This isn't any ol' mashed chickpea salad, y'all. This quick lunch is creamy with crunchy elements, juicy grapes, and just tons of FLAVOR! Weekday lunches are easy with a container of creamy mashed chickpea salad in the fridge.
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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!
Mash the chickpeas with a fork or in your food processor, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. You can serve mashed chickpea salad in a sandwich, pita, or wrap or spoon it over salad greens or lettuce wraps.
This mashed chickpea salad is based on my favorite chicken salad growing up, which had sweet, sliced grapes in it. The juicy grapes contrast so well with the creamy dressing, crunchy celery and sunflower seeds, and earthy mashed chickpeas in this salad!
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!
Looking for more make-ahead salads for quick lunches? Check out my collection of vegan bean salad recipes!
💖 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- quick and easy to make
- simple, everyday ingredients
- delicious mixture of flavors and textures
- versatile! Serve as a sandwich, wrap, pita, or lettuce wrap. Or, dish over salad greens or with crackers and crunchy veggies for dipping.
- naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- chickpea - Cooked, drained, mashed chickpeas are the base for this salad. You can use canned or homemade.
- vegan mayo - You can use non-dairy yogurt or garlic cashew cream instead, if you prefer.
- veggies - Celery and onion add umami and crunch.
- sunflower seeds - For more protein and crunch! You can use chopped walnuts, if you prefer.
- seasonings - Dijon mustard, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper add extra flavor dimensions. You can also add a sprinkle of fresh herbs, like dill or parsley, for even more flavor.
- grapes - I like how red grapes look in this salad, but you can use green grapes, if you prefer. If grapes in chickpea salad doesn't sound like your jam, just omit them.
🔪 How to Make Mashed Chickpea Salad
In a medium sized bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork. You can also use a food processor, to do this even faster. A little bit of chunkiness is fine. You're going for a mashed chickpea texture, not a totally smooth, hummus situation.
Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl with the mashed chickpeas. Stir to combine everything really well, and you are ready to serve! Serve in a sandwich or pita, lettuce wraps, over salad greens, or with crackers or veggies for dipping.
💡 Helpful Tip
Mashing the chickpeas by hand eliminates a dish, but I find it very annoying. A food processor will get the job done in seconds! Do not process all of the ingredients, however, because you want them to add texture.
🫙 How to Store and Serve
Mashed chickpea salad will keep for three to five days in a closed container in the refrigerator.
Serve this in a sandwich, wrap, or pita with lettuce, tomato, and pickled onion or pickled shallots. You can also serve over salad greens or in lettuce wraps for a lighter lunch.
For a snack, mashed chickpea salad is great with celery, carrots, and/or crackers to dip.
💬 Frequently asked questions
This salad keeps for 3 to 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.
These are just different names for the same thing. Whatever you call it, they're the base for this delicious salad!
🥪 More Vegan Sandwiches
📖 Recipe
Mashed Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can of chickpeas drained. Or use 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas.
- ⅓ cup vegan mayo
- ⅓ cup quartered red grapes optional
- ¼ cup minced celery
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork. You can also use a food processor to do this even faster. A little bit of chunkiness is fine. You're going for a mashed chickpea texture, not a totally smooth, hummus situation.
- Add the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine them well with the mashed chickpeas. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper, if needed. Serve in a sandwich or pita, over salad greens, or with crackers or veggies for dipping.
Diana
Loved it!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Diana!