Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich is a complete meal with pinto beans and spices added. Quick & simple vegan recipe to prepare that keeps great in the fridge or freezer.

How about a big fat Chickpea Salad Sandwich along with a nice refreshing glass of iced tea?

I think I can't finish this post right now because that sounds too good. Be right back!

Well, that was a great idea! The sandwich really hit the spot and tea always goes perfectly with a lunch like this.

Let me tell you about the sandwich which turned out to be an evolution.

It was going to be a blend with Italian Dressing but I do that quite a bit already so I thought 'let's do something new and get really creative'.

When browsing through my cupboards for some inspiration and I saw all the beans I knew a couple of varieties would be a good mash-up.

My cabinets are usually pretty full and it makes it really fun when I am trying to brainstorm new recipes.

Love the addition of dijon and paprika too. An extra bit of tang from the mustard and just a tiny bit of heated spice from the paprika.

All of a sudden stuff is coming out of the refrigerator and with a little of this and that there was a delicious looking bean salad spread. Don't hold back and pile it on some nice fresh wheat bread with layers of avocado.

👩🏻‍🍳 Chickpea fun facts

• Garbanzo beans are the same thing as chickpeas. Most cans in the stores say garbanzo beans but don't let them fool you.
• Some evidence shows that chickpeas have been around about 9000 years!
• There are many different types of chickpeas around the world and in different colors too.
• India is #1 in chickpea production and Australia comes in second.

💭 Chef's tips

Use both of the beans if you can for this vegan chickpea salad sandwich recipe. Pinto beans and chickpeas mixed together are a great combo.

Buy organic cans of beans. They are so easy to find and at very affordable prices.

You can make your own vegan almond mayonnaise because it is so very good but you can also buy some creamy vegan mayonnaise at the grocery store.

Smoked paprika would be fantastic in this too. It actually does give a smoky flavor or you can stick with good old-fashioned paprika.

Dijon mustard blends so well with all of these ingredients but, again, if you'd like to get even more tangy sharpness then you can switch to the bright yellow prepared mustard.

🍽 Helpful tools

• Large bowl
• Can Opener
• Large Spoon
• Fork for mashing or a potato masher
• Measuring Spoons
• Too easy 🙂

🥘 Ingredients

• Chickpeas are protein-packed and a very good match with pinto beans. 
• Pinto beans are traditional in Mexican fare and the perfect additional ingredient for this flavorful mix.
• Vegan mayonnaise makes everything creamy.
• Dijon mustard adds a little bit of a mild zing flavor.
• Lemon juice has a tangy flavor.
• Garlic powder goes a long way in the flavor department with just a little bit.
• Paprika has a mild flavor but does add some flavoring that goes just right with beans.
• Salt is a necessary seasoning to balance the flavors.
• Black pepper adds a bit of contrasting spicy spice.

🔪 Instructions

• Drain all of the cans of beans and then rinse them. Pour onto a couple of paper towels and blot to get up the excess liquid.
• In a large bowl add the beans and mash. I like to leave mine a bit chunky and I hardly mashed them. They aren't crunchy just chunky.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Try a taste to see if you'd like more salt or mustard.
• You can make your sandwiches now with any of your favorite toppings.
• You may store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it too.
• It is already really flavorful so I only added some fresh baby spinach and avocado slices to my sandwich.

💭 Can you freeze chickpea salad

Yes, and you can also refrigerate the mixture for up to 4 days. This makes 6 big sandwiches like the ones in the photo so you might want to freeze some of the mixture.

IF FREEZING:

You may freeze the mixture in a rigid sided container for up to 4 months. When you would like to use your chickpea salad mixture just put it in the fridge to defrost overnight.

You can also heat it in the microwave until defrosted on the defrost mode.

The sandwich is really good warm too!

🥪 Delicious sandwiches

• This Roasted Vegetable Sandwich is layers upon layers of flavors and it just drips with goodness.
• Oh, my word! This Vegan Muffuletta Sandwich is a fantastic feast.
• You wouldn't want to miss having jackfruit in your life so make sure this Pulled Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich gets on your list.

If you take a photo of your comforting vegan chickpea salad sandwich I would love to see it. Follow me over on Instagram and tag me on your photo @vegan_in_the_freezer.

📋 Recipe

This post has been updated from Sept. 16, 2014 with clearer instructions and photos. It has continued to be one of the most popular recipes on the blog.