This delicious vegan smashed chickpea salad is dotted with dill pickles, celery, and onions. It’s a satisfying filling for sandwiches and wraps. Comes together in one bowl in just 15 minutes!

Vegan-chickpea salad on a plate with pita bread.

This is a sponsored post by Tormek as part of our ongoing partnership. The opinions and text are all mine.

What is Vegan Smashed Chickpea Salad?

If you love an easy one-bowl recipe that is satisfying, full of nostalgic flavor, and perfect for filling wraps, sandwiches, and pitas, let me introduce you to vegan smashed chickpea salad! It’s my plant-based version of classic tuna salad featuring our good friend the chickpea.

Growing up, I practically lived on tuna salad sandwiches. It was my favorite school lunch. While other kids were chowing down on their fluffernutters, I took blissful creamy bites dotted with crunchy celery, spicy onion, and salty pickles…and then tackled recess.

A lot has changed since then, but I still love that satisfying combination of flavors. Now chickpeas are the protein-rich hero of this vegan salad story. I promise, your lunchbox and tummy won’t be disappointed!

Simple Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a look at what’s in this recipe plus some ingredient notes.

Chickpeas – Use homemade or canned.

Vegan mayonnaise – Similar to my Vegan Egg Salad, rich and creamy vegan mayonnaise marries all the flavors together.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice – for a bright tangy zing!

Dijon mustard – adds a salty layer and sharp umami tang.

Dried dill weed – I use dried dill for simplicity. Feel free to use fresh dill weed if available. You’ll need 1 tablespoon of fresh dill.

Dill pickle spears – Vegan chickpea salad wouldn’t be complete without salty dill pickles! Scrape the cucumber seeds away with the sharp side of your knife before dicing.

Celery stalk including leaves – Finely chopping celery leaves adds even more celery flavor.

Red onion – for a colorful spicy kick.

Salt & black pepper – To enhance the flavor of our ingredients.

How to Make This Recipe (with photos)

When you’re ready to make this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post. You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements there.

dicing ingredients for smashed chickpea salad.

smashing chickpeas in a flat bottomed bowl.

1. In a large mixing bowl, ideally with a flat bottom, tumble in the chickpeas. Use a potato masher to mash the chickpeas. You want the chickpeas to stick together with some texture and a few whole beans remaining. Some of the skins will come off and that’s okay.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the mayo, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dill, salt, and pepper until smooth. Scoop the dressing on top of the mashed chickpeas. Then use a flexible spatula to mix it all together.

mixing in celery, pickles, and onions to chickpea salad.

3. Add the pickles, celery, and onion to the bowl. Mix again so all the ingredients are well combined. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to your liking. Scroll down for serving suggestions!

Vegan chickpea salad on a plate with lemon slices.

How to Store

When stored properly, vegan smashed chickpea salad holds its flavor and texture for days making it excellent for meal prep!

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

This recipe can also be frozen in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator keeping in mind that you may need to perk up the chickpea salad by mixing in an extra dollop of vegan mayo.

FAQs

Can I use dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)?

Yes! You can absolutely use dried chickpeas that you cook yourself. This allows you to customize the texture and amount of salt.

Click HERE for a complete guide on How to Cook Dried Chickpeas.

Can I make this recipe in a food processor?

Since we want some texture with a few whole chickpeas in our salad, I don’t recommend using a food processor. The powerful blades will quickly turn your salad into hummus.
Arm yourself with a potato masher! It efficiently gives you the ideal texture.
Hint, you can even use the bottom of an ice cream scoop. You just need something sturdy to mash the chickpeas.

Does vegan chickpea salad taste like tuna salad?

Chickpeas do not have the fishy taste of tuna. However, if you love that “taste of the sea”, finely chop 2 sheets of nori and whisk them into the mayonnaise dressing. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.

Is smashed chickpea salad healthy?

Yep! Just like tuna, chickpeas are high in protein and rich in fiber. You also get to skip the cholesterol of egg-based mayonnaise with rich and creamy vegan mayonnaise.

Eating vegan smashed chickpea salad with pita bread.

Ways to Serve Smashed Chickpea Salad

This recipe is meant to be served cold or at room temperature.

Wraps: My favorite way to use vegan chickpea salad is in a wrap. It’s so convenient to plop a scoop on a tortilla, add a layer of lettuce, and roll it up! For a gluten-free wrap, use a large piece of fluffy lettuce in place of the tortilla.

Sandwiches: If you’re a sandwich girl like me, layer vegan chickpea salad with lettuce and tomatoes, BLT style, for a quick and satisfying lunch.

Pita: Just like wraps and sandwiches, stuffing pita bread with vegan chickpea salad is the best kind of savory, crunchy, salty, goodness.

Salads: You can enjoy vegan chickpea salad all by itself! It’s also really good on a bed of lettuce topped with avocado slices, capers, or vegan feta cheese.

Knife sharpener used for preparing recipes. — Tormek T1 Knife Sharpner in the new carbon black color! 🙌🏼

More Yummy Recipes with Chickpeas

School’s out now but you have all summer to load up your picnic basket! I hope the sun is shining and this fun little recipe finds its way to your lunch plate! Bonus points if you can spot my ladybug friend in this photo! 🐞

Cheers for June July and August!

X,o,

Vegan Smashed Chickpea Salad

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