I am very excited to be sharing today’s post. I recently shared recipes for breakfast and dinner, so now it is time for some lunch inspiration that I enjoy so much, and I am sure you will as well.
I’ll be sharing the Chickpea Salad Sandwich.
If you are new to the plant-based diet, chickpea salad is really one of those staples… it’s like a right of passage. It’s something that we always make because it’s quick, easy, flavorful, nutritious, and beginner-friendly.
It is essentially a take on a tuna fish sandwich, but instead of tuna, you’re using chickpeas. But trust me, all of the flavor is still there.
- Yields: 3 servings
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Chill time: 15 minutes (recommended)
Vegan Chickpea Salad for Sandwiches
Ingredients
- Base:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (no salt added preferred)
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped (or 1 tsp dried dill)
- The “Tuna” Flavors:
- 1 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 tsp caper brine (from the jar)
- 1 tbsp sweet or dill relish
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small sheet nori seaweed, crumbled finely (optional, for ocean flavor)
- Seasonings:
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt) (adds egg-y flavor, use regular salt if unavailable)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Binder:
- 2 tbsp plant-based mayonnaise
- Sandwich Assembly:
- Whole grain bread
- Lettuce / Microgreens
- Tomato slices
- Cucumber slices
- Avocado slices
- Salt and pepper (for the tomato/cucumber)
Instructions
- Prep the Veggies: Finely dice your celery and red onion. Roughly chop the fresh dill.
- Mash the Chickpeas: Place the rinsed chickpeas in a food processor. Pulse for about 45 seconds. You want them broken down but not completely smooth (no hummus vibes here!)—keep some texture. Alternatively, mash them in a bowl with a fork or potato masher.
- Mix the Base: Transfer the mashed chickpeas to a mixing bowl. Add the diced celery, red onion, dill, and capers.
- Add Flavor: Stir in the caper brine, relish, Dijon mustard, and crumbled seaweed. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Kala Namak (black salt), and red pepper flakes.
- Bind: Stir everything well before adding the mayo. Taste it. Then, fold in the 2 tablespoons of plant-based mayo. (Adding mayo last prevents it from getting too runny).
- Marinate: Let the mixture chill in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Assemble: Toast your whole grain bread. Layer on leafy greens, microgreens, seasoned tomato and cucumber slices, and avocado. Scoop a generous amount of chickpea salad on top and close the sandwich.
Prepping Your Veggies & Chickpeas
We’re going to start by prepping our veggies—dicing the celery and red onions. There are so many versions of chickpea tuna out there, and each one is slightly different, so feel free to use as little or as much of an ingredient as you like to make it your own.
After dicing the celery and the red onions, Roughly chop some freshly washed dill. If you don’t have fresh dill or you can’t find it, dried dill will work just fine. I’ve done it that way before and the flavor was still great.
I recommend using either canned or boxed chickpeas that do not have any salt added. That way you can control the sodium in this dish because we do add some ingredients that’ll help give this recipe that salty taste that tuna fish typically has.
Add chickpeas to a food processor, but you can also do this by simply mashing them on a flat surface or in a bowl. You’ll want to pulse this for about 45 seconds. Just not too long because you don’t want it to be like mashed potatoes; you still want some texture in there.
The Flavor Powerhouses
Next, add those chickpeas to a bowl along with the diced celery, red onions, roughly chopped dill, and capers. I really like the flavors that the capers add to this recipe. If you’re not familiar with capers, they have a similar tang or “twang” like olives. They’re salty, but also lemony.
In addition to that, Add in some of the brine from the jar of the capers, Dijon mustard, and relish.
What also helps this have a similar taste profile to tuna fish is adding a bit of seaweed (like crumbled nori). Season chickpea tuna with black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black salt. If you’re unfamiliar with black salt, the original name is Kala Namak, and it gives dishes an egg-like flavor. It is really good on potato salad or tofu scramble, but it is a salt, so a little goes a long way.
Add in a bit of red pepper flakes if want this to have a slight kick—just a slight one!
Mixing It All Up
I always like to do a quick taste test and mix everything together before adding the plant-based mayo. Trust me—this step matters. The mixture can get runny fast if you add too many saucy or liquid ingredients at once. Whenever I skip this, I end up using way more mayo than I actually need.
Now it’s time to let the chickpea tuna marinate a bit, just so that the flavors can meld together. And by a bit, I mean like 10 to 15 minutes or so, but honestly, the longer the better. However, it’s up to you.
Also check:
- Vegan Freezer‑Friendly Lentil Soup
- Protein‑Packed Smoothie with Only Grocery Basics
- Veggie‑Loaded Rice Bowls with Simple Homemade Sauce
- Veggie Egg Muffin Cups for Grab‑and‑Go Breakfast
Assembling the Dream Sandwich
I am using the chickpea tuna on a sandwich, but you can also enjoy this on a bed of leafy greens, in a wrap, or even as a little snack with crackers. .
For sandwich:
- Whole grain bread
- More of those red onions
- Some microgreens and leafy greens
- A beautiful tomato (farmer’s market finds are the best!)
- Avocado
- Cucumbers
Lightly season the veggies with some salt and black pepper, pile on the chickpea salad, and assemble.
If you like this recipe Explore more recipes
The BEST Chickpea Salad Sandwich (Vegan "Tuna")
Course: LunchCuisine: veganDifficulty: Easy3
servings15
minutes15
minutes450
kcal30
minutesIngredients
1 can (425g) Chickpeas (no salt added), rinsed and drained
1 stalk (40g) Celery, finely diced
¼ cup (40g) Red onion, finely diced
2 tbsp (10g) Fresh dill, chopped
1 tbsp (15g) Capers
1 tsp (5ml) Caper brine (liquid from jar)
1 tbsp (15g) Relish (sweet or dill)
1 tbsp (15g) Dijon mustard
1 sheet Nori seaweed, crumbled (optional)
2 tbsp (30g) Plant-based mayonnaise
½ tsp Garlic powder
½ tsp Onion powder
¼ tsp Black pepper
¼ tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt)
1 pinch Red pepper flakes
For Serving: Whole grain bread, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado, microgreens.
Directions
- Prepare Vegetables: Wash and finely dice the celery stalk and red onion. Roughly chop the fresh dill.
- Process Chickpeas: Add the rinsed chickpeas to a food processor. Pulse for roughly 45 seconds until broken down but still chunky. Do not over-process into a paste. (Alternatively, mash in a bowl with a fork).
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the mashed chickpeas, celery, red onion, dill, and capers.
- Season: Add the caper brine, relish, Dijon mustard, and crumbled seaweed. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Kala Namak, and red pepper flakes. Mix well to distribute spices.
- Add Mayo: Fold in the plant-based mayonnaise. Stir until combined.
- Marinate: Cover and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld (optional but recommended).
- Assemble: Layer bread with greens, sliced tomato, cucumber, and avocado. Top with a generous scoop of chickpea salad. lightly season the fresh vegetables with salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
- Storage: This keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It makes a perfect meal prep lunch!
- Salt Tip: Kala Namak (Black Salt) adds a sulfurous, egg-like flavor that mimics traditional salads. If you don't have it, regular sea salt works, but you lose that specific "egg" note.
- Texture: Be careful not to over-process the chickpeas; you don't want mashed potatoes!
- Ways to Serve: Great on a sandwich, in a wrap, on a bed of greens, or just as a dip with crackers.
- Soggy Bread: If packing for lunch later, keep the salad separate from the bread until you are ready to eat.
