Last year, when we visited Boulder, Colorado, for a dear friend’s wedding, they served sandwiches for us vegetarians—specifically, those of us who don’t eat onion or garlic. The sandwiches were from a local shop where my goddaughter had worked. One combination that stood out was a chickpea salad filling. It was delicious and reminded me of a recipe from an old Moosewood cookbook that I used to make when the children were small. I no longer have the book, but I remember that the most important ingredient was finely chopped raw celery, and I built the recipe from there. When I make our weekly bread, these sandwiches become a quick and easy meal for my husband to take to work.

tips

  • Ensure that all ingredients are chopped finely into small pieces.
  • When mixing, use a flexible spatula to break up chickpeas and blend the ingredients.
  • Cook your own chickpeas for a healthier, tastier, moister result.

 

Scroll to the bottom for some sandwich-wrapping tips!

how to make your chickpea sandwich filler

prepare dried chickpeas

Soak the chickpeas overnight in ¼ teaspoon of bicarbonate soda. After soaking, bring them to a boil for 5 minutes, then simmer for 1 to 2 hours until cooked. About ¾ cup of dried chickpeas will yield approximately 2 cups of cooked chickpeas.

mash the chickpeas

Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher or a fork. Alternatively, you can use a food processor, but be careful not to over-process; you want to maintain some texture. Add in all your liquid ingredients.

prepare the celery

Start by thinly slicing the celery, as this will be added raw, along with the chilli, pickled cucumber and fresh herbs.

combine everything

Now it’s time to mix! Stir everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust the ingredients: you can add more tahini for creaminess or increase the pickled cucumber or lemon juice for a tangier flavour.

Enjoy!

chickpea celery sandwich filler

Serves 6 – 8 sandwiches

ingredients

2 cups/300g cooked chickpeas (follow instructions above)

zest of full lemon

1 Tbsp/15g lemon juice

¼ cup/55g tahini

2 Tbsp/20g olive oil

4 celery stalks (160g), finely chopped

1 jalapeno chilli, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped

¼ cup/12g finely chopped dill 

¼ cup/12g finely chopped parsley

4 small (65g) pickled cucumbers, finely chopped

½ tsp fine rock salt and cracked pepper to taste

few slices of sourdough bread

preparation

  1. Add the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and roughly mash them using a potato masher. A fork works well, but I like using a potato masher as it’s more efficient.
  2. Once mashed, add in the zest, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil. Mix with a spatula until combined.
  3. Add the celery, chilli, dill, parsley, pickled cucumber, and season with black pepper and salt. Mix until combined. If needed, add more tahini or olive oil, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the creaminess you prefer. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
  4. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Not only does this salad taste best cold, but it also allows for the flavours to meld together and create a richer flavour.
  5. Spread vegan mayo on both sides of the bread, add a spoonful of chickpea salad, layer with thick slices of tomato and crunchy lettuce, and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

other serving suggestions

  • As a dip for crackers or vegetables
  • Spooned into lettuce cups
  • Added to grain bowls or salads for extra protein

how to wrap your sandwich without tape

Use baking paper (parchment paper). Wrapping your sandwich in baking or parchment paper is a good option because the material is porous, allowing your bread to breathe while still keeping excess moisture away.

 instructions (video below)

  1. Start with a 10” x 15” piece of baking paper or parchment paper (or wax paper, butcher paper).
  2. Place your sandwich in the center. Bring the two short ends together above the sandwich and fold down in 1-inch increments, creasing each fold until level with the sandwich.
  3. Tug on the folds to snug the paper around the sandwich and press down on the ends.
  4. Fold one loose end under the sandwich and tuck it into the bottom piece of parchment, tugging on the bottom end as needed.
  5. Repeat on the other side.
  6. Tuck the remaining loose end into the fold on the first side and repeat on the second side. You now have an upscale sandwich wrap!
  7. When preparing sandwiches for a hike, you can cut them in half after wrapping them in paper. Then, place the wrapped sandwiches in a tin to keep air out and make them easy to carry on the go.