Guide · Oct 13, 2026
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
A no-cook chickpea salad with celery, red onion, dill and pickles, mashed and piled onto whole grain bread. Ready in 15 minutes.
Last updated
Short answer: Mash a can of chickpeas with vegan mayo, mustard and lemon, fold in celery, red onion, dill and pickles, and you have a sandwich filling in 15 minutes with no cooking.
It's often called vegan "tuna" salad because of the texture. The filling keeps for a few days, so make a batch for weekday lunches. More ideas are in our grocery guides.
You don't need much gear for this. A fork is fine for mashing, but a potato masher like this OXO one is quicker and still leaves some chunky bits. Then stir everything together in a roomy bowl. One from a Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set works fine.
Swaps and substitutions
- Use tahini or mashed avocado instead of vegan mayo.
- Serve the filling in lettuce cups or with crackers instead of bread.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Mashed chickpeas mixed with vegan mayo, Dijon, lemon, celery, red onion, dill and pickles, served on whole grain bread with lettuce.
By Michael Gonzales
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- ¼ red onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp dill pickles, chopped
- salt
- black pepper
- 8 slice whole grain bread
- 4 leaf lettuce
Method
- Mash the chickpeas in a bowl with a fork or potato masher, leaving some pieces for texture.
- Stir in the vegan mayo, mustard and lemon juice.
- Fold in the celery, red onion, dill and pickles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread onto 4 slices of bread, add a lettuce leaf, and top with the remaining bread.
Food safety and storage
- The filling keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Assemble sandwiches just before eating so the bread stays crisp.
Frequently asked questions
What does chickpea salad taste like?
It's creamy and tangy, a lot like a classic tuna or egg salad, with crunch from the celery and onion.
How long does chickpea salad keep?
Up to 3 days in a covered container in the fridge.
Can I make it without mayo?
Yes. Mashed avocado or a spoonful of tahini with a little extra lemon juice works well.
Written by
Michael Gonzales
Founder & Editor
Michael Gonzales is the founder of Cloudalien Technologies LLC, the company that owns ElectricDiet, and he edits every page on the site. ElectricDiet publishes plant-based recipes, food lists, meal plans and grocery guides. Michael is not a doctor or registered dietitian, so nothing on ElectricDiet is medical advice.