Chickpea salad sandwich
Mashed chickpeas with crunchy celery, lemon, mustard and a creamy dressing, tucked into whole-grain bread. A quick lunch that starts with cooked beans.
Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.
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Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.
Step timeline
Cooking order
8 leftDry the chickpeas
~5 minDry the chickpeas.
Rinse and drain 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas.
Pat them dry with a clean towel so the sandwich filling does not become watery.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cupsCooked chickpeas
Mash for texture
~1 minMash for texture.
Put the chickpeas in a bowl and mash with a fork until most are broken but some small pieces remain.
Avoid turning them into a smooth puree.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups total for recipeCooked chickpeas
Mix the dressing
~3 minMix the dressing.
In a small bowl, stir 2 tbsp yogurt, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp lemon juice until smooth.
Ingredients
- 2 tbspPlain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbspMayonnaise
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 tbspLemon juice
Combine the filling
~3 minCombine the filling.
Fold the dressing into the chickpeas with 2 oz celery, 1 tbsp dill, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp salt.
Taste and stir until evenly coated.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups total for recipeCooked chickpeas
- 2 ozCelery
- 1 tbspDill
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper
- 1/8 tspKosher salt
Prepare the bread and vegetables
~1 minPrepare the bread and vegetables.
Lay out 4 slices bread.
Wash and dry 1 cup lettuce and pat 4 oz tomato slices dry.
Toast the bread if you prefer a sturdier sandwich.
Ingredients
- 4 slicesWhole-grain bread
- 1 cupLettuce leaves
- 4 ozTomato
Build the sandwiches
~1 minBuild the sandwiches.
Cover the bottom bread slices with lettuce, then add chickpea filling and tomato.
Close with the remaining bread and cut in half.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups total for recipeCooked chickpeas
- 4 slices total for recipeWhole-grain bread
- 1 cup total for recipeLettuce leaves
- 4 oz total for recipeTomato
Serve or pack cold
~1 minKeep packed sandwiches cold with an ice pack until lunch.
Serve meal
~1 minOnce all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.
Chickpea salad sandwich: Serve or pack cold.
Chickpea salad sandwich: Serve immediately, or refrigerate promptly in a covered container.
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Create a custom meal with what you have.
Read the traditional recipe
Ingredients
For 2 people
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 oz celery
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 4 slices whole-grain bread
- 1 cup lettuce leaves
- 4 oz tomato, sliced
Method
- Dry the chickpeasRinse and drain 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas. Pat them dry with a clean towel so the sandwich filling does not become watery.
- Mash for texturePut the chickpeas in a bowl and mash with a fork until most are broken but some small pieces remain. Avoid turning them into a smooth puree.
- Mix the dressingIn a small bowl, stir 2 tbsp yogurt, 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp lemon juice until smooth.
- Combine the fillingFold the dressing into the chickpeas with 2 oz celery, 1 tbsp dill, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp salt. Taste and stir until evenly coated.
- Prepare the bread and vegetablesLay out 4 slices bread. Wash and dry 1 cup lettuce and pat 4 oz tomato slices dry. Toast the bread if you prefer a sturdier sandwich.
- Build the sandwichesCover the bottom bread slices with lettuce, then add chickpea filling and tomato. Close with the remaining bread and cut in half.
- Serve or pack coldServe immediately, or refrigerate promptly in a covered container. Keep packed sandwiches cold with an ice pack until lunch.
Before you cook
What to get ready
Mixing bowl, colander or salad spinner, cutting board and small dressing bowl.
Dry rinsed chickpeas and chop celery finely before mashing the filling.
If something needs adjusting
Bread becomes wet
Drain excess liquid from filling and tomato; use lettuce as a barrier and assemble close to eating.
A packed lunch loses texture
Pack dressing and crisp toppings separately, then combine just before eating. Keep perishable ingredients cold during transport.
Store for later
Refrigerate prepared ingredients promptly in covered containers. Keep dressing separate when possible and serve cold; use an insulated bag with ice packs for transport.
Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.
Make the ingredients go further
Use extra dill and yogurt in an egg-salad lunch.
Next use for your ingredients: Egg salad sandwich →
Calculate this meal with your own prices →
How to Prep Vegetables for the Week →
Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.
Tips, swaps and questions
A little kitchen know-how
Drying the chickpeas and tomato keeps the filling creamy and the bread sturdier. A lettuce layer also helps separate the bread from the filling.
Make it work for you
Use plant-based yogurt and vegan mayonnaise for a vegan version. Finely diced cucumber can replace celery if it is patted dry first.
Cook another can of chickpeas into chana masala.
Can I make the chickpea filling ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate it promptly in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Assemble close to eating. Keep the filling cold; discard it if left out over 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.