How epic does this chickpea avocado salad sandwich look. Not trying to toot my own horn here but damn, that looks good. And instead of making you jelly cakes, I’d rather share this recipe with all of you so that you too can enjoy some deliciousness: Chickpea Avocado Salad.
What’s funny is I have been hearing about a ‘veganized’ tuna salad for ages now. The idea is to use chickpeas instead of canned tuna and then the same ingredients you would normally use. Think fresh dill, mayo, mustard, maybe some pickles? There are loads and loads of variations out there.
What happened on my end, though, is the salad took a very ‘foodie’ direction. Sure I could have stopped at just the basics, but my mind doesn’t do that most of the time. Instead, I couldn’t help but think ‘How can I push the recipe to its maximum potential?’.
For instance- buttery Castelvetrano olives. Yes. Ridiculously crunchy, roasted Marcona almonds? Please. And maybe a little bit more diced celery than others would use? OK. For the fresh herbs, just using dill would work just fine but wouldn’t the combination of both fresh dill, fresh parsley, AND freshly sliced green onions, be amazing? 100%. What really takes this salad over the top is chunks of ripe avocado. Drops mic.
CREATING THE BEST GARLIC FLAVOR
When it comes to garlic you can get two major flavor profiles: once cooked, garlic becomes toasty, earthy, rich and sweet while also being beautifully mild and pleasant. Raw garlic on the other hand can be super intense with a spicy kick. So what’s a girl to do when you want that intense hit without it being jarring? Smash it.
That’s right, you heard me, smash it! By using the side of your knife (and a sprinkle of sea salt) you can mash, chop, mash, chop until you are left with a garlic paste. This potent mixture is pure gold as it will easily meld into the recipe. And because the recipe only calls for a little bit, we get that amazing intensity garlic has to offer, without it taking over the whole party. Yay, no meltdowns!
CHICKPEA AVOCADO SALAD IS A ONE BOWL GIG
Did I say this recipe only requires one bowl? It’s true. Basically, once you mash the chickpeas with your fork, you throw everything else in (except the avocado) and mix away. Once everything is coated with the dressing, gently fold in the avocado. I always reserve some fresh herbs for sprinkling on top because that’s what I do. You should, too. :*
HORS D’OUEVRES OR APPETIZER OPTIONS
Although this Chickpea Avocado Salad is amazing in a sandwich or wrap, you can also serve it as a bite-sized appetizer or as an hors d’oeuvres or appetizer for a party. Simply slice a good baguette into thin rounds (think 1 or 2 bites). Toast them just enough so that they are crisp but still chewy. Add on a small mound of the salad, a piece of sliced avocado, a few paper thin slices of tomatoes (Roma tomatoes work perfectly here!) and top with sea salt, pepper and fresh dill! Pretty fab, eh?
SOME FINAL NOTES
Before draining the can of chickpeas, try using the water in an aquafaba recipe. I’ve actually never done this before, but I have seen some beautiful creations made using leftover chickpea water.
If making a sandwich or wrap, I like to add fresh cucumber and tomato. The cucumbers add a delightful crunch while the tomatoes add a juiciness. In my opinion, all sandwiches should be juicy, so there you go.
For the beans, you can certainly make them from scratch! Whenever I do, I always place a little bit of kombu, a sea vegetable, in the water when boiling. This helps to season the beans ever so slightly while also helping to aid in digestion. If you look close enough, you’ll see that some of the organic canned beans have this listed in the ingredients which is great! Get those, for sure!
If you do like this Chickpea Avocado Salad recipe, you would LOVE my ‘Picnic Pasta Salad’ or my ‘Creole Potato Salad’ in my cookbook, Mississippi Vegan, available here. There’s over 125 recipes and loads of pretty photos.
RECIPES THAT PAIR WELL WITH THIS CHICKPEA AVOCADO SALAD
And there you have my Chickpea Avocado Salad! I cannot wait to hear what y’all think. If you do make this, please leave a comment and a rating below as this greatly helps my recipes to be seen on the interwebs. Lastly, if you share it on social media, please tag me. I love to see it. Happy cooking, y’all!
-Timothy
One 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed 
Ingredients
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
1 clove large garlic, smashed and chopped into a paste
½ cup diced celery
1 green onion stalk, chopped
2 tablespoon dill pickles, diced
3 tablespoons Castelvetrano olives, diced
¼ cup roasted salted Marcona almonds, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced shallot
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley, fresh not dried
¼ cup roughly chopped dill, fresh not dried
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
¼ cup vegan mayo
1 medium avocado, ripe and cut into chunksInstructions
67 comments
I made this immediately once Timothy posted the recipe. I was waiting for it and it did not disappoint! Flavors are harmonious and very sophisticated and it’s so simple to make. It’s a fancy sandwich (or salad) that can be made in a jiffy. Great leftovers too! I will make this at least once a month.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for the sweet comment.
