Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Back in my childhood days, I’d eat this tuna sandwich filled with a mayo-ketchup sauce from the school canteen. I eat vegan now, so that’s a no-no. But I attempted, in part, to replicate that fond memory.

The goal with this recipe isn’t for it to taste like tuna (there’s a secret to that, which I’ll leave for another recipe), but the flavorful sauce tastes the same and the combination of mashed chickpeas and veggies is simply… amazing, I guarantee it.

Here’s a step by step video of the recipe:

📝 The ingredients I’ve used for this recipe

For the Salad Base:

• Chickpeas: I used about 250 grams of cooked chickpeas. I’ve cooked my chickpeas at home, but you’re free to use canned chickpeas.
• Onion: one onion, minced.
• Cucumber: I tossed in half of a large cucumber. If it’s one of those small ones, then use the whole thing.
• Cherry Tomatoes: I’ve used about 10 of them, chopped.
• Olives: I’ve used eight pitted olives, sliced.
• Fresh Dill or Parsley

For the Sauce:

• Sunflower Oil: 75 milliliters.
• Soy Drink: 50 milliliters.
• Garlic: just 1/2 clove, minced.
• Dijon Mustard: 1 teaspoon for a tangy kick.
• Lemon Juice: 1 more teaspoon.
• Ketchup: 4 tablespoons added a touch of sweetness and depth- it’ll completely transform the sauce.
• Paprika, Black Pepper, and Salt: just a pinch of each is sufficient.

Others:

• Arugula: introduces a much needed freshness.
• Bread: for the bread, any kind works, but I’ve used a rustic sourdough bread from a local bakery in town, which I made sure to toast first— the crunchiness of the toasted bread just made the whole experience more divine. It’s worth it, I promise.

👨🏻‍🍳 Here’s how simple it is to get this recipe done

If you’re going with dry chickpeas, make sure to give ’em a good soak beforehand. I usually let mine chill in water for about 24 hours – it works wonders and makes ’em way easier to cook.

I tossed the 250 grams of chickpeas into a bowl and mashed them with a fork, leaving a few whole for an extra crunch. Then, I chopped and folded in the vegetables, making sure everything mixed together nicely.

Now, onto the pivotal part of the recipe – the sauce, which I still haven’t come up with a name for. In a tall cup, I threw together 75ml of sunflower oil, 50ml of soy drink, half a clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

With my hand blender, I blitzed it all into a mayo-like smoothness. FYI, this is pretty much how we whip up our mayo.

Once the creamy base was good to go, I mixed in 4 tablespoons of ketchup, a pinch of paprika, black pepper, and salt, giving us a sauce that’s as pretty as it is tasty.

After folding this sauce into the chickpea and veggie mixture, I made sure everything was nicely mixed. A little dill on top for that extra oomph in flavor, and voilà, filling that’s perfect for sandwiches or wraps, though it’s just as awesome on its own as a salad.

And if you’re feeling extra green, throw in some arugula – we even tossed it in the sandwich for that added touch of freshness!

Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

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• Author: Alexandre Valente
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Hands down the most underrated way of using chickpeas—mixed with fresh veggies and a beautiful pink sauce, then spread on toasted rustic bread for a filling and delicious meal! 

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Ingredients

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Filling:

• 250 grams of chickpeas, mashed
• 1 onion, minced
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• 10 cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 8 olives, pitted and sliced
• Dill or Parsley, chopped

Sauce:

• 75 ml of sunflower oil
• 50 ml of soy drink
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• 4 tbsp of ketchup
• Paprika, black pepper, and salt to taste

Others:

• Arugula
• Bread

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork until they are mostly broken down, but still have some texture. You can leave a few whole chickpeas for added texture if desired.
2. Chop the vegetables finely and add them to the bowl with the mashed chickpeas. Mix everything together until the vegetables are evenly distributed throughout the chickpea mixture.
3. In a tall cup, combine the sunflower oil, soy drink, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Use a hand blender to blend the ingredients together until they are smooth and well combined. This mixture will serve as the base for your sauce.
4. Now incorporate the ketchup, paprika, black pepper, and salt into the mixture. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are fully combined, resulting in a beautiful, creamy, and pink sauce.
5. Pour the sauce into the bowl with the chickpea mixture. Use a spatula or spoon to gently fold the sauce into the chickpeas until they are evenly coated. 
6. Taste the chickpea filling and adjust the seasoning to your liking by adding more salt, pepper, or other preferred seasonings. Finish by adding fresh dill or parsley and giving the mixture a final stir.
7. As for serving suggestions, here’s what I did: I toasted two slices of rustic sourdough bread and generously filled them with the chickpea mixture topped with arugula. However, feel free to get creative—use it as a wrap filling, or simply enjoy it on its own.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Main Course, Appetizer, Salad
• Cuisine: American

🙏🏻 Before you go, I’ve got a favor to ask!

I’d love to get your feedback on this recipe! Feel free to leave a comment below detailing your experience— and let others know how you feel about it!

Of course, you can also ask any questions you may have about the recipe— and we’ll try to respond ASAP.