Creamy chickpea filling inside soft bread … topped with lettuce and potato chips if you like … this chickpea salad sandwich is the best substitute for tuna salad ever!
Many vegetarians confess to missing bacon the most, but when it comes to lunch, I’ve gotta say: I miss tuna sandwiches. They were so comforting, satisfying, and easy. Which is why this Chickpea Salad Sandwich fills that lunchtime void – something I was missing for so long.
Table of Contents
- The Story Behind the Recipe
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich Ingredients
- How to Make Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
- More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes
The Story Behind the Recipe
Do you remember, as a kid, sneaking a few potato chips onto your sandwich? That salty crunch, the slightly rebellious maneuver. Well, today, not only am I declaring chickpea salad the perfect swap for tuna, I’m also proposing we remove the shameful cloak from the practice of potato-chip-sandwich-stuffing.
Loud and proud, my friends. Loud and proud. Put those potato chips in with purpose. THE RECIPE CALLED FOR IT! You won’t regret it.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich Ingredients
- Chickpeas – One can, drained and rinsed, or about 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas.
- Pickles – I really like sweet pickles in this chickpea salad, but dill pickles will work, too
- Red onion – Finely chopped, adds so much flavor. Scallions or sweet onion will work, too.
- Mayo – Use your favorite, just make it vegan if you want a vegan chickpea salad sandwich.
- Mustard – Plain ol’ yellow.
- Celery salt – Optional, but I like the traditional tuna-salad taste that it brings.
- Salt & pepper
- Bread – Your favorite sandwich bread
- Potato chips – I love the crunchy addition of potato chips on my chickpea salad sandwich, but if you’re more of a purist, you could always serve them on the side.
- Lettuce – I love green leaf lettuce, but any will do.
- Sliced pickles – More sweet pickles for topping your chickpea salad.
How to Make Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Basically, you take a can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans, if you prefer), and smash them up with your typical tuna salad ingredients. I like mayo, mustard, onion, pickles, and a touch of salt and pepper. Maybe some celery or celery salt.
That gives you a tasty, creamy-but-with-bite sandwich filling that, I think, is the perfect sub for tuna salad.
Then, just smear it on one slice of bread and pile on the lettuce, pickles, and potato chips, if you like. Top with another slice of bread and that’s it!
More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes
- Ultimate Veggie BLT
- Vegetarian Club Sandwich
- Bahn-Mi Inspired Egg Salad
- Grilled Veggie Sandwich
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Cauliflower Steak Sandwich
- Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Sandwich
- The Perfect Grilled Cheese
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 15 ounces chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet pickles (+ more pickle slices for topping)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise or vegan mayo (I use olive oil based mayo; a light option or even Greek yogurt also works)
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon celery salt (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt ( plus more to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices bread (your favorite sandwich bread is perfect)
- 1 cup potato chips
- green leaf lettuce (optional)
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas, 1/4 cup chopped pickles, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, celery salt if using, kosher salt, and black pepper to a small bowl. Using a fork or potato masher, smash the chickpeas while mixing and mashing the ingredients together. You’re not looking for hummus-consistency; just a nice, spreadable, chunky salad will do.
- Divide filling between two slices of bread (you may have enough to make more sandwiches, depending on your preference and the size of your bread). Spread to within about 1/2 inch of the edge of the bread. Add lettuce if using, pickle slices, and potato chips. Top with remaining bread. Smush down a bit, cut in half, and serve.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
Never mind passing this over the fence as I am making it now! I totally forgot about using garbanzos in this way… Love it! Growing up a tuna chip sandwich and chocolate milk was a favorite. Today, I don’t do milk or tuna, but chips…….well, YES!
Yay, I hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed those adorable popsicle cupcakes! Such a cute idea. 🙂
I love that you added chips to your sandwich! I am totally going to do that the next time that I make a chickpea salad.
I’m removing the cloak of chip-stuffing shame! 😉
I’ve been meaning to make a veggie replacement for egg salad or chicken salad, and this chickpea salad looks perrrrfecto. I’m OBSESSED with tater chips on my sandwiches (and on burgers…and in hot dogs), so this sando is seriously calling to me. YUM! Hope your weekend is going well, my dear!
Another perfect recipe, Kar! Thank you!
what a great idea! i’ve been eating a lot more chick peas lately. this will definitely be in my lunch rotation!
First time commenter, long-time reader.
I just had this for lunch and I have to say it’s the perfect work lunch. High protein to get me through the afternoon slump; one-handed so I can turn pages in the book I’m reading with the other; and doesn’t smell. That last one is pretty important. The last time some one brought tuna salad to work, the place smelled of rotten fish for a week. Kudos on a BRILLIANT IDEA. It’s a great way to pull some meat out of my week, too, since I am trying to reduce my meat consumption for health and environmental reasons. THANKS!
Ha, my husband just took leftover fish to work for lunch and I was teasing him about being “that” guy at work. 😉 Thank you so much for both reading and commenting!
Just made this sandwich for lunch and I love it! It makes quite a lot of chickpea salad; I may be able to make five sandwiches with one batch! Lol
I used sweet pickle relish, generic potato chips and the suggested green leaf lettuce.
Tastiest vegetarian lunch I’ve had in a while. Thank you very much for sharing the recipe!
Go to recipe for camping
This is a great idea for camping! I’m stealing that. 🙂