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This smashed chickpea sandwich recipe is a healthy, protein-packed vegan lunch that comes together in minutes! It’s perfect for meal prep, too.
There are a lot of meat substitutes available these days, but the best substitute for tuna or chicken salad might just be sitting in your pantry already—a humble can of chickpeas.
Even if you’re not vegan or vegetarian, you will love this smashed chickpea sandwich recipe. It’s packed with big flavors like garlicky hummus, tangy lemon, and cumin, and it’s also full of contrasting textures—crunchy cucumber, soft avocado, and creamy smashed chickpeas. So good.
Best of all, you can make a big batch of smashed chickpeas and have an easy work lunch ready to go for the rest of the week. Use it to make these smashed chickpea sandwiches, or have it in lettuce cups, wraps, or add it to salads.
(Looking for more simple sandwich ideas? Try my Tuna Melt, Loaded Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich, or English Tea Sandwiches next.)
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Bread – White bread, a hearty whole wheat bread, sourdough—whatever you like!
- Canned chickpeas – Drained and rinsed.
- Ripe avocado
- Hummus – You can substitute this with mayo or Greek yogurt if you’d like.
- Red onion
- Cilantro – Not a fan? Parsley works, too!
- Seedless cucumber – Or use a regular cucumber and scoop out the seeds.
- Spring onions
- Lemon
- Ground cumin
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Microgreens or greens like arugula, spinach, or lettuce – These are optional.
Can I Use Dried Chickpeas?
If you prefer, you can use dried chickpeas that have been cooked. To cook dried chickpeas, simply simmer them in water for 45 minutes to an hour, or until they are soft. You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas for this recipe.
How to Make Smashed Chickpea Sandwiches
This recipe is a cinch to put together, so it’s great when you want to meal prep, but don’t have a lot of time. Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Smash the chickpeas. Combine the chickpeas, avocado, hummus, lemon juice, and herbs in a large bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to smash the chickpeas, leaving some chunks for texture.
Finish the chickpea mixture. Fold in the chopped cucumbers, onions, cumin, black pepper, salt, and spring onions.
Assemble. Toast the bread and top half the slices with the smashed chickpeas and greens. Press the other slices of bread on top, then serve.
Tips for Success
Here are some hints and tips for making perfect smashed chickpea sandwiches.
- Choose a sturdy bread for meal prep. If you want to assemble your sandwiches in advance and keep them in the fridge for a few days, use a thick, sturdy bread so the sandwiches don’t get soggy.
- Use ripe avocado. Be sure to use ripe avocados that are soft to the touch, but not mushy. You want them to be soft enough that you can easily smash them with the chickpeas.
- Make it in a food processor. As an alternative to smashing, you can pulse the chickpea mixture in a food processor until it reaches your desired texture.
Variations
Want to switch things up? Just like with chicken salad and tuna salad, you can easily customize this smashed chickpea sandwich recipe.
- If you want a bit more zing in your sandwich, try adding some chopped dill pickles or capers to the filling.
- If you’re not vegan, you can add some crumbled feta cheese or grated Parmesan.
- If you’re not a fan of cumin, try using curry powder in its place.
- If you want more crunch, swap the cucumbers for celery.
How to Store Leftovers
Smashed chickpeas will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, and assembled sandwiches will keep for 2 to 3 days. Store them in an airtight container or wrap each sandwich individually in plastic wrap.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
The filling for these sandwiches can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Smashed Chickpea Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 slices bread
- 16 ounce (454 g) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) plain hummus, can substitute with mayo or Greek yogurt
- Juice from 1 lemon
- ¼ cup (4 g) chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 seedless cucumber, chopped fine
- ½ red onion, chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 tablespoons (12 g) chopped spring onions
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Microgreens or greens like arugula, spinach, lettuce of your choice , optional
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas, avocado, hummus, lemon juice, and cilantro to a large bowl.
- Use a masher to smash the chickpeas, making sure to leave some chunks here and there. You don’t want the mixture to be too smooth and creamy.
- Now add the chopped cucumbers, onions, cumin, black pepper, salt, spring onions and mix.
- Toast the bread and apply a generous layer of the chickpea filling on one slice.
- Top the chickpea filling with some microgreens and cover it with another slice of bread.
- Repeat the same with the rest of the bread slices and filling. Serve room temperature and enjoy!
