Smashed Chickpea Sandwich (No Mayo!)

– vegan – gluten free optional – oil free – refined sugar free – low fat –

The queen of all vegan sandwiches. My boyfriend, Eric, will tell you it’s the greatest sandwich of all time! This smashed chickpea sandwich vaguely mimics a chicken salad sandwich, but veganized and, in my humble opinion, much more flavorful. The diced pickles and red onion paired with the smashed chickpeas give this sandwich such a lovely texture and unique flavor. I’ve yet to meet a person (vegan or not) that doesn’t absolutely love it!

Which bread is healthiest?

Arguably one of the healthiest types of bread, Ezekiel bread takes #1 in my heart. While most bread is made from processed wheat flour, Ezekiel bread is flourless, made from sprouted live whole grains and legumes like wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt. The benefits of sprouted live whole grains is a higher nutrient profile, less starch and easier digestibility. On top of this, Ezekiel bread is a complete protein containing 18 total amino acids. Ezekiel bread can either be found in the bread section or the freezer section of your grocery store. Note: this brand makes both gluten-containing and gluten-free bread, however, sprouting promotes easier digestion, so even those with a gluten sensitivity can often tolerate gluten-containing Ezekiel bread. Fortunately, you can buy this bread fairly cheap on Amazon here. If you are looking for Ezekiel bread in your grocery store, check both the bread aisle and the freezer section.

Aside from Ezekiel bread, I will typically buy fresh made bread right from the bakery at my local grocery store, since it doesn’t contain all the additives and preservatives in most bread. My favorite is sourdough because it is the easiest to digest!

Ways to use this smashed chickpea mixture:

• In a sandwich. There are endless toppings you can add like lettuce, tomato, bean sprouts, vegan ranch, celery, shredded carrots, avocado, etc. 
• In finger sandwiches. They make a great potluck party or BBQ dish!
• Don’t want to use bread? This chickpea mix tastes wonderful on top of a leafy green salad.
• As a dip for veggies.

Kitchen essentials:

• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Food processor (optional)

Substitutions:

• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): Ideally, you could use any type of bean, but chickpeas pair best with this flavor combination.
• Hummus: can be swapped for vegan mayo, but I recommend using hummus for a more nutritious option.
• Pickles and red onion: can be swapped for any of your favorite diced veggies.
• Ezekiel bread: can be substituted for your bread of choice. See above for more of my favorite healthy bread options.

If you loved this smashed chickpea sandwich, I highly recommend trying some of my other favorite quick vegan fixes:

• Ultimate Vegan BLT Sandwich
• Grilled Banana PB& J Sandwich
• Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Chickpea Greek Salad
• Garlicky Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos (Vegan)

Smashed Chickpea Sandwich (No Mayo!)

Recipe by Slow Down Company Course: Main Dishes, LunchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

0

minutes

Total time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well

• 1/3 cup plain hummus

• 1/4 cup diced pickles

• 1/4 cup diced red onion

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp dried dill

• 1/2 tsp dried parsley

• 4-6 romaine lettuce leaves (or lettuce of choice)

• 4 slices Ezekiel bread (or bread of choice. See more options above)

Directions

• Smash chickpeas. On a large plate or cutting board, lay out the chickpeas. Use a fork to roughly mash them. I like to keep a few whole chickpeas for more texture. Alternatively, you can use a food processor and pulse a few times (especially helpful if making a large batch). Don’t blend too much or it will become more of a thick hummus-like texture.
• Make the chickpea mix. In a mixing bowl, combine the smashed chickpeas with the hummus, diced pickles, red onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dill and parsley.
• Prepare the sandwich. Scoop about half of the chickpea mix on to one slice of bread, then top with a few pieces of lettuce, any other toppings you would like, and the second piece of bread. Repeat for the second sandwich. Enjoy!

Notes

• This recipe makes 2 sandwiches. The nutrition label is based on 1 sandwich.
• The smashed chickpea mix can be left in the fridge for up to a week.

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