The Ultimate Chickpea Salad Sandwich (Easy & Healthy!)
A fresh and hearty vegan take on a classic salad sandwich, using chickpeas as the base. The ‘chickpea salad’ is made in a food processor by pulsing cooked chickpeas with tahini, Dijon mustard, capers, and fresh herbs until combined but still textured. This is served on a soft baguette with a variety of crisp toppings, including blanched green beans, Kalamata olives, thinly sliced cucumber, and radish, creating a satisfying and healthy meal.
Ingredients
- For the Chickpea Salad:
- 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Sandwiches:
- A handful of thin green beans, trimmed
- 1 soft baguette, sliced in half
- 8 to 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Vegan mayo (or regular mayo)
- ¼ English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 radish, thinly sliced
- 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Make the Chickpea Salad: In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, tahini, Dijon mustard, garlic, capers, green onions, cilantro, and lemon juice. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is combined but still has some texture (do not puree). Season to taste.
- Blanch the Green Beans: Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the green beans into the boiling water for 1 ½ minutes. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, drain and chop them into 1-inch pieces.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread a layer of the chickpea salad on one side of the baguette.
- Press the chopped green beans into the chickpea salad, then top with the sliced olives and red onion.
- Spread a layer of mayo on the other half of the baguette. Top the mayo with the sliced cucumbers, radishes, and fresh basil leaves.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Press the two halves of the sandwich together, slice, and serve.
Notes
- This recipe is a great plant-based alternative to a traditional tuna or chicken salad sandwich.
- Blanching the green beans and then shocking them in an ice bath is a key step that keeps them crisp and vibrant green.
- Pulsing, rather than pureeing, the chickpea salad is important for creating a pleasant, chunky texture.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/chickpea-salad-sandwich/