I made this tonight and it was a hit! My 4.5 year old said he hated it but then cleaned his plate so ignore your contrary child and make this meal! Honestly, I will probably double it next time. Thanks for the recipe and can’t wait to make more!
Hahaha! I love that. Kids can be so sassy, eh? Thank you for the sweet comment. 😉
Oh boy, where were I missing all this lovely food. This salad is wonderful. I didn’t put pickles this time as my garden provides plenty of fresh herbs.
Love it
Love to hear this!! Thank you!
I am a tad obsessed with this blog. I made this salad last night immediately after seeing the post. I added grilled corn and some cucumber– and KABOOM! it was off the hook– my husband and I stuffed our faces in silence as we enjoyed. It was so filling I did not need to eat the sweet potato I tossed in the oven.
I have made the quiche, the truffle mac and cheese and now this… and I have many more recipes saved. Thankful I stumbled on you. Both my mouth and husband are grateful. YAY!
I made this last night for my friend who is vegan. It got rave reviews!!! I used cornichons instead of regular pickles and they worked great. Served it over crusty sourdough bread and it was perfect!!!! Even though I’m not vegan myself I will 100% make this again. The flavor combination is out of this world! It’s crunchy creamy fresh tasting and perfect for a hot summer night!
This is delicious! I made sandwiches with a huge slice of yellow tomato and fresh arugula.. divine! I skipped the onion, garlic, and shallots (allergic), and I must confess, I was glad to remove any obstacles to all the dill. This recipe is going in to regular rotation!
I just made this recipe this morning to bring to lunch…and it’s amazing! Soo incredibly fresh and super quick to make. I used fresh basil and also, pro tip: SMOKED PAPRIKA. I love adding it to everything. Great recipe, thanks!
I didn’t have some of the ingredients on hand (we aren’t vegan and that much fresh dill is hard to come by) but really wanted to try this right away, so I made due. The result was delicious, and I’m sure it will be even better once I round up the official ingredients. Thanks for an alternative to the typical summer sandwich salads!
This is a fantastic recipe. Thank you!
Love this recipe and so does my 11 year old carnivore. I used a mortar and pestle to crush the chickpeas which was way faster than fork. Also used it for the garlic paste. Thanks!
Wow. This is delicious. Just devoured a sandwich. Thank you for your fantastic recipe. Well done.
Mmmmmmm!!! SO GOOD! Soon as I saw this I just had to make it! I’m not vegan but this was AMAZING!!!!! Thank you for sharing your talents!
So easy. So delish! I added some Tony Chatchere’s (no salt) because I live in NOLA and it’s customary and a touch of smoked paprika. Even without the fresh spices or addition of the avocado it was superb!
I’ve already made this twice, it is the best rendition of chickpea salad I’ve yet to find. The combination of crunchy almonds and tangy pickles, with the fresh dill and that punch of mustard UGH amazing. Purely amazing.
just finished prepping this salad: looks stunning and tastes stunning. can’t wait to buy a crackling wholemeal baguette tomorrow morning and have the sandwich for breakfast. ROARRRRRR!!!
Awesome! Thanks for the comment. Happy cooking!
This looks great and want to try, but don’t really like mayo (even vegan). Can it be substituted with greek yogurt?
Yeah, I think a yogurt would be delicious (although I would use a thick coconut yogurt to keep it vegan).
When trying to decide which recipe to try first, my sister and I were going back and forth on different peoples renditions. I ended up winning and after stirring everything together, we tried it and immediately went, “it’s perfect.” I was a little worried because I’m not a huge fan of hummus. But wow. Tuna fish is expensive where I live, and let me tell you I’ve found a perfect alternative.
*small disclosure. I am not vegan and used non vegan mayonnaise.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe!! Thanks for leaving a comment. Happy cooking!
Your YouTube video on this recipe is what made me make this, and I swear life has never been the same since! It is absolutely AMAZING. I have made it several times, and served it to several people, and it has become their obsession as well. I’ve shared your recipe with all of them! I make it exactly how it is written, and it is perfect every single time. Thank you sooo much for this magical creation!
I’m so glad you came here from YouTube! Thank you for the sweet comment. It’s so lovely to hear that you like the recipe. Happy cooking!
Saved as a favorite, I love your website!
What an absolutely gorgeous recipe!! Drooling all over the place, lol. That knife you’re holding is also quite gorgeous. Mind sharing what brand it is?? Luv, luv, luv your cookbook. Awesome read from front to back. I have a running grocery list that I keep adding to to try some of those delicious recipes. Thank you for doing you Tim 🙂
Thank you so much! It’s a SUMO knife! I love it.
