Dominican Spiced Mashed Chickpea Salad
This Dominican spiced mashed chickpea salad is the perfect filling for any lunchbox sandwich or crackers. Easy to prep and loaded with Caribbean spices and fresh herbs.
I’m here to offer you a chickpea salad sandwich upgrade. Now, I love a good regular chickpea salad, but this one is extra special because it’s mixed with all the spices and herbs I associate with my mom’s cooking and my Dominican culture.
The best part, not complicated at all! Even if you aren’t familiar with the spices, I will walk you through it so you can enjoy the same experience I am for your next lunch.
Why You’ll Love This Twist on Mashed Chickpea Salad
- The best way to liven up your chickpea salad and make it less boring
- Loaded with Dominican spices and herbs to provide a savory and fresh bite
- Great to meal prep in advance
- Provides a balance of protein, complex carbs, iron and fiber!
- This chickpea salad is vegan, gluten-free and nut-free!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chickpeas: You can cook the chickpeas yourself or do what I did to make this easier and use canned chickpeas.
- Tahini: Quality does matter and it can impact the flavor. For good quality tahini I use Soom Foods. You can replace the tahini with some vegan mayo as an alternative.
- Garlic: Use fresh and make sure to crush it finely so that it has an easier time blending into the mixture for balanced flavor.
- Lime: Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor! You can also use lemon juice if you prefer that.
- Vinegar: I recommend apple cider vinegar. White wine vinegar can also be a good alternative.
- Onion: I used red onion. You can soak it in water to help take out some of the bite. For a milder flavor, feel free to use green onions instead.
- Herbs: Classic Dominican sofritos are made with a combination of culantro, cilantro and/or parsley. I used cilantro and parsley to keep it easy.
- Spices: This will help tie everything together. We are using adobo, sazon, oregano and thyme.
- Sandwich Fillings: I used avocado, tomato slices, plantain chips and vegan ketchup mayo. However, you can mix and match to your liking.
How to Make a Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Rinse and drain your chickpeas and place in a bowl. With a fork or potato masher, mash the chickpeas to your liking. I recommend leaving some whole pieces of chickpeas for some texture.
Pour in the tahini, garlic, bouillon paste and spices and give a good mix to combine. Add in your minced veggies, onion, herbs, lime juice and vinegar and toss to combine.
Now assemble your sandwich. Add mashed avocado to one slice of bread and top with the chickpea mixture, the tomatoes and top with plantains. Spread the other slice of bread with some vegan ketchup mayo and top the sandwich before enjoying.
Expert Tips
- Adjust salt to taste. I love adding a little sprinkle of salt to the avocado and tomatoes used in the sandwich instead of adding extra salt to the chickpea mash as the adobo and bouillon does add that salty flavor to it just fine.
- Use a food processor to save on chopping. Just blend the veggies, herbs, vinegar and lemon juice together until minced then add to the chickpea mixture.
- For more protein, choose whole grain breads to pair it with. Whole grain breads can add more protein compared to white bread. In particular, I love sprouted grain breads because they tend to have 5-6 grams of protein per slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a number of ways to lower the sodium. Choose a no salt added can of chickpeas, opt for a reduced sodium bouillon, and choose adobo that is reduced in sodium. You can find reduced sodium adobo in the same spot in your local market in the International section with the other adobo varieties. And taste before adding any salt. You may just need to add a little more herbs or some extra vinegar or lime juice to get that bite you’re looking for.
If you can’t find sazon, you can either make it yourself or replace with smoked paprika. Using smoked paprika won’t be the exact same, but is a good option to add some more depth of flavor without too much effort.
Take any leftovers of your mashed chickpea salad and place in an airtight container. You can place this in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it great to meal prep for meals throughout the week.
How to Serve
This chickpea salad sandwich is a great way to get some extra protein and fiber in. You can use it both as a meal or as a snack. I love this spread served as a sandwich filling along with some juicy tomato, mashed avocado and some plantain chips for crunch.
You can also enjoy as an avocado toast topping or serve as a dip or spread for crackers to snack on.
More Vegan Chickpea Salad Recipes to Try
- Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad Stack
- Tahini Ranch Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Protein Packed Avocado Chickpea Salad
- Citrus Infused Couscous Chickpea Salad
- Lemon Orzo Chickpea Salad
- Chickpea Pasta Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
Dominican Spiced Mashed Chickpea Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Dominican Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Dominican spiced mashed chickpea salad is the perfect sandwich filling. Easy to prep and loaded with Caribbean spices and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Mashed Chickpea Salad
- 1, 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp good quality tahini
- 1/2 tsp adobo seasoning
- 1/2 tsp sazon or 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp dry thyme
- 1/2 tsp better than bouillon vegetable base or 1/2 veggie bouillon cube
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 tbsp Spanish Olives, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, minced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
For Sandwich
- 6 slices of whole grain bread
- Mashed avocado
- Tomato slices
- Plantain Chips
- Vegan Ketchup Mayo
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl add in your chickpeas and mash them to your liking. Add in the garlic, tahini, spices and bouillon then mix together until fully combined.
- Stir in the diced onion, bell pepper, herbs, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and water. Mix well until the mixture starts to clump together. Taste and adjust seasonings based on preference.
- To assemble the sandwich, mash avocado on to one slice of bread then top with the mashed chickpea salad mixture, fresh tomato slices, and plantain chips. Spread some vegan ketchup mayo on the other piece of bread and use it to top the sandwich before enjoying.
Notes
Adjust salt to taste. I love adding a little sprinkle of salt to the avocado and tomatoes used in the sandwich instead of adding extra salt to the chickpea mash as the adobo and bouillon does add that salty flavor to it just fine.
Use a food processor to save on chopping. Just blend the veggies, herbs, vinegar and lemon juice together until minced then add to the chickpea mixture.
For more protein, choose whole grain breads to pair it with. Whole grain breads can add more protein compared to white bread. In particular, I love sprouted grain breads because they tend to have 5-6 grams of protein per slice.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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It is an awesome salad recipe. Thx
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