I'm so happy to finally share this recipe with you!! I've spent months perfecting my ultimate chickpea salad recipe, and it's finally just right.
The idea of a vegan "salad" sandwich recipe has been on my mind for a while. Since going vegan, William has mentioned cravings for egg salad sandwiches multiple times. I really wanted to make all of his vegan egg salad sandwich dreams come true!
I eventually stumbled across a tasty looking chickpea salad recipe and I thought we were about to discover our new favourite sandwich!
Unfortunately, the recipe was a dud. Neither of us were very impressed. The texture was off, the flavours were bland, and NOTHING about it said egg salad. I was a little put off, besides hummus, could legumes really taste good in a sandwich?
Thankfully, I didn't let one bad experience spoil the idea of chickpea salad sandwiches for good. I ditched the recipe and decided to conquer this salad sandwich thing solo.
Boy am I glad I did! Now that I've got this one down, it has quickly become one of my very favourite recipes. It's SO addictive, I can easily eat an entire batch in a day. (Seriously, it NEVER lasts more than 2 days in our house, ever.)
Once I'd decided that the recipe was finally perfect, I made it once more just to make sure. I brought a container of it with me to a recent dinner and my very "unvegan" friend absolutely loved it and even insisted on taking the rest home! I definitely considered that a win for this recipe 😀
Now that I knew I had the recipe locked down I wanted to try something a little different. Since hearing about Lentil Recipe Revelations Challenge, I've been brainstorming and testing out new ways to eat more lentils. Oatmeal? Sure! Smoothies? Why not! Chickpea salad sandwiches? Umm... YES!!
When compared to chickpeas, lentils are lower in fat but higher in protein AND fibre. Split red lentils are my favourite variety of lentil because they cook really really fast, and they have a lovely soft and flaky texture. I knew they would make a fantastic addition to the recipe. I swapped ½ of chickpeas for cooked red lentils and hoped the recipe would still be as good.
Whaddaya know, the recipe got even better!
This high protein, veggie-packed sandwich filling is loaded with:
- chickpeas and red lentils (great source of healthy fats, protein, and fibre)
- dill, carrots, celery, green onion, and red bell pepper (optional)
- pickles
- vegan mayo
- nutritional yeast (provides a boost of B vitamins)
- black salt (adds that egg-y flavour)
- pepper
- lemon juice
The black salt, pickles, and dill really mimic the flavours of egg salad. Black salt (affiliate link) has quickly become one of my favourite ingredients for vegan cooking, it has a light sulphur flavour that compliments tofu scrambles, vegan quiches, and of course, chickpea-lentil salad sandwiches. Regular sea salt will work just fine in this recipe, you'll just miss out on some of the "egg-y" flavour.
Tips for the Perfect Vegan Salad Sandwich
1.) Finely chopped veggies 2.) Slightly mashed chickpeas 3.) Mashed chickpeas + cooked red lentils 4. + 5.) Combining the lentils, chickpeas, veggies, mayo, black salt, pepper, and lemon juice 6.) After puréeing ½ of the salad and mixing in the nutritional yeast.
- finely chop your veggies by hand or by using the chopping feature on your food processor.
- vary the texture by blending ⅓-1/2 the mixture and keeping the rest chunky (I like to use my immersion blender to purée some of the mixture, you can also pulse the mixture in your food processor.)
- the flavour of this salad is best after the mixture has chilled for a few hours or more
- black salt is key for that classic "egg-y" flavour
- the better the bread, the better the sandwich!
We're entering this recipe into Canadian Lentils Recipe Revelations Challenge. Each recipe is judged based on taste, appeal, use of lentils, simplicity, and social media popularity. We'd be so grateful if you could help us out by 'pinning' this recipe from the Canadian Lentils Recipe Revelations Challenge Pinterest board. Here's the link to pin. (Let us know if you pin our entry, we'd love to say thank you!)
If you'd like to enter or learn more about the contest, visit Canadian Lentils at Lentils.ca!
Update: Thank you so much for your support! Our Mashed Lentil + Chickpea Salad won the grand prize! 😀 The Big Southwest Lentil Salad Bowl was a finalist, and our Sweet Pumpkin Seed Protein Granola won for best photography. Thank you so much, you guys are the best!
