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Chickpea Salad Sandwich

5 from 16 votes
Total 15 minutes
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This chickpea salad sandwich is made with a customizable garbanzo bean salad, perfect for wraps or a healthy spread for crackers and veggies!

Try my Greek Chickpea Salad or my ultimate Veggie Sandwich next!

Two stacked sandwich halves on whole grain bread, filled with a colorful chickpea salad on a cutting board.

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Table of Contents hide
1) An Old Trend, All Glowed Up
2) Why You’ll Love This Recipe
3) What You’ll Need
4) How to Make A Chickpea Sandwich
5) Recipe Tips and Variations
6) Serving Ideas
7) 📖 Recipe
8) Chickpea Salad Sandwich

An Old Trend, All Glowed Up

This chickpea salad sandwich has come a long way since I first published it in 2016. Back then, it was just five ingredients—chickpeas, mayo, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Simple, creamy, and super quick! But over time, I started adding fresh vegetables and herbs to boost the flavor and texture, and now it’s the version I make on repeat. If you loved the original, you’ll still find the same creamy base here—just with more crunch, color, and flavor in every bite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A chickpea salad sandwich is everything you could want in a quick lunch—easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for meal prep. Think tuna or chicken salad, but with chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) for a vegetarian twist. The texture is creamy and satisfying, with pops of freshness from red bell pepper, celery, onion, and herbs. Of course you can pile extra veggies on to this chickpea sandwich to your heart's content.

What You’ll Need

Each ingredient plays a key role in texture or flavor, and there's nothing fancy going on here with these simple grocery store ingredients.

  • Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): The base of the salad—use canned or scratch-cooked. Mashing them gives that creamy, spreadable texture.
  • Red Bell Pepper: Adds natural sweetness, bright color, and juicy crunch to balance the creamy texture.
  • Celery: Adds fresh crunch and balances out the creaminess.
  • Red Onion: Adds sharp, savory flavor and a little crunch. For a milder bite, use green onions or shallots.
  • Fresh Herbs (Parsley, Dill, Cilantro, or Basil): Brighten things up and bring a fresh, homemade feel.
  • Mayonnaise: Binds everything together and adds creaminess.
  • Greek Yogurt: Adds creaminess and tang while lightening up the mayo. Use plain, unsweetened yogurt for best flavor.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds a tangy, savory kick.
  • Salt and Pepper: Essential for flavor—adjust to taste.
  • Sandwich ingredients: I use wheat bread with mayo, butter lettuce, shredded carrots, and microgreens. A sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning adds even more texture and flavor.
Ingredients for a chickpea salad arranged on a counter, including chickpeas, salt, pepper, celery, red onion, lemon, fresh herbs, bell pepper, Dijon, mayonnaise, and Greek yogurt.

How to Make A Chickpea Sandwich

No cooking required—just mash, mix, and enjoy! Here's how:

Mash the chickpeas: Drain and add them to a bowl. Use a potato masher to mash to your desired texture. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in bell pepper, celery, onion, herbs, mayo, Greek yogurt, Dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Hands using a potato masher to mash chickpeas in a gray bowl on a light-colored surface with a gray cloth nearby.
A white bowl contains chopped chickpeas, celery, red pepper, red onion, parsley, and a dollop of mayonnaise on a light-colored surface with a gray cloth nearby.

Adjust the flavor: Add more mayo, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt, or pepper to fine-tune the creaminess and taste to your liking.

A person mixes chopped vegetables and chickpeas in a white bowl with a black spatula on a light-colored surface.
A mixing bowl filled with creamy chickpea salad, featuring chopped vegetables and fresh herbs, with a black spoon resting inside.

