Can the chickpea salad be prepped in advance?

Yes! Feel free to double and make ahead of the week as it can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then it’s just a matter of assembling your sandwich when you want it.

Can this be made gluten-free?

The chickpea salad is gluten-free as is. The only thing you’d need to change is the bread. You can swap for gluten-free bread or stuff it in a gluten-free wrap or serve the filling as a dip with a side of your favorite gluten-free crackers and veggies.

How can I make this higher in protein?

Fold hemp hearts and some nutritional yeast into the chickpea salad mixture. 3 tbsp of hemp hearts will add an additional 10g of protein to the whole dish while 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast will add about 6g of protein to the whole dish. You may also use silken tofu as a replacement for the mayo and yogurt, but do note you will need to adjust the tang and seasoning a bit to make the flavor right for you.

Caramelized Onion Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Description

This caramelized onion chickpea salad sandwich uses minimal ingredients to bring out big umami flavor. Simple to make and great to back for lunches through the week.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
1, 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt
2 tbsp vegan mayo or good quality tahini
2 tbsp nutritional yeast, optional
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
Handful of chives, thinly sliced
Kosher salt to taste

For assembly: Sliced bread, greens of choice, cucumber slices, dijon mustard and/or plant-based cream cheese

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Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, then add the oil to warm through. Once warm, add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to low and add a pinch of salt and continue cooking the onions, adding a splash of water as needed to prevent the onions from sticking or burning. Cook until they become a deeper brown color (this can vary depending on your patience, so generally I’ll cook for an extra 15-25 minutes, but if you take longer to fully caramelize them the sweeter the onions will get).
Add in 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté with the onions until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, and fold into the onions. Once absorbed, remove the pan from heat.
To a medium mixing bowl, add the chickpeas and use a fork to mash them as much as you like (I generally mash about 2/3 of the chickpeas). Add the yogurt, mayo, nutritional yeast, the remaining clove of minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, chives, half the caramelized onions, and a generous pinch of salt. Stir the mixture together until well combined then adjust seasonings to taste.
To assemble, toast your bread, spread with mustard or cream cheese, layer on the lettuce, the chickpea salad and top with more caramelized onions as desired then enjoy.

Notes

Patience is key. Caramelizing onions takes a lot of time and if you have the time it really is worth it as it lends a lot of great naturally sweet and umami-rich flavor to this sandwich.

In case you don’t have patience, that’s okay too. In the very least, allow your onions to cook down for 15-20 minutes to soften and begin the browning browning process. To make up for the depth of flavor, add in some balsamic glaze and a little maple syrup towards the end of the cooking time and stir into the onions.

If needed balance with a little extra sweetness. If your vinegar and lemon are too tangy, balance the flavors with a pinch of salt and a touch of sweetener. I prefer maple syrup, but choose what you like to help mellow the stronger flavors.