This simple chickpea avocado sandwich is SO flavorful, creamy and done within 10 minutes. Great for quick vegan lunches that are incredibly filling and super healthy too.
This simple mashed chickpea avocado sandwich recipe makes for such an amazing vegan alternative to the classic tuna or chicken salad sandwich.
The chickpeas are crushed to a coarse consistency to create a hearty base filled with fiber and plant-based protein. Then comes the mashed avocado that brings that amazing creaminess without having to use any dairy at all (and no vegan yogurt or vegan mayonnaise!).
The mixture is paired with a nice contrasting crunch from the celery and red onion, plus a generous squeeze of lemon juice to add a nice zesty flavor. SO GOOD!
BUT, the best part might be how easy and quick it is to make. Some of you have been asking specifically for speedy vegan lunches, so I'm sure you will love this one! You can simply mash both the avocado and chickpeas together using a potato masher (no food processor required), then add the flavoring ingredients. All in one bowl and done under 10 minutes, so ridiculously easy!
We love this recipe to make healthy sandwiches or to fill tortilla wraps and I like that I can make it ahead for lunches during the week. You can also mash it very nicely to use as a thick dip for crackers. Our kids loved it!
Hope you love it too! ❤️
What's to love about this recipe
- Not expensive
- Easy and FAST
- Very versatile
- Healthy
- High-protein and filling
- Great for meal-prep
- Perfect for healthy vegan lunches
- Dairy-free, gluten-free (choose GF bread) and oil-free.
Ingredients you will need
- Chickpeas: I used one can to to make 2 sandwiches. You can also cook your own chickpeas to make it!
- Avocado: One large avocado is enough to bind all the ingredients together and make the mixture super creamy. Make sure to use a fully ripe avocado without any bitter dark spots.
- Lemon juice: brings that amazing zesty flavor to brighten up the whole mix and highlight the other flavors. Lime juice could also be used instead.
- Celery: I love celery in this mixture! Adds a nice freshness and a good crunch.
- Red onion: for a mild onion-y flavor. Can also swap for green onion. Yellow onion could work too if you can handle a more pungent flavor.
- Spices: onion powder, garlic powder, salt and dried dill makes for the perfect match here, but feel free to use different spices depending on your taste.
How to make it
Mash
Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas well. Then, add to a large shallow bowl. Scoop out the avocado flesh over the chickpeas and also add the onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt.
Then, use a fork or potato masher to mash the mixture to a coarse consistency.
Finish up
Add the celery and red onion and stir to combine. Then, taste and add more salt and flavoring ingredients if needed.
Make the sandwich
When ready to eat, toast the bread and then pile a generous amount of the chickpea mixture. Also layer with lettuce, sprouts, slices of tomatoes, etc. Eat right away. Enjoy!
Watch how to make it
A few helpful tips
- Try to keep some texture when mashing the mixture. You want it creamy enough so it holds well, but keeping some whole chickpeas is nice to keep the texture interesting.
- Taste, taste and taste! Add more salt and other spices if needed.
- Don't omit the lemon juice... not only will it add more fresh flavor, but also will significantly slow down the browning process of the avocado.
- You could use a food processor to make it, although be careful as the mixture will quickly become over processed using it. In that case, I would highly recommend to keep a handful of chickpeas aside and add them back still whole to the mixture to add some extra texture, especially if the mixture ended up being too processed.
- Don't forget to toast the bread first if possible. The mixture is creamy and soft which will work a little better with toasted bread.
Variations to the recipe
You can use this recipe as a base and flavor the mixture differently. This can keep things interesting if you end up loving this recipe and want to make it regularly for lunches so you can swap the flavoring. Here are a few ideas:
- Curry chickpea avocado sandwich: make the mixture as is and add a nice pinch of curry and cumin powder.
- Pesto chickpea avocado sandwich: you can omit the dried spices and simply add a spoonful of pesto if you have some on hand.
- Herbed chickpea sandwich: add a generous amount of fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley or basil. Mint would also work well and make it super fresh.
- Spicy chickpea sandwich: add cayenne pepper or a few drops of spicy sauce!
Other ingredients you can add to the mixture are diced red pepper, shredded carrots, hummus, turmeric powder, chopped pickles, olives, etc.
Serving suggestions
My go-to way to serve it is in sandwiches. It just holds well and reminds me of a tuna sandwich.
But we also love to fill burritos using this mixture and load it with crunchy lettuce and tomatoes. This sandwich would also pair well with baby spinach, sliced cucumber, pickles, pickled red onion, shredded purple cabbage, dijon mustard, etc.
You can also use leftover mixture over salads to boost the protein and fiber content and add a creamy factor to the dish. Or simply make lettuce wraps using this recipe (bibb or butter lettuce kind).
You can also serve the mixture in a bowl and use it as a dip for crackers, pita or tortilla bread, veggies stick, etc.
This recipe also makes for a great picnic inspiration or also a nice filling sandwich ideas for lunch boxes for kids (made nut-free!).
Storage tips
Keep in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 days. Make sure it is protected from ambient air so the avocado does not turn brown too quickly (although the lemon juice will help slow that down). Stir well before serving.
You can also make the sandwiches ahead, but in that case, avoid adding tomatoes or cucumber slices as they would turn the bread soggy while resting.
More vegan sandwich recipes you might like
- Smoky tofu sandwich
- Vegan black bean burrito
- Vegan cucumber sandwiches
- Balsamic tofu wraps
- Eggless salad sandwich
- Tofu scramble breakfast sandwich
- Creamy beet pickle sandwiches
- Vegan buffalo 'Chicken' Sandwich
- Vegan chickpea gyros
- Jackfruit burgers
- Breaded tofu wraps
- Oyster mushroom burgers
- Roasted vegetable sandwich
- Vegan sloppy joes
- BBQ jackfruit wraps
Other quick lunch recipes to try
- Chickpea patties
- Quinoa and brown rice Southwestern salad
- Rainbow salad bowl with tahini orange dressing
- 20-minute sesame kale noodles
- Curried carrot ginger soup
- Mexican black bean avocado toasts
- Apple kale salad with apple cider dressing
- Vegan spinach quiche
- Leek potato soup
- Bean and corn salad with chili-lime dressing
I hope you like this avocado chickpea sandwich as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Chickpea Avocado Sandwich
Ingredients
- 15.5 oz canned chickpeas - rinsed and drained
- 1 large avocado
- ¼ cup celery - finely diced
- 2 tbsp red onion or green onion - finely diced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- salt - to taste
For the sandwiches
- slices of bread
- slices of tomato
- lettuce or sprouts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas and avocado with the onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt (use a potato masher or a fork). Keep mashing until desired consistency, but try to keep some texture.
- Then, add the celery and red onion and stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavor to your taste.
- Build your sandwich with the mixture and your favorite fixings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. The avocado might slightly turn brown if resting for too long, but will still be good (although the lemon juice will slow down the browning process).
- You can flavor the mixture with curry powder, cayenne pepper for some heat or add a handful of fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley.
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