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Lentil + Chickpea Salad Sandwiches {a.k.a. Vegan "Egg" Salad Sandwiches}
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Salad, Sandwich
- Cuisine: Vegan
Description
A hearty, high protein, veggie-packed salad that's delicious in a sandwich or with crackers. Black salt is the secret for that authentic "egg-y" flavour.
Ingredients
Lentil + Chickpea Salad
- 1 cup cooked red lentils
- 1 cup chickpeas, canned (drained)
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- ¼ red or green bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)
- 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 medium pickle, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 3-4 tablespoon vegan mayo (I use 4) (or sub for hummus)
- 2-3 tablespoon nutritional yeast (I use 3)
- ¼ tsp black salt
- black pepper, to taste
Lentil + Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- 2 slices of sprouted, whole grain, or gluten free bread
- ⅓-½ cup of lentil + chickpea salad
- 1-2 leaves of lettuce (butter, romaine, spinach, or iceberg)
Instructions
- Wash, chop and prepare all ingredients. Make sure the vegetables are chopped nice and fine. Feel free to use the chop/slice function on your food processor.
- Lightly mash chickpeas with a fork. Add the lentils, finely chopped vegetables, mayo, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, black salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
- Blend ⅓-1/2 of the mixture with an immersion blender (or use the pulse function on your food processor). Mix thoroughly with a fork to even out the texture.
- Optional: Chill for 3+ hours before serving.
Lentil + Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Scoop ⅓-1/2 cup of Lentil + Chickpea Salad on one slice of bread and lay 2 leaves of lettuce on the other slice of bread. Close the sandwich, slice diagonally and enjoy!
Notes
Serve this salad with crackers for a quick healthy snack.Approx. ½ cup dry red lentils (split) = 1 cup cooked. Rinse ½ cup dry red lentils (split). Add the lentils and 1 cup of unsalted water to a small-medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5-10 minutes (until lentils are just tender.)
Nikki
So we accidentally forgot to get red lentils at the store so we used green lentils knowing that it wouldn’t be right, but it turned out tasting like tuna salad instead! We added more lentils (3 cups) and only used regular salt because we didn’t have black salt. It was an amazing combination of flavors that I haven’t had since we went dairy-free vegetarian 5 years ago! I loved tuna fish salad sandwiches then but couldn’t stomach them when we changed our diet. This recipe (changed as it was) brought back all the good memories minus the guilt. Now I can’t wait to try it again, properly, to have it as an egg salad sandwich!
★★★★★
Julie Dickerson
Thank you for this recipe. I absolutely love it. I actually find myself craving it.
★★★★★
Brittany
Haha, me too!! Thanks so much Julie, I'm so glad you like it!
Kim
This is incredibly delicious. Our family had recently switched to a whole-food plant-based diet and it's really hit or miss finding recipes they enjoy. This one knocked it out of the park! I made it exactly as written and the flavors are delicious and it's very filling. I was concerned with all the veggies making it less like "egg" salad and more of just a salad. After I blended half it was the perfect consistency to replicate egg salad. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Brittany
Thank you SO much for commenting Kim! I'm so happy to hear your family enjoyed this recipe. Does your family like broccoli soup too? My vegan version is another reader favourite you might enjoy!
Kim
I'm all over your site and bookmarking recipes. I will definitely be trying that recipe and more. Thank you so much.
Brittany
Yay! So glad to hear it!! 😀
Sharon
HI
Can you tell me if you mean Gherkins for the pickle. I'm not sure what I would buy in UK. Can't wait to try this.
Thanks
Sharon
Brittany
Hi Sharon! Yep, gherkins are exactly what I mean. Thanks for commenting!
