Weekday lunches are easy with a container of creamy, flavorful mashed chickpea salad in the fridge. This salad is seriously the BEST!
Y'all, I have been struggling at lunchtime lately. Unless we have leftovers in the fridge, every day it feels like I am just learning for the first time that humans need to eat lunch. A batch of mashed chickpea salad in the fridge offers a deliciously easy solution!
Need more vegan lunch ideas? Try my Magical Tofu Salad or Southwest-Style Pinwheel Sandwiches
The recipe only takes a few minutes to make, and it makes four days' worth of lunches for one person. Double or triple the recipe, and you have lunches for the whole family for almost a full school/work week!
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Ingredients & variations
- sliced grapes - This vegan chickpea salad recipe is a lovely mix of savory ingredients with a hint of sweet from sliced grapes. I love using red or black grapes in this recipe for a pop of color, but green will work just as well. If you think grapes and chickpeas together doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, though, feel free to leave them out. This recipe is still super flavorful without them.
- sunflower seeds - I also love adding nuts or seeds to mayo-based salads for a crunchy texture contrast. This recipe uses sunflower seeds for that effect. You can omit the sunflower seeds, if this isn't your thing, or replace them with chopped walnuts or almonds.
- vegan mayo - If you want to make this with no mayo, use garlic cashew cream instead. You can also use curry mayo for a curried smashed chickpea salad! Deep, curry seasonings go so well with sweet grapes.
- veggies - Celery and onions are the veggies I use in this dish, but feel free to add other veggies, too! Minced carrot and/or bell pepper are both tasty additions to mashed chickpea salad. So are green onions and fresh herbs.
How to make mashed chickpea salad
The first step in this recipe is to mash your chickpeas. When you're mashing, don't worry about getting them totally smooth. You're going for a chunky texture, not hummus.
Once you're all mashed, add vegan mayo, celery, onion, and toasted sunflower seeds. Stir everything up until you have an even mixture.
Now it's grapes time! The reason I have you add the grapes at the end is because grapes can be on the delicate side. You don't want to smush them! Gently fold them into the salad, season with salt and pepper to taste, and you are ready to serve.
Serving suggestions
Think of chickpea salad as the vegan equivalent of chicken salad that does not taste like chicken salad.
You can serve chickpea salad anywhere that you’d serve chicken salad:
- scooped over a heap of greens
- piled onto whole grain bread
- stuffed into a pita or wrap
- with crackers on the side for dipping
It's a true treat when you want a quick lunch that's also reasonably healthy.
How to store it
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for three to five days in the fridge.
I don't recommend storing these as fully made sandwiches for longer than overnight, because they will get soggy with time.
If you do need to pre-make chickpea salad sandwiches, go for a hearty, whole grain bread and toast it lightly. A bit of lettuce between the salad and bread can also help prevent sogginess.
📖 Recipe
Mashed Chickpea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas - drained
- ⅓ cup vegan mayo
- ¼ cup minced celery
- ¼ cup minced sweet onion
- ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup quartered red grapes
- salt and black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork. You can also use a food processor, if you prefer. A little bit of chunkiness is fine. You're going for a mashed chickpea texture, not a totally smooth, hummus situation.
- Add the mayo, celery, onion, and sunflower seeds. Stir to combine them will with the mashed chickpeas.
- Gently fold in the grapes until they're evenly incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
This salad keeps for 3-5 days.
So many things! Chickpeas are a versatile bean that go well in lots of savory dishes.
Smash them up into a chickpea salad with vegan mayo and veggies. Simmer them in tomato-based sauces. Add them to soups and chilis. Season them with curry spices and serve them over rice for an easy meal. The possibilities are endless!
Chickpea salad can be vegan, depending on the dressing. Vegan mayo is a common dressing on chickpea salad.
Diana
Loved it!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Diana!