This protein-packed Chickpea Egg Salad Sandwich is a healthier flavorful take on the classic egg salad. It's made with mashed chickpeas, eggs, lots of herbs, and celery. Serve it for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner.
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Why This Recipe Works
A classic with a twist - A classic egg salad calls for all the basics like eggs, mayo, vinegar, and salt and pepper. What makes this one different and special is the addition of chickpeas and other ingredients that give the salad a ton of flavor. Dijon, pickles, fresh herbs, and celery take this salad from good to amazing!
Lighter with Greek yogurt - The recipe calls for both mayonnaise and Greek yogurt in a 1:1 ratio. You can add both or just one of them based on your preference. Greek yogurt makes the salad lighter which is perfect for spring and summer. If you are adding mayonnaise, I recommend using a good quality one that's made with olive oil for an even better flavor.
Easy to make - This sandwich comes together really easily. The only thing you have to cook is the eggs which take only a few minutes. Make them the night before to save even more time! I like using an egg slicer to make chopping the eggs for this salad a breeze.
Packed with protein - The addition of chickpeas ups the protein content to about 12g per serving and that's without any bread. Use protein-rich bread to add even more nutrients!
Ingredients
- Chickpeas - Chickpeas add volume, texture, and lots of protein to the salad. You can cook your own or use canned chickpeas to save time, which is what I usually like to do. There's no need to peel the chickpeas.
- Eggs - Large eggs are preferred. If you have smaller ones, you can add an extra egg. Make sure to cook them properly. If they're a little softer, they will be mushier and harder to cut neatly for the salad. I also recommend using an egg slicer, it makes nice evenly-sized strips.
- Greek yogurt/ mayonnaise - You can use either or both. I usually go for both for more flavor. The yogurt makes the salad lighter while the mayo adds creaminess and classic flavor. I recommend olive oil mayonnaise for a healthier option and added flavor.
- Celery - Celery adds crunch and saltiness to the salad. You can skip it if you don't like it but I highly recommend adding at least one stalk. The secret is to chop it really finely so that the flavor and crunch are still there but it's not as noticeable. I slice the celery stalk into strips and then finely chop it.
- Red onion - This is my go-to for this egg salad. If you don't have it, you can also use yellow onion, shallots, or spring onion.
- Fresh dill and chives - I like keeping a variety of chopped herbs in the freezer at all times to always have fresh herbs on hand any time of the year. If you don't have fresh dill or chives, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried dill and chives instead and add more to taste if needed. You can also use fresh parsley.
- Pickles - This is a classic for an egg salad and can't be missing in this one. Finely chopped pickles add a ton of flavor and tang to the salad. If you don't have any, you could also use capers but pickles are a classic.
- Dijon mustard - Mustard adds tang, spiciness, and just overall lots of flavor. I do not recommend using regular yellow mustard because it would change the flavor too much.
- Chili garlic sauce - This is a spicy Asian chili sauce and adding it is totally optional. You can add less or more to make the salad spicier or skip it altogether. Crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce can also be used instead.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- First, mash the chickpeas. You can do this with a fork but I like using a potato masher to make it quicker. Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and mash until you reach desired texture. They don't all have to be mashed, I usually leave a few wholes and keep the rest coarse. It's not necessary to peel the chickpeas prior to mashing.
- Add chopped celery, pickles, dill, chives, red onion, chili garlic sauce (or hot sauce, if using), sea salt, and pepper. Mix everything together.
- Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and dijon mustard and mix again until everything is properly incorporated. I do this before adding the eggs to avoid mushing them up too much.
- Chop and dice your eggs into small pieces. I like using an egg slicer for this because it makes it so much easier! You place the egg into it, slice it, turn the egg the other way and slice again to dice it into thin even strips. It's perfect for salads and spreads.
- Add the eggs to the bowl and gently fold them in. Add more salt, pepper, dijon, pickles, mayo, or anything else to taste.
Serving and Storing
I recommend serving this salad chilled on toasted bread, sourdough, bagel, or croissants with a side of pickles or chopped veggies like tomatoes or cucumber.
You can also serve it with a side salad like this Cucumber Radish Salad with Fresh Herbs.