Mary
If I could give this recipe more than five stars I would. I cannot articulate how much I enjoy this recipe. I found it over a week ago online. And today is the fourth batch that I have made LOL. I cannot seem to get enough of this, the only thing I do not use that the recipe calls for is carrots. In my mind carrots just don't go in a egg salad. Even though I am not 100% vegan I don't think ever make traditional egg salad again. I shared it with my daughter who is 100% vegan and has been for many years when she came to visit last weekend. And of course I had to send the container I made home with her along with the recipe because she loved it so much. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe for all of us to try it truly is a gem 😊
★★★★★
Brittany
Mary, thank you very much for your lovely comment. I'm so happy to hear that you love this salad as much as I do! 😀
Mary
Well I have to say, that this recipe is absolutely fantastic. I myself am not completely vegan. I guess you call me a vegetarian. Although I do still ate some fish and chicken I am slowly phasing out all animal products. My daughter however is completely vegan and has been for many years. So I decided to try this today for her since she does not eat eggs. I do, but decided I give this a try as well. I will not be making egg salad in the future as and egg salad is completely bland compared to this recipe. So thank you again for sharing and I look forward to looking up more of your recipes. 😊
Athena
I've made this recipe multiple times and love it as is. Tonight, I was making a batch for lunch this week and realized I didn't have any vegan mayo or hummus on hand. I had some babaganoush, but it was starting to look questionable, and not something that would last for another week. So, to substitute, I used 1.5 Tbsp of dijon mustard, 1.5 Tbsp of coconut milk, and 1 Tbsp of coconut cream from the top of the can. Holy cow, it was good! I thought for sure I had ruined the salad by throwing this stuff in, but it came out nice and creamy with a sweet tang to it. To top it all off, I completely forgot the green onions in my frustration of not having any mayo, but I couldn't tell at all!
To all those worried about making this recipe or afraid to make substitutions because you don't have an item on hand, don't worry! This recipe is very forgiving and takes well to a variety of flavors. So, go ahead and make this recipe, I promise you won't regret it.
Brittany
Thanks Athena! I agree, this recipe is SO versatile. I've made with hummus instead of mayo a couple of times and it was great. Dijon mustard and coconut cream sounds like a wonderful substitution. Thanks for the tip!
Janne
I just made the third batch of this and i could literally spoon it right out of the bowl. No need for bread 😉
Thanks for the recipe, I love it
Janne xxx
★★★★★
Kinzi
New to your blog and just tried this recipe as my husband and I are newly vegetarian. Both of us absolutely loved this recipe. Didn't have nutritional yeast as I have yet to add that to my pantry. Will use this filling for wraps for lunch during the week. Thank you for sharing!
Brittany
Hi Kinzi! As new vegetarians, you and your husband should definitely add nutritional yeast to your pantry - it's amazing! I'm so glad you loved this recipe. Thanks for giving it a try!
misha
i've made this 2 times now and i am addicted. It's so yummy. thank you.
★★★★★
Brittany
Oh that's wonderful to hear Misha! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks for commenting 😀
Shivangi
Stumbled across your recipe, will give a go this week, looks lovely.
Would this go well with GF wraps?? I am off gluten & dairy for over 2 months now and have another 6months to go.
Brittany
I think so! I think I'd add some raw cucumber slices and iceberg lettuce to my wrap for crunch!
Kathy
Thank you so much for the recipe. Made it today without the black salt, dill, or pickles (none of which are available at my local grocery store). Tasted great even without all those. Can't imagine how much better if only I had those on hand! Will definitely make it again, hopefully with the missing ingredients. And it reminds me of tuna salad!
One question. Can this be stored in the freezer? Will it do well when thawed? Thanks again!
★★★★★
Brittany
Hi Kathy! Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 I'm not sure how well this would freeze. I'll make sure to try that next time I make it and report back. If you happen to make it again, maybe try freezing 1 sandwich worth of filling to experiment? Please let me know if you do try freezing it!
C addie
What are those yummy looking crackers you're holding as well?
Brittany
Hi! Those are Mary's crackers, you can check them out here.
Jill
Just finished eating this for dinner and loved it. I am really glad to have a non tofu alternative for vegan egg salad.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I'll definitely be checking out others on your site.
★★★★★
Brittany
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Jill! 🙂
Nina
This was delish! We added more pickles, lots more lemon and dill (huge fans). Left off the nut'l yeast (doesn't suit us). Made open face sandwiches and devoured! Thanks mucho!
★★★★★
Brittany
Sounds delicious! Thanks Nina!
Juliana
I've just made this sandwich and omg, it's absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
★★★★★
Brittany
Oh! Glad you like the recipe Juliana! Thanks for commenting 😀
Juliana
Great recipe! I used tahini, and I'm pleased that it tasted more interesting than typical humus. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Brittany
Thanks Juliana, tahini is a great idea!
stace
My husband liked this but I didn't love it and I'm the vegan!
★
Robert
This is too awesome. I can't wait to make this for my hiking lunchbox next weekend.
Any tips for cooking red lentils? Last time I tried they ended up in somewhat of a paste - lol :~)
★★★★★
Athena
This recipe was AMAZING! I followed this recipe exactly, and am absolutely in love with it. The only thing I would caution others is to follow the note of only pureeing half of the mixture. I did the whole thing, and now I have no clue how I'm supposed to get rid of it. I've made five sandwiches and used it as dip for two bags of chips, and I still have over half left. Any suggestions?
★★★★★
Brittany
I'd try putting it in a wrap, or folded naan bread. After that, maybe try topping a green salad with some?
Giorgio Berrin
I cannot find black salt anywhere and I've tried every market in our area(San Fernando Valley just
north of Los Angeles)Any suggestions?
Thanks
Brittany
I've always bought it from either iHerb or Vitacost. Since you're in the US, they're both really great options! Amazon also carries it. Do you have any Indian grocers around you? You might also find it as Kala Namak salt. It's super useful in vegan cooking, so don't be afraid to buy lots if you have the opportunity. Tofu scrambles are SO good made with black salt!!
Rebecca
Oh.Em.Gee.
This recipe is amazing. Got the black salt from a nearby, Indian grocer. Wow, what a weird and amazing condiment to have.
My omni hubby loved it. We both couldn't stop eating it.
Dear Everyone, make this!!!
★★★★★
Brittany
Oh my god, black salt is amazing, isn't it? You need to try it in tofu scramble too, it's so so good! This recipe is also great with a little bit of mild curry powder (just in case you need a change!) Thanks for commenting Rebecca!
nancys13
I modified the recipe a little, leaivng out the lentils, carrots and celery. I also used regular salt instead of black. This stuff is seriously yummy! I would say that the red bell peppers are an essential ingredient though.
★★★★★
Brittany
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the recipe Nancy! 😀
Reba
Could you please advise on nutrition facts?
★★★★
Brittany
Hi Reba! Sorry, I seemed to have missed your comment!
From another reader, "i worked it out to about 479 calories with a 1/4 of the recipe on 2 slices of sprouted bread." I hope that helps. MyFitnessPal is a good resource!
Matea @ Girl in the Raw
Must try this immediately! I've been dying to make an egg-salad without tofu. The only thing I've been out of for some time is black salt, it hasn't been easy to find lately.. it really does give it an eggy flavor/smell.
★★★★★
Brittany
Yes! Do it Matea! You'll love it!
Linda
Looks Delish! Would love to try it . I've never heard of black salt before and I also live in Canada, where do I buy it?
Thank you in advance.
Brittany
Thanks Linda! I've been ordering it online from iHerb or Vitacost. Try checking out speciality shops that carry infused oils and other "fancy salts" like smoked salt or Himalayan pink salt.
Diana
Awesome recipe. I made this for my vegan daughter. She really enjoyed it and I couldn't stop eating it. My non-vegan boyfriend has also asked me to make it again.
Brittany
That's so awesome Diana! I've been a little shocked by how much love this recipe has gotten from non-vegans! Thanks for commenting!
Kristen
I tried to chop the lemon juice, but no luck. Jokejoke, it was AMAZING!!!
Brittany
Oh my gosh! I thought I'd fixed that error! Thanks for pointing it out, it makes me nuts having little things wrong with the recipe but sometimes after re-reading things a million times my brain just doesn't catch these things. Haha, thanks for the laugh and sorry for the silly mistake! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe Kristen!
Cat
Oooohhhh...finding a new, yummy vegan recipe site is the absolute highlight of my week...and yours looks positively scrumptious! Making this for the weekend as I have been missing egg mayo like you wouldn't believe - thanks so much, can't wait to try it!
Brittany
Well thank you very much Cat! I sure hope you enjoy the recipe (and the site!) Thanks for commenting 😀
Chris
I was wondering if you know a substitute for the mayonnaise? The recipe looks amazing I just don't like mayonnaise at all.
Brittany
Have you tried vegan mayo? It is SO SO much better. I despised mayo my entire life but I seriously LOVE vegan mayo. If you don't want to use mayo at all, I've been considering using hummus instead, I haven't tried it yet but I think it would be really good! Maybe you can try that? You could also try mashed avocado but it will oxidize if you're not eating the entire recipe at once.
Taomi
Hello again! I would love to make this, but my family hates onion. Is there anything you would suggest to substitute the onion, or do you think it will be lovely onion-free?
