I love this smashed chickpea salad! It’s great on sandwiches and wraps, and I also like it on top of salads. Like tuna or egg salad, it’s quick, easy to make, and perfect for lunch.
I love how easy this smashed chickpea salad is to make. It’s my go-to lunch during the week. This salad is quick and uses just a few inexpensive ingredients. It’s a lifesaver mid-week when I need something delicious, filling, and healthy.
For those of you who’ve been following along, you know we love chickpeas and have many chickpea recipes on Inspired Taste. This one is a definite winner. Think of it as a vegetarian take on tuna salad or egg salad, but made with smashed chickpeas. For another favorites, see our curried chickpea salad bowls.
Key Ingredients
- Chickpeas: You can use drained canned chickpeas or home-cooked chickpeas in this salad. Home-cooked chickpeas tend to be a bit softer. To see how we cook chickpeas for recipes like this one, see our guide on how to cook dried chickpeas. You can also substitute them with any other white bean (like cannellini or Great Northern).
- Mayonnaise or Vegan Mayo: I like this smashed salad on the creamy side, so I add a few tablespoons of mayonnaise. For a vegan chickpea salad, use vegan mayo. For another twist, try mashed avocado (like in our avocado egg salad) or plain yogurt. Keep in mind that avocado will make the salad less tangy, while yogurt adds a different tang.
- Dijon Mustard and Lemon: These add a squeeze of bright flavor. Chickpeas by themselves are pretty plain, so you need a little extra oomph to make this salad really delicious. If you don’t have lemon, try white wine vinegar or lime.
- Capers: I love adding something a little salty. In my tuna salad, I use dill pickles, but for this salad, I love roughly chopped capers.
- Celery, Green Onion, and Dill: These add a bit of crunch, fresh flavor, and color. The dill is optional and can be left out or substituted with another herb like parsley or cilantro.
Easy Smashed Chickpea Salad
- PREP
- TOTAL
We love this mashed chickpea salad, which we spread onto sandwiches and wraps, and we love to serve a big spoonful on top of salads. If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, other beans like cannellini beans, Great Northern, and fava beans are great!
You Will Need
2 (15oz) cans chickpeas or 3 cups (500g) cooked chickpeas
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional
1 lemon wedge, or more to taste
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Directions
1If using canned chickpeas, open the can and drain, then rinse the chickpeas under cold water. For home-cooked beans, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the cooking liquid.
2Add chickpeas to a medium bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher. They do not need to be completely smooth. Leave some larger pieces for texture.
3Add the mayonnaise, mustard, capers, celery, green onion, dill, and the juice from the lemon wedge. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix well.
4Taste, and then adjust with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
5Serve on top of salads or as a sandwich.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store the salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days. We do not recommend freezing this salad.
- Canned beans: You can save the liquid in the can. It is called aquafaba and has a few interesting uses, such as making vegan mayo or as an egg replacer. Here’s our guide to aquafaba to learn more. We also use it when making our favorite homemade hummus.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Really good and satisfying. Skipped the dill and the scallions. Added some herbs de provence because I felt like it. Reminded me a bit of potato salad.
Hi Carrie, We are so happy you gave it a try! Love your changes.
Fabulous idea – delish result. Thanks for the inspiration. Loved it!
We are so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back!