Assemble the sandwich: Serve on wheat bread with extra mayo, butter lettuce, and shredded carrots—or enjoy with crackers or lettuce leaves. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Overhead view of sandwich prep with a slice of bread spread with mayonnaise, lettuce topped with chickpea salad, grated carrots, microgreens, and jars of salad and mayonnaise on a wooden surface.
A person holds a chickpea salad sandwich made with whole wheat bread, filled with a creamy vegetable and chickpea mixture on a wooden surface.
Two stacked sandwich halves on whole grain bread, filled with a colorful chickpea salad on a cutting board.

Recipe Tips and Variations

  • Swap the beans: Substitute the garbanzo beans with white beans (navy, great Northern, etc) for a different texture.
  • For best texture: Scratch-cooked chickpeas mash more easily and create a creamier, richer filling. My Instant Pot chickpeas recipe does the job in one hour.
  • Optional step for creaminess: Simmer canned chickpeas in water for 10–15 minutes before mashing to soften them.
  • Choose your herbs: I used fresh parsley, but dill, cilantro, or basil also work well—especially when summer herbs are abundant.
  • Mix in extra flavor: Try chopped pickles, capers, cucumbers, or sunflower seeds for crunch or tang.
  • Add some heat: A splash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes brings gentle spice.
  • Make it vegan: Use vegan mayo and plant-based yogurt to keep your chickpea salad sandwich dairy-free.
  • Meal prep friendly: This salad holds up beautifully for a few days—great for sandwiches, wraps, or salad bowls. The flavors develop even more in the fridge!
Two stacked sandwich halves on whole grain bread, filled with a colorful chickpea salad on a cutting board.

Serving Ideas

  • Toppings - Serve chickpea sandwich with dill pickles or pickled beets. You can even add a few roasted chickpeas for the ultimate crunch!
  • Pita pockets – Spoon into halved pita with sliced cucumbers and greens.
  • Wraps – Roll the mashed chickpea salad up in a tortilla with avocado, spinach, and sliced tomato. Or roll it in butter lettuce leaves for a lower carb option.
  • Appetizer – Spread over toasted crostini or French bread with tomatoes and pesto.
  • Cracker topping – Serve as a healthy spread with your favorite crackers.
  • Stuffed veggies – Fill bell pepper halves or cucumber boats for a fun, crunchy snack.
  • On salad greens – Scoop over a bed of mixed greens or arugula for a protein-packed lunch bowl.
  • Mini sandwiches – Make tea sandwiches out of focaccia or sliders for parties or meal prep lunches.

📖 Recipe

Two stacked sandwich halves on whole grain bread, filled with a colorful chickpea salad on a cutting board.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This chickpea salad sandwich is made with a customizable garbanzo bean salad, perfect for wraps or a healthy spread for crackers and veggies!
Prep Time15 minutes
0 minutes
Total time15 minutes
Yield 3 cups
Author Traci
5 from 16 votes
Print Pin it for later 📌

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When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.

Ingredients 

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), or 3 cups cooked chickpeas
  • ½ cup Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 rib Celery, finely diced
  • ¼ cup Red Onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup Fresh Herbs, any variety, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup Mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • ½ Lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper, to taste
  • Sandwich ingredients: Bread, Lettuce, Mayonnaise, Shredded Carrots, and Sprouts.

Instructions

  • Drain the CHICKPEAS and pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  • Place CHICKPEAS in a medium bowl and mash to your desired texture using a vegetable masher.
  • Add BELL PEPPER, CELERY, ONION, HERBS, MAYO, GREEK YOGURT, DIJON, LEMON JUICE, SALT, and PEPPER. Stir to combine.
  • Serve immediately on WHEAT BREAD with a little extra MAYO, BUTTER LETTUCE, and SHREDDED CARROTS—or enjoy with crackers or lettuce leaves.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Did you make this? We'd love your feedback!!Please rate and review it here or below ⤵️

