The Crowd-Pleaser Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This vibrant, crowd-pleasing Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwich is packed with flavor from sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, creamy tahini, and a hint of aromatic Za'atar. It's a delicious and satisfying plant-based meal, perfect for a hearty lunch. This recipe is naturally soy-free and nut-free. For a gluten-free option, simply serve the chickpea salad in crisp lettuce cups, alongside your favorite grains, or with gluten-free bread.
Ingredients
For the Chickpea Salad
- 2 ¼ cups cooked chickpeas from ~1 ½ x 15-oz cans; low-sodium, rinsed & drained well
- ¾ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely diced cucumber seeded and patted dry
- 6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions scallions
- 4 ½ tablespoons chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and patted dry
- 3 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives patted dry
- ¾ cup freshly chopped parsley
- 6 tablespoons freshly chopped mint
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ –¼ teaspoon fine salt to taste (start with ⅛ tsp)
- 1 ½ teaspoons za’atar optional, recommended
For the Creamy Tahini Dressing
- 4 ½ tablespoons tahini
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ to 3 tablespoons hot water as needed
For Assembly
- 6 slices bread e.g., whole wheat, sourdough, or pita
- Optional: crisp lettuce sliced tomatoes, extra cucumber
Instructions
- Mash the chickpeas: In a large bowl, mash about ¾ of the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher, leaving some whole for texture.
- Add vegetables & herbs: Add bell pepper, seeded/patted-dry cucumber, green onions, patted-dry sun-dried tomatoes and olives, parsley, and mint; mix.
- Season: Add oregano, coriander, cumin, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt (start with ⅛ tsp) plus optional za’atar; stir well.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl whisk tahini with lemon juice (it will thicken), then whisk in hot water gradually until smooth and pourable (not watery).
- Dress & adjust: Fold dressing into the salad until evenly coated; taste and adjust salt or lemon.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to meld flavors and firm texture.
- Assemble & serve: Layer optional lettuce/tomato on bread, add a generous scoop of salad, top with the second slice. Refrigerate leftovers 3–4 days.
Notes
Servings: 3 sandwiches
Estimated Nutritional Information
(Per serving, filling only, without bread. Calculated using USDA data with low-sodium canned chickpeas, rinsed, and specified salt amount.) Calories ~432 kcal; Protein ~15.8 g; Fat ~21.7 g; Carbs ~49.6 g; Fiber ~17.0 g; Sugars ~11.0 g; Sodium ~520 mg (with ⅛ tsp salt) or ~811 mg (with ¼ tsp). Note on Sodium: The sodium content is an estimate. It can vary significantly based on the specific brands of canned chickpeas, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and Za'atar used, as well as any variations in added salt. Using low-sodium products and rinsing canned goods can help manage sodium levels.
(Per serving, filling only, without bread. Calculated using USDA data with low-sodium canned chickpeas, rinsed, and specified salt amount.) Calories ~432 kcal; Protein ~15.8 g; Fat ~21.7 g; Carbs ~49.6 g; Fiber ~17.0 g; Sugars ~11.0 g; Sodium ~520 mg (with ⅛ tsp salt) or ~811 mg (with ¼ tsp). Note on Sodium: The sodium content is an estimate. It can vary significantly based on the specific brands of canned chickpeas, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and Za'atar used, as well as any variations in added salt. Using low-sodium products and rinsing canned goods can help manage sodium levels.