If you love vegan egg salad made with tofu, you must try chickpea egg salad! This version of this chickpea egg salad recipe is delicious, soy-free, gluten-free, and easy to make in less than 20 minutes. You know you want to bite into that chickpea egg salad sandwich!
Before transitioning to a plant-based diet, I loved egg salad. And although I make a screaming good tofu egg salad, today I decided to use chickpeas instead of tofu. Although based on a traditional egg salad recipe, chickpea egg salad has a distinct fancy flare. So I've added unique ingredients to bring elegance to this chickpea egg salad recipe.
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Let's face it; some people don't care for tofu or soy products, so I've concocted another way to make vegan egg salad without using fake meat or soy products.
Recently, I found a chickpea egg salad at Whole Foods Market. However, the number of ingredients steered me away from buying it. Since I like to eat a whole foods plant-based plan, I made my own version of a chickpea egg salad recipe.
Chickpea Egg Salad Ingredients
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas taste quite like beans, considering they're legumes themselves. Most people compare their flavor to cannellini and pinto beans because they're starchy. However, they also have an earthy taste with nutty undertones.
- Celery: Celery has a mild and robust taste while giving it a bold flavor. At the same time, celery provides crunchiness that sustains once the dressing is added.
- Green Onions: The white part of green onions is crunchy, like an onion, while the green part is thicker and coarser than chives.
- Turmeric: Flavor-wise, it is overwhelmingly earthy and bitter, almost musky, with a bit of peppery spice. Turmeric is activated when combined with pepper.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is made from garlic cloves that have been dehydrated and ground into fine particles. The flavor is garlicky but vastly different than fresh-chopped garlic. It tastes sweeter and less assertive than fresh garlic, but without the caramel undertones, you get from roasted or sautéd garlic.
- Black Salt: Black salt, also known as Kala namak or Himalayan black salt, is found in India. Kala namak has a very distinctive smell. The sulfur compounds cause the salt to smell and taste like eggs.
- Pepper: Pungent, earthy, hot, woody, brash—pepper's distinct flavor somehow pairs well with just about any savory food and some sweet ones, too. If salt helps bring out flavors, black pepper makes foods bolder versions of themselves.
- Dill: This fresh herb has an herbaceous, grassy, and slightly tangy flavor with notes of anise. The distinct taste of dill stands out in most recipes, and therefore the herb i
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard has a tangy, sharp, and intense flavor with a bit of spice.
- Yellow Mustard: Yellow mustard has a crisp, tart-and-tangy flavor.
- Cashew Mayonnaise: I make my own cashew mayo. But there is an alternative option for those who prefer a nut-free option in the recipe.
Chickpea Egg Salad Ingredient Substitutes
- White beans or pinto beans are often used instead of chickpeas.
- Substitute cucumber or fennel for celery. However, remove the seeds from the cucumbers. And beware of the licorice flavor of adding raw fennel.
- Use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder.
- Omit black salt if you don't like the taste or smell of eggs.
- Use all Dijon or all yellow mustard instead of a combination of both mustards.
- Stone ground mustard is the closest substitute for Dijon mustard.
- Choose any vegan mayo or silken tofu or white beans to replace the cashews for the cashew mayo for a nut-free option.
How to Make Chickpea Egg Salad
- I suggest using a vegetable chopper to cut small, uniform vegetables for salad recipes. This will make prepping any salad easier.
- Using a food processor, pulse the drained chickpeas until chopped. Do not over-pulse; the consistency should be chopped, not mashed like hummus.
- No worries; use a fork to smash the chickpeas if you don't have a food processor.
- Then, add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine, and refrigerate until chilled.
Serving Suggestions
- I served a chickpea egg salad sandwich on Dave's bread with lettuce and tomato with a pickle.
- Or, try hollowing out a tomato, red, or green pepper and filling it with chickpea egg salad.
- Use pita bread instead of whole-grain bread.
- Serve vegan egg salad in a bowl on top of greens, served with tomato wedges and cucumbers.
- Add egg salad to your favorite salad, such as mango salad or chopped vegan Greek salad.
- Skip the bread and make chickpea egg salad lettuce wraps.
- Consider polenta or steak fries in the air fryer as a side dish.
- For a substitute for chickpeas, try white beans.
Recipe FAQs
Filled with protein and fiber, this vegan chickpea salad sandwich is a delicious healthy lunch! Prep the chickpea mixture up to 3 days before and keep it on hand for lunches all week.
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are very healthy food. They are part of the legume family, which is a vegetable and protein food. Chickpeas are loaded with fiber needed for a healthy heart and gut.
Because of its purported lower sodium content, black salt may be a better option for people with high blood pressure or those looking to reduce their sodium intake. Diets high in sodium have been linked to high blood pressure and may increase blood pressure for those with elevated levels.
Tips
- Drain and rinse chickpeas in a colander and reserve the aquafaba fluid inside the can for other recipes.
- Refrain from over-pulping chickpeas; the consistency should be chopped but not over-chopped and soupy.
- Add a teaspoon or 2 teaspoons of capers for an added delicious flavor profile.
- Chill the salad for at least an hour before servings, so it sets up.
- Chickpea egg salad will last in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- I do not recommend freezing the egg salad.
- For a substitute for chickpeas, try white beans.
Try this chickpea egg salad recipe the next time you crave egg salad. Bite into a delicious chickpea egg salad sandwich! YUM!
Other Great Vegan Sandwich Options
If you love this chickpea egg salad, give us a 5-star review and comment below! We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Chickpea Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 2 15 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
- ½ cup diced celery
- ⅔ cup cashew mayo or vegan mayo of choice Substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews for a nut-free option
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- ½ teaspoon black salt add ¼ teaspoon more if you want a stronger egg taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 2 tespoons capers (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a colander under cold water.
- Shake dry and add chickpeas to a food processor.
- Pulse until the chickpeas are mashed; do not over-pulse
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Stir ingredients together; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.
Video
Notes
- Do not over-pulse chickpeas in the food processor.
- If you don't have a food processor, use a fork to mash the chickpeas.
- For a nut-free option, substitute white beans or silken tofu for the cashews in the cashew mayo recipe.
- Instead of bread, fill a large hot house tomato, serve inside lettuce wraps, add to a green salad, or eat directly from a bowl.
- Omit black salt if you don't like the smell and taste of eggs.
- Add additional chopped vegetables for more veggies.
- For a substitute for chickpeas, try white beans.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Shannon
I love tofu egg salad and never would have thought to use chickpeas instead. I do use chickpeas for a vegan chicken salad recipe. I will try this recipe the next time! You are definitely a magician in the kitchen 😊
Kathy Carmichael
Shannon, it is so good. I make a curried chickpea salad that is delicious, too. It is just a different flavor but fabulous. I hope you like it.
Anita Darnell
Hi Kathy,I’m not a lover of dill. Can you suggest a substitute please? Happy Christmas to you and your loved ones too!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Anita, you can use any herb you like. I like parsley in this recipe, as well as thyme.
Johanna
YUMM. This is great!! Will be making it again. Thank you!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Johanna, I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it!
Lucy
Ive made numerous chickpea egg salad but thus recipe is by far “the best” ive had. The cashew mayo is scrumptious as well. Keep doing what your doing. Thank you
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Lucy, I'm so glad you liked the chickpea egg salad. Thank you for taking the time to rate teh recipe and comment. I appreciate it.
Len
Delicious! This will be my go to recipe for vegan egg salad. Thank you Kathy!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Len, my husband agrees with you. I make a tofu one, too, and he likes the chickpeas better! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and comment. I appreciate it.
Diane Barnett
Is there a video? I don't see it even though recipe says Jump to Video. Thanks,
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Diane, yes! there is a link on the recipe on the blog post, or here is the YouTube link https://youtu.be/5lfaJajzjVI
Kathy Carmichael
Yes, I checked. It worked for me. I sent you a link to the YouTube video. I hope that helps.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Diane, yes, there is a video. I checked the Link. It worked for me. Here is the link https://youtu.be/5lfaJajzjVI
Hillary
I’ve made this several times! It’s great and my go-to camping food. Folks can’t tell it’s missing eggs and like it better!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Hillary! This is my husband's favorite too. I love that you take it camping. Great idea!
Diane Barnett
Your recipe says Jump to Video but I don't see a video??? Is there one?
Andreea Boboc
Thank you! What a wonderful recipe.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi, Andreea; I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and comment. I appreciate it.
Lisa
Great ideas for using chickpea salad, Kathy! Thanks.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Lisa, let me know if you try the recipe. I would love your opinion.
Judy Chamberlain
I made this yesterday. I didn't have black salt so skipped that. I accidentally added green peppercorns instead of capers. I mashed the chickpeas rather than putting them in the food processor. The texture was very similar to real egg salad. I increased the mustards to my taste. I made a nice sandwich with it.
It was good, but today it was delicious....especially on celery sticks and romaine leaves. Thank you for all of your delicious creative vegan recipes. I remember back in the day when it was so hard to make vegan taste good. I lived on salad and cereal.
Thanks to you and many others, I can make great tasting healthy food!
My mom also had MS. I wish we would have thought to have her eat vegan or at least vegetarian.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Judy, I'm so glad you enjoyed the chickpea egg salad. Thank you for your feedback. It's never too late for your mom to start eating this way. I hope she is doing well and that a change in diet can help her improve.
Rose_Anne
Thanks for the update, Kathy! Looking forward to making / tasting.
Cheers,
RoseANNE
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Rose-Ann, let me know what you think when you try it. I'd love to hear from you.
Barbara
the notes say to omit black salt if you don't like eggs, but there's no black salt listed in the recipe. how much black salt should be used?
Kathy Carmichael
Barbara, I'm sorry! 1/4 teaspoon, then taste and add another 1/4 teaspoon if you like it more "eggy." Thank you so much for pointing out my error. I really appreciate it.
Andrea Suarez
Looks very good, I will definitely try this non-tofu version. You mention in the blog and in the notes section to omit the black salt (kala namak) if egg taste is not preferred, but it is not listed among the ingredients or included in the step by step directions. Thought I would point this out.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Andrea, Thank you for letting me know. I've fixed it. 1/4 teaspoon. I appreciate you letting me know.
Luci Ryan
The one main ingredient that you did not include was Indian Black Salt. It gives a sulphuric smell and the salad tastes exactly like eggs. I serve it and non-vegans swear that it is really the traditional egg salad. Try it and I believe that you will love it! Blessings Abundant!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Luci, you are right. My mistake. 1/4 teaspoon. Then, I suggest adding another 1/4 teaspoon if you like it to taste more "eggy.' Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it.
Rose_Anne
How much black salt do you recommend, Kathy?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Rose. Oops! Sorry about that! 1/4 teaspoon; then add another 1/4 teaspoon if it isn't "eggy" enough. Thank you for the correction. I appreciate it.