Looks fabulous! I don’t like dill (the only herb I dislike) could I sub or add less or simply omit? – would it spoil the overall recipe without it? Thanks, stay well and keep safe…
You can absolutely use fresh basil, tarragon, parsley or even cilantro instead!
This. Was. Fantastic. Perfect as is. I don’t use store bought mayo so I swapped vegan mayo for homemade tahini mayo. This will be in heavy rotaysh for the remainder of the summer. In fact, I’m sowing dill seeds today to keep up with future demand.
That’s awesome! Tahini would be lovely in this!
Can’t wait to try this salad! Looks scrumptious!!
I just made this and wow it is mindblowingly delicious! I am adding this as one of my go- to recipes it was seriously easy to put together!
I’m so glad you liked it!! Thank you for the review.
I made this for the first time this week and while it was more work to make than I expected (I’m also slow in the kitchen) and had some pricy ingredients, it was so worth it! I enjoyed it between two slices of toasted bread, over some spring mix in a salad and just finished it off on some crackers. Would 1000% make it again!! (For myself/others/a party)
I realized as I was making it that I had purchased hamburger dill pickles instead of sweet dill pickles. While I definitely enjoyed what I made I wanted to clarify which dill pickles I was supposed to include?
Yes, you used the correct pickles! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Worth every ingredient!! Sooo delicious!
Yay!!
You can cook. My husband ate two sandwiches. He is a meat eater wanting to get healthy. I look forward to trying more of you recipes.
I love hearing this!! Thank you!
Just make a double batch, AT LEAST. Take my word for it, you will wish you’d made more. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!!!!
That’s what I like to hear!!! Thank you!
This is my new favorite lunch staple. I’ve been trying to stop eating Tuna and this is the perfect replacement! So good. It doesn’t even need to be served on bread, I eat it plain. It’s that delicious. Thank you Timothy!!!
Awesome! I love that this recipe is now in your rotation! Thanks for leaving a comment. You are very welcome!
This recipe comes together in 5 minutes but the flavor combinations are perfection! It hits all the right notes and I immediately made a second batch knowing that one would not be enough. This is a gem!
Hi Amy!! : ) I am so thrilled you enjoyed it. Thanks for the love.
Made this tonight – amazing! So delicious and quick! I’ll definitely be making this for my non-vegan friends this summer 🙂
Aww, this makes me very happy to hear. I love this recipe and I am so thrilled you enjoyed it.
I won an hor dourves contest back in 2019 with this recipe. Family and friends consisted of both meat eaters and vegetarians. Everyone loved it. Thank you, Timothy.
I have a big smile on my face from this. Thank you!
All I can say is WOW WOW WOW OOOH MYY GA
Yayyyy!
Made this for an easy lunch to take to work and omg yum!! Didn’t have pickles so added some lemon juice for zest and used greek yogurt instead of mayo because it’s all I had on hand. I will 1000% be making this for lunch all summer. Does not disappoint!!
Yayyy love hearing this!! Thank you!
Just made it (but used regular mayo) and smoked paprika instead of cayenne.
Tim, this is addictive!!! YUM!
Stacey
So happy you liked it!!
I think I may have added too many almonds or olives how can I cut the salt?
Hi there! You can always add more chickpeas to help cut the salt!
Absolutely phenomenal as expected. I ordered the Marcona Almonds from Amazon as I wasn’t able to find locally—I’m so glad that I did as those truly make a difference. Great flavors and texture! A definite repeat for me. Thanks for providing those of us who need a little help with such great recipes.!
Aww, this was lovely to read. Thank you!! So glad you didn’t skip the Marcona almonds.
Rockstar salad for sure!! Love the flavors and they blend beautifully. I must admit that I had no experience with Marcona Almonds but thanks to Timothy, those are now a newly appreciated addition to other dishes. Total yumminess!
Hi Ida! This is so awesome to read!! Thank you!
The best salad EVER. Just made it again for probably the fifth time and I always forget how perfect this recipe is! Serving it on endive for a delicious little snack.
Hi Laura! So, so happy to heart this! Will definitely try it on endive next time I make it. Thank you for letting me know!
Hello Timothy!
I just wanted to tell you that as a kid I used to eat chickpeas for a treat. Then, becoming vegan, I sort of tired of the chickpea salads. That is, until I ate your recipe. WOW! Did you hit that out of the park!!!! Wanted to thank you. Your work is extraordinary. Hope to make every one of your magical culinary delights!
Deb! Thank you so much for this lovely comment! I am so happy you like the salad. It is some of my best work, I would say. Happy cooking!