
Toss the salad – In a large bowl, combine chopped kale, white beans, avocado, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds. Gently toss everything together.
Dress it up – Pour on your lemon-mustard vinaigrette and toss again until evenly coated.
Season and serve – Add more salt and pepper to taste, and top with extra seeds if desired.

Pro Tips:

Massage your kale with a bit of the vinaigrette before adding other ingredients for extra tenderness.
Swap in chickpeas or lentils for variety.
Double the dressing to keep on hand for other salads or grain bowls.

Healthy Never Tasted So Good

This Erewhon-inspired kale and white bean salad checks all the boxes: clean, creamy, crunchy, and oh-so satisfying. Whether you’re making it for a quick weekday lunch or prepping a few servings ahead of time, it’s a go-to you’ll come back to again and again.

Craving Erewhon vibes without the Erewhon price? This salad’s got your back.

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