Brittany
Oh yeah, just leave out the onions if you really don't like them. Or just use the green parts of green onions for a mild onion flavour!
Elisa Hernandez
This recipe looks absolutely delicious! Do you mind if I share this with my Facebook friends?
Brittany
Absolutely Elisa! Thanks for sharing!
Tammy
This sounds even better than the chickpea salad recipe I use. I have also been trying to go oil free so the mayo part is a challenge here. Those crackers in your pic look really good as well. Are those bought or homemade? I would love to find a good recipe, especially one oil free.
Brittany
Hi Tammy! If you want to avoid excess oils you could try making a smaller batch and subbing in ripe avocado or homemade hummus instead of the mayo. Unfortunately those crackers aren't homemade, but they are oil free! Here's the link.
Cathy S S
Brittany this recipe is great! So glad to have it in my wheelhouse! Thank for your blog and recipes. I have enjoyed many. I consider you tried and true!
★★★★★
Brittany
Wow, thanks Cathy! "Tried and true", that made my day! Thank YOU for trying my recipes and leaving a fantastic comment 😀
Laurel G
Can't get over how great this sandwich filling is! First time I made it the lentils were too moist so I ended up adding some panko crumbs to tighten it up. This impressed the most diehard of "non vegan" eaters! Would pin it a dozen times over!
Brittany
Wow, thanks Laurel!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, I can't believe how many non vegans have been loving this recipe! Thanks for commenting!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen
Congrats for winning the Grand Prize from Canadian Lentils. This recipe looks so flavourful and yummy!! 😉
★★★★★
Brittany
Thank you very much Olivia! 😀
Maria
I'm always on the hunt for good vegan "tuna" salads and this one is definitely the best I've had so far, and I've tried a few. It's so tasty and authentic. The pickle and lemon juice really give it that pop of flavor. I have to admit it is really difficult not to eat too much of it in one sitting. I added dulse flakes to mine instead of black salt which I don't have on hand at the moment. Thanks for an easy, great recipe Brittany 🙂
Brittany
Oh that is so wonderful to hear! And I completely agree, this stuff is addictive. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for commenting! 😀
Jessica
Mmm...this is definitely going to satisfy a texture I've been missing. Can't wait to try it, just need to get my hands on some vegan mayo. Thank you!
Brittany
Yay! I think you'll love it! 😀 And vegan mayo is THE BEST.
Anca
While I find this recipe brilliant, I do have a question. I'm trying to keep an eye on my daily calorie intake because of health reasons, and I was wondering if you could provide the nutritional info for this salad? It really does look great and I would love to try it! Thank you.
★★★★★
Brittany
Hi Anca! I don't count calories or macros so I don't have this info, sorry! If you need the nutritional info you can try inputting the recipe into a nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Debra chan
i worked it out to about 479 calories with a 1/4 of the recipe on 2 slices of sprouted bread.
★★★★★
Katy
Lentils and chickpeas! This looks awesome. I will have to try this when I get back to my kitchen!
Brittany
Thanks Katy! I hope you enjoy it 😀
Sarah | (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean
Ok, so this looks good. I'm not a vegan and I really love egg salad, but my kiddo is allergic to eggs and we need something that is a good stand in. I'm going to try this! Thanks for the inspiration.
★★★★★
Brittany
This salad will be perfect for you! You and your kid can both enjoy it happily 😀
Ginny McMeans
Gosh that sounds and looks great! Love the pickle in there too!
Brittany
Thanks Ginny! I love pickles so they were absolutely necessary for this recipe 😀
P
Hi i eud like to know which pickle r we using in d sandwich
Brittany
Dill pickles!
David
I saw your recipe on the Ellen DeGeneres' Tumblr page, and it is absolutely delicious! Thanks.
★★★★★
Brittany
Thank you David 😀
Raj @ www.ThePrimalDesire.com
Holy crap this looks awesome. That photo with the chip in your hand looks so tempting!!!
Brittany
Thanks Raj!
Ayngelina
This looks way better than an egg salad sandwich, I'm trying it this week.
Brittany
Thanks Ayngelina! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😀
Cheryl
Mmm...this reminds me of the scrumptious egg salad sandwiches way back, at the university health-food luncheon bar. Hope they try this improved version from your website. Awesome!
Brittany
I think you'll really like this one Cheryl!