My summer recipe planning jumps back and forth between grilled recipes that can sometimes be quite heavy and quick lighter meals that I can grab straight out of the fridge. These Curried Chickpea Sandwiches fall squarely in the second category and I love having them ready to go!

Besides the fact that you don’t have to turn on a grill or stove to make these happen, they are also just plain delicious. This time of year, I like adding fresh cherries to the curried chickpea mixture which gives them a fresh, sweet bite. YUM!

What kind of curry paste to use?

There are many curry pastes in the stores these days. My only advice for these chickpea sandwiches is to use something on the mild side. If you use a spicy red curry paste, it will be too strong for these light sandwiches. I like to use a yellow or green mild curry paste for my version.

How to prepare chickpeas?

If you want to use dried chickpeas for these, you should soak them overnight and then lightly simmer them until they are very tender.

Personally, the whole reason I’m making this recipe in the height of summer is to avoid turning on my stove, so I’m just not going to simmer chickpeas for hours for this one. I use canned chickpeas.

The key to using canned chickpeas is to drain them and rinse them well before adding them to the dressing mix. Optionally, you can also mash all or some of the chickpeas to smooth out the texture of the finished salad. I like to mash a few of the chickpeas but leave most of them whole.

How to make chickpea salad

Basic dressing for chickpea salad sandwiches

This isn’t a rocket science recipe by any means, but it’s one of those that requires you to taste it after you make it and adjust it to your liking.

To start, whisk together the dressing part of the recipe (mayo, yogurt, etc.) and then you just fold in all the delicious add-ins. Once you have the salad mixed together, please taste it! Depending on the brand of chickpeas and brand of curry paste, it might need some adjusting. Maybe a pinch of salt, maybe an extra squeeze of lemon… It should taste bright and refreshing with a good balance of sweetness and savory.

What kind of bread to use for sandwiches

Bread for chickpea sandwiches

This is a pretty sturdy salad mix so I would use a sturdier bread if you are making sandwiches out of this. (Alternatively, you can serve the salad on greens for a true salad recipe.)

But, if you are making sandwiches, use a sourdough bread or toasted hard roll would work fine as well. Something too tender and it’ll just get soggy and fall apart from this salad.

Alternative add-ins for the chickpea salad

Add-ins and options for chickpea sandwiches

There is no shortage of add-ins you could use for this recipe. Here are a few ideas:

  • Use dried fruit instead of fresh fruit.
  • Add some nuts like chopped peanuts or pistachio for extra crunch
  • Clean out your veggie drawer with shredded carrots, diced peppers, etc.
  • Fold in arugula right before serving to lighten up the salad and give it a peppery kick.

Curried Chickpea Sandwiches

5 from 2 votes
Author: Nick Evans
Servings: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
This easy chickpea salad has a wonderful savory/sweet curry dressing and loads of crunchy veggies. Plus, my secret ingredient (perfect for summer): ripe cherries! You can eat it in many ways, but I like it between crusty sourdough slices.

Ingredients 

  • ¼ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon mild curry paste
  • 1 tbsp lemon
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 can, 15 oz. chickpeas
  • 2 scallions, diced
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • ½ cup pitted cherries, quartered
  • