Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
My Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich is a meal I make all the time. It’s creamy, crunchy, and full of delicious taste, ready in just 20 minutes and completely mayo-free. My kids love it, and I do too! Whether I need a protein-packed lunch or just want a fresh, easy sandwich, this one always works.
Servings: 4
Calories: 216kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas , drained and rinsed, about one 15 oz can
- 6 tablespoons chickpea brine , the juice from can of chickpeas (can drizzle some oil in with this if you want an extra creamy result, see note)
- 1/2 cup almonds , or pumpkin seeds for nut free version
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped celery
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped pickles
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro , optional for added level of flavor
To serve:
- 4 slices your favorite sandwich bread , gluten-free if needed
- Sliced cucumber
- Lettuce
- Tomato
Instructions
- Drain the can of chickpeas, reserving the juice.
- Put almonds, carrots, celery, pickles and dill into a food processor. Chop into small pieces and put into a large bowl.
- Next add the chickpeas into the food processor and pulse until chunky. Take out all but 1/4 cup and add to the bowl.
- Puree the leftover chickpeas into a paste.
- Add the chickpea paste, pickle juice, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder and pepper into the bowl and mix well.
- Pour in the reserved chickpea brine (you can store the rest for future use), and beat with a stand mixer (with whisk attachment) or beater until it begins to get thick and creamy. You can drizzle a bit of oil here if you want an extra creamy result. You can also skip this step and just leave the mixture as is.
- Add it to the bowl and fold into the mixture.
- Serve on bread with cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for for making my Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich is to pulse the chickpeas instead of blending them too much. I always make sure to keep a chunky, hearty texture because if they’re over-blended, the mixture turns into a paste, and I lose that classic “smashed” consistency that makes this sandwich so good!
- For a Quicker Version: If I’m short on time, I skip whipping the aquafaba and just use 1/2 cup of chickpeas instead of 1/4 when making the paste. It still turns out creamy and delicious with less effort.
- Use Canned Chickpeas: I always go for canned chickpeas because the aquafaba is ready to use. If I cook my own, I make sure to save the broth to create that same fluffy texture.
- Let It Rest: I like to let the chickpea mixture sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors blend together for a richer, more flavorful filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 419mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2830IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2.5mg