Chickpea salad is an excellent answer to what to put on a plant-based sandwich so it doesn’t just feel like a piece of bread and garnishes. It is not chickpea salad, as in lettuce with chickpeas on top, but chickpea salad, like chicken salad or egg salad.

Smashed, canned chickpeas are a pretty convincing stand-in for canned tuna or chicken, especially once sauced with a tangy, herby dressing. You can make the salad mixture ahead of time and spoon it onto lunchtime sandwiches with any toppings you like. It’s sure to be a hero on the roster of vegan lunch ideas, especially when the weather is warm and you’re looking for something cool and easy.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich Ingredients

• Chickpeas: Drain a can of chickpeas and save the liquid to make vegan mayonnaise. Smashed with a fork, chickpeas make up the bulk of this plant-based salad and are a great source of protein and fiber.
• Onion and celery: Finely chopped aromatic vegetables add crunch and freshness to the salad.
• Vegan mayonnaise: Just as traditional mayo binds classic deli salads, vegan mayo binds this one. Store-bought is excellent, or you can make your own using aquafaba (the liquid in the can of chickpeas).
• Mustard and red wine vinegar: A dash each of mustard and red wine vinegar gives this chickpea salad a welcome tanginess. We recommend honey mustard or Dijon, but opt for the latter if you make this salad for vegans, as honey is not considered vegan.
• Fresh dill: A confetti-like handful of chopped fresh dill fills chickpea salad dressing with cheerful green flecks and an incomparably fresh flavor. Have a lot left over? Check out these fresh dill recipes to use up the rest of the bunch!
• Salt, pepper and paprika: Chickpeas drink up seasoning, so these spices that flavor the chickpea salad are essential.
• Multigrain bread: We like chickpea salad sandwiches on seeded sandwich bread, but use whatever bread you like.
• Toppings: Because chickpea salad is soft and creamy, a few additional sandwich elements with some crunch are a great foil. Start with romaine lettuce leaves, tomato slices, dill pickle slices and sweet red pepper rings.

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