Recipe Notes

Swap the beans: Substitute the garbanzo beans with white beans (navy, great Northern, etc) for a different texture.
For best texture: Scratch-cooked chickpeas tend to mash more easily and result in a creamier, richer filling.
Optional step for creaminess: Simmer canned chickpeas in water for 10–15 minutes before mashing to soften them.
Choose your herbs: I used fresh parsley, but dill, cilantro, or basil also work well—especially when summer herbs are abundant.
Mix in extra flavor: Try chopped pickles, capers, cucumbers, or sunflower seeds for crunch or tang.
Add some heat: A splash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes brings gentle spice.
Make it vegan: Use vegan mayo and plant-based yogurt to keep your chickpea salad sandwich dairy-free.
Meal prep friendly: This salad holds up beautifully for a few days—great for sandwiches, wraps, or salad bowls. The flavors develop even more in the fridge!

Equipment

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1223IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
Course Lunch, Sandwich
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
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Two stacked sandwich halves on whole grain bread, filled with a colorful chickpea salad on a cutting board.

More Sandwich Recipes and Wraps

Traci

About Traci

I’m the recipe author, photographer, and videographer behind The Kitchen Girl food blog established in 2013. I test and share all of my original recipes here so you can make great food with simple ingredients for everyday meals and special occasions.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 16 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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  1. JB says

    5 stars
    I’m a classic sandwich guy, so I didn’t expect much from a chickpea salad sandwich. But honestly, this surprised me. It’s packed with flavor and crunch, and I’d eat this any day.

    Reply

  2. Sharon says

    5 stars
    Simple, quick and super easy to make and it’s delicious! I added celery to mine for a little bit of crunch. Definitely a keeper!

    Reply

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Glad to hear it, Sharon 🙂 Yep, I love adding things to this chickpea salad too. Thanks for the review!

  3. Dawn says

    2nd time making this. It's easy to make. It's good just the way your recipe states, and it's also a good base for something fancier. Today I added celery, onion, and grated carrot. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Thanks Dawn, you're so right, mashed chickpea salad is a good base. Glad you're enjoying the recipe 🙂

  4. Suzy says

    5 stars
    I am always looking for new delicious recipes to make with chickpeas! Looks incredibly good!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Suzy! Hope you enjoy 🙂

    • Denise Condreay says

      I'm going to make this, right now, for lunch. I like sandwiches.

    • Traci Antonovich says

      So glad to hear it, Denise! Hope you love it 😉

  5. Amy says

    5 stars
    This sounds so filling and tasty, I need to try it!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Amy...enjoy!

  6. Julia says

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! So easy and tasty! 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Julia...you're so welcome 🙂

  7. Angela says

    5 stars
    I love a great vegan recipe and this is definitely it! Can't wait to try this for lunch today! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Angela! Hope you love it! 🙂

  8. Cindy says

    5 stars
    Yum! This looks so much like a regular egg mayo sandwich but so much healthier 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Cindy! Yes...it totally fits the bill 🙂 Enjoy!

  9. Katherine says

    5 stars
    The texture looks incredible. Such a delicious looking sandwich and great protein-packed veggie alternative.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks so much, Katherine...love our meatless proteins 🙂

  10. Mary Bostow says

    5 stars
    Okay how have I never tried this before?!?!! I love chickpeas and am always finding new ways to use them! This is totally going on my menu for lunch this week, so excited to give it a try!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Yay, thanks Mary!! I have a feeling you're going to lovvvve eating this chickpea salad on the regular 🙂

  11. Pam Greer says

    5 stars
    This chickpea salad is so delicious! We aren't even vegan and we love it!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Haha right there with you, Pam! Thanks for the kind words...day made 🙂

  12. Tisha says

    5 stars
    I need this for lunch!!! Chickpeas are a great alternative!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Haha thanks Tisha! Yes, this chickpea salad always saves the day for me 🙂

  13. Liz says

    5 stars
    I'm a vegetarian and sometimes it's hard to find good sandwich ideas. This one is perfect! Love it!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Awesome Liz! Even as a non-vegetarian, this one always hits the spot! Thanks 🙂