Description
This caramelized lemon chickpea salad is perfect sandwiched together with tangy sumac onions. A satisfying fiber-filled sandwich that tastes like spring.
Ingredients
Sumac Onions
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- Zest and juice of a lemon
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- Kosher salt
Dressing & Chickpea Salad
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp tarragon leaves
- 2, 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
- 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp mayo or plain unsweetened plant based yogurt
Sandwich Accessories
- Slices of sourdough or whole wheat bread
- Dijon mustard or mayo to spread on the bread
- Lettuce
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl add the red onion, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, maple syrup, oil, sumac, and a generous pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the ingredients together until the onions start to soften. Cover the bowl and refrigerate as you prep the dressing.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic cloves and stir occasionally until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Transfer the garlic and oil mixture to a blender cup then add the zest of the whole lemon.
- Return the pan to the stove top over medium-low heat. Cut the lemon in half then place both halves cut side down in the pan. Cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes or until the bottoms of the lemon are lightly charred. Remove from heat to cool.
- Squeeze the charred lemon juice into the blender cup then add the mustard, vinegar, maple syrup, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley and tarragon, and pulse a few times to evenly mince. Taste and adjust with more salt or sweetener as desired.
- For the chickpea salad, add the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl and use a fork or potato masher to mash them very well. Once mashed to your liking, add the jalapeños, artichoke hearts, scallions, and mayo.
- Pour the lemon dressing on top then use a spatula to stir everything together until well combined. At this point, taste and adjust the flavors to your preference. If it needs more acid add more lemon or vinegar. If it needs more salt, add small pinches at a time until it’s just right. If too tangy you can add a little more mayo or sweetener. If you need more creaminess, stir in 1-2 tbsp extra mayo.
- Once the chickpea salad is to your liking, assemble your sandwich. Spread two slices of bread with some mustard or mayo then layer one slice with some lettuce, a portion of the chickpea salad, the sumac onions, and top with the remaining slice of bread and enjoy!
Notes
Mash the chickpeas to your liking. I like mine to be mostly mashed with a few chunkier or whole pieces of chickpeas remaining for texture. But, mash it as much or as little as you personally like.
Here’s how to simplify the dressing. Instead of cooking the garlic and lemon, use a single grated garlic clove in the dressing and skip charring the lemon, which will save on some extra dishes.
Adjust the consistency of the dressing. The dressing should be creamy, but if you feel it needs more creaminess, stir in a little more mayo to the chickpea salad base. If too thick, you can always loosen up the salad by stirring in a splash of water.
Cut the sharpness of your onions. Place the sliced onions in a bowl and cover with cold water for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse, and pat dry before using.