Store any leftovers separately from the bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The sandwich itself is best made to serve to avoid the bread getting soggy.
You can make the sandwich an hour or two in advance but always keep the sandwich refrigerated. Because it has eggs and mayonnaise, it should never be stored outside of the fridge when it's warm or hot outside.
FAQs
Yes, the recipe calls for both mayo and Greek yogurt but you can use yogurt only. Opt for a vegan yogurt to make the salad dairy-free.
No, I don't recommend freezing the salad.
I would say it's fairly healthy. It has lots of protein and celery is very nutritious. Everything should be eaten in moderation and that includes this salad. Choose a quality mayonnaise, ideally made with olive or avocado oil.
Other Sandwiches to Try
Are you looking for more sandwich recipes? Check out the four below, they're all my favorite, especially the halloumi one. The tuna sandwich is what I make most often because it uses canned tuna which makes it super easy to throw together. To see all the latest sandwich recipes, head over to the Sandwiches category page.
📖 Recipe
Chickpea Egg Salad Sandwich
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 8 mins
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Chickpea Egg Salad Sandwich is a protein-rich twist on the classic egg salad sandwich. It's made with chickpeas, eggs, lots of herbs, and fresh celery. It's packed with flavor and great for prepared lunches.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vinegar (I used rice vinegar, optional)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion (1 small red onion)
- 1-2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup finely chopped pickled (2-3 pickles)
- 2 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt or mayonnaise (I used olive oil mayo)
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp chili garlic sauce or hot sauce to taste (optional)
- ½ tsp garlic powder or granules
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A squeeze of lemon (or the pickles liquid, optional)
- Bread slices, chopped romaine lettuce, and more pickles
Instructions
- Add the eggs to a small pot and cover with water and add vinegar (this is optional but I find it helps with peeling the eggs).
- Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes.
- Drain water and transfer to an ice bath or add cold water to the pot and repeat 2-3 times to allow the eggs to cool. Set aside while you prepare the rest.
- Add the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl and mash using a potato masher or a fork. It’s ok if there are some chickpeas left whole.
- Add the red onion, celery, pickles, fresh dill, and chives. Mix everything together.
- Peel and chop your eggs. I like using an egg slicer to get even pieces every time. Add to the bowl and toss gently.
- Add the Greek yogurt or mayo, dijon mustard, chili garlic sauce or hot sauce if using, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Toss everything well again. Taste and add a squeeze or the pickling liquid from your jar of pickles for some tang if desired and toss gently.
- Serve on toasted bread topped with shredded romaine lettuce and with pickles on the side.
Notes
To make the eggs easier to peel, crack them all and add to a bowl of cold water while you prep everything else. The water will get underneath the shell and it should make them easier to peel.
Storing: Store any leftover egg salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days separately from the bread. Store prepared sandwiches in the fridge wrapped in cling wrap. If you're taking them with you, keep them cool and outside of the fridge for max 1 hour. Avoid keeping them out of the fridge if it's hot outside.
Nutritional info is counted with avocado oil mayonnaise and without any bread.
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Gloria says
This recipe came just in time. I am making egg salad sandwiches for a quick dinner tonight. I will try this tasty version.
Bernice says
Your photos are so enticing. I just want to reach right in and grab a sandwich! I've seen chickpeas used instead of eggs in 'egg salad' but I still love eggs so this is perfect for me. What a great way to jazz up good old egg salad.
Kathryn says
This sandwich was so perfect for lunch and I love the extra protein from the chickpeas. Next time I need to double the batch so we have plenty of leftovers throughout the week!
Lauren Michael Harris says
What a great way to add more protein and fiber to egg salad. I LOVE chickpeas so for me, they really made this sandwich amazing!
Jenny says
Egg sandwiches are a family favorite. The chickpeas are a great addition!
megane says
This sandwich has everything. Deliciously, moist, crunchy, and flavoursome. Cheers
Veronika says
Made this recipe yesterday and it came out amazing! Was so easy to prep and my whole family loved it ;)
Ann says
I love an egg salad sandwich. Love the idea of adding chickpeas for some added protein. Sounds and looks delicious!