This used to be my recipe for tuna, but now that I’m a badass animal lover, I use chickpeas instead! And it’s even more fabulous! It’s also great for eating vegan on a budget: One 15-ounce can of chickpeas, aka garbanzos, will make enough chickpea salad for at least three sandwiches.
These tasty legumes are packed with protein and iron. Along with the raw veggies, you’ll get plenty of fiber to keep your digestive system flowin’. Trying to add extra greens to your diet? Serve this spicy chickpea salad over romaine or spinach instead of bread.
A quick tip that I had to learn the hard way: Mash the chickpeas before you mix in all of the other ingredients. It took me so long trying to work my way around the hard pieces of carrot and celery!
I think the chili powder is my favorite ingredient, adding a nice kick. Lucky for me, I always have homemade chili all the way from our family in Mexico. (Cayenne pepper should also work just fine.) Unlucky for me, I didn’t have any ripe avocado—the magic ingredient that takes any recipe over the top.
Recipe: Serves 3
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or one 15-ounce can
- 2 tbsp vegan mayo
- 1/3 cup chopped carrot
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Chili powder or cayenne pepper
- Himalayan or sea salt
- 6 slices bread, lightly toasted
- 1 tomato
- 3 slices of your favorite dairy-free cheese
- Romaine lettuce
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash the cooked chickpeas.
- Add the vegan mayo, carrot, celery, and cilantro and mix well.
- Add salt and chili powder to taste.
- Serve on toasted bread with lettuce, cheese, mayo, and tomato.
Notes
If you can wait, I think the chickpea salad tastes even better chilled—better flavor and extra refreshing once sandwiched between two slices of toasted bread.