Comfort Food Recipes

Jalapeño Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This Jalapeno Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe combines two favorites into a new exciting lunch sandwich! Protein-rich chickpeas and veggies…

  • Ready 35 minutes
  • Serves 2
  • Prep 15 minutes
  • Cook 5 minutes
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Jalapeño Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich


I love Jalapeño Popper anything: Apart from classic Vegan Jalapeño Poppers I already have Jalapeño Popper Dip, Jalapeno Popper Pizza,and this Tempeh Scramble Wrap recipe with Jalapeño Popper Dip. So yes, I have a thing for Jalapeño Poppers.

Here’s my new favorite spin on this crowd-pleasing appetizer! Jalapeño Popper Chickpea Salad – a quick, easy, and flavorful vegan lunch sandwich that you can prep ahead and pack for an epic office lunch all week. The whole flavor of jalapeño popper in a simple sandwich that is healthy and packed with plant-based protein.

I like to use both fresh and pickled jalapeno peppers for the chickpea salad recipe for double the jalapeno flavor but you can add a bit less if you cannot handle a lot of heat.

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halfed vegan jalapeño popper chickpea salad sandwich on a wooden chopping board

Ingredients:

  • Cooked or canned chickpeas make up the base of this salad. You can use other cooked beans such as navy beans, white Northern, or cannellini.
  • Onion, bell pepper, and celery add color and crunch to the chickpea salad.
  • Pickled and fresh jalapeños in salad and dressing add some kick.
  • Silken or firm tofu blended with some lemon, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and pickled jalapeños makes for an incredible cheesy Jalepeño popper dip that we toss our salad ingredients with.

Tips and Variations:

  • Feel free to add something sweet like dried cranberries or raisins if you like.
  • For some crunch, add toasted pecans or cashews.
  • The flavor of this chickpeas salad develops as it sits, so chill it for some time before serving.
  • For a lower-carb version enjoy this salad in a lettuce wrap, or stuffed inside a hollowed-out tomato, or rolled up in a low carb tortilla.
  • Not a fan of tofu? Use 1/4 cup of soaked cashew nuts instead.
  • Want to take this to the next level? Make your own sandwich bread.

How to make this Vegan Jalapeño Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe:

overhead shot of ingredients needed for making vegan chickpea salad

For the dip, blend the tofu, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder and nutritional yeast until smooth. Add a tbsp or so water if needed.

mashed chickpeas in a white bowl

Mash chickpeas in a bowl until mostly mashed with a few whole chickpeas here and there for some chew.

vegan chickpea salad ingredients assembled in a white bowl

Add in the other salad ingredients, so the celery, jalapenos, bell pepper, and green onion and mix really well.

creamy dairy-free tofu dip being added to chickpea salad ingredients

Add the creamy dip and stir well until combined. Chill for a bit.

creamy vegan jalapeño chickpea salad in a white bowl

After chilling, taste the salad and adjust salt level and flavor as needed. Feel free to add something sweet like dried cranberries or raisins If you like or toasted cashews.

Prepare sandwich bread or wrap. Add a good helping of chickpea sandwich mix. Top with pickled jalapeños.

To Store: Refrigerate just the jalapeño popper chickpea salad in a covered container for up to 3 -4 days.

MORE SANDWICHES TO TRY:

Recipe

Jalapeno Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This Jalapeno Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe combines two favorites into a new exciting lunch sandwich! Protein-rich chickpeas and veggies tossed with a creamy tofu based jalapeño popper dip, with a bit of a kick thanks to both pickled and fresh jalapenos! Soyfree option Glutenfree option

  • Serves 2
  • Prep 15 minutes
  • Cook 5 minutes
  • Total 35 minutes

Ingredients

Dip ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Silken or firm tofu (or 1/4 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for 15 mins for soyfree)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (or ½ tsp prepared mustard)
  • 4 slices pickled jalapeno
  • 2-3 tbsp water

For chickpeas:

  • 15 oz can of chickpeas (or 1.5 cups cooked)
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped green onion
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh jalapeno ((remove seeds to reduce heat if needed))

Assembly:

  • 4 bread slices ((use Glutenfree bread for gf or serve in a bowl with crunchy greens and veggies))
  • Greens like spinach (cucumber, or other fresh veggies)
  • Sliced jalapeno or pickled jalapeno

Instructions

  1. 1

    Blend all the dip ingredients until smooth in a blender. Add a tbsp water if needed.

  2. 2

    Mash the cooked chickpeas in a bowl until mostly mashed with a few whole ones left.

  3. 3

    Add in the rest of the chickpea salad ingredients including the tofu dip and mix really well. Chill for 15 mins

  4. 4

    Taste and adjust salt and flavor as needed. Add something sweet like dried cranberries or raisins If you like or toasted cashews.

  5. 5

    To assemble, prepare sandwich bread or wrap. Add a good helping of chickpea sandwich mix. Top with pickled jalapeños.

Notes

The chickpea salad will store in the refrigerator for up to 4 day Feel free to add something sweet like dried cranberries or raisins if you like. For some crunch, add toasted pecans or cashews. The flavor of this chickpeas salad develops as it sits, so chill it for some time before serving. For a lower-carb version enjoy this salad in a lettuce wrap, or stuffed inside a hollowed-out tomato, or rolled up in a low carb tortilla. Not a fan of tofu? Use 1/4 cup of soaked cashew nuts instead. Nutrition does not include bread

Nutrition

  • Calories268 kcal
  • Carbohydrates35 g
  • Protein18 g
  • Fat7 g
  • Saturated Fat1 g
  • Sodium514 mg
  • Potassium473 mg
  • Fiber12 g
  • Sugar2 g
  • Vitamin A902 IU
  • Vitamin C27 mg
  • Calcium157 mg
  • Iron4 mg