Recipes · Lunch

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

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A chunky, lemony chickpea mash with celery, dill, and capers piled onto sourdough. It has all the comfort of a deli salad sandwich with none of the mayo.

Total 10 min
Prep 10 min
Cook None
Serves 2
Level Easy

Quick & Easy · No-Cook · Plant-Based · Vegetarian · Dairy-Free · Budget

Chickpeas supply fiber and plant protein, and tahini adds healthy fats, calcium, and a creamy texture without mayonnaise.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat them dry with a clean towel so the salad does not turn watery.
  2. Mash the chickpeas in a medium bowl with a fork or potato masher, leaving about a third of them whole for texture.
  3. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, mustard, and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl until pale and creamy, adding a little more water if it is stiff.
  4. Stir the dressing into the chickpeas, then fold in the celery, onion, dill, capers, and salt.
  5. Taste and add more lemon or salt as needed; the capers are already salty, so go gently.
  6. Toast the bread if you like, then pile half the chickpea salad onto two of the slices.
  7. Top with spinach and tomato, close the sandwiches with the remaining slices, and cut in half.

Tips

  • The filling keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes better on day two. Double the recipe and you have lunch for the week.
  • For a packed lunch, carry the filling in a container and the bread, spinach, and tomato separately, then assemble at lunchtime to avoid soggy bread.
  • No bread? Scoop the salad into lettuce cups, a wrap, or onto cucumber rounds.
  • For gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free bread or serve the salad over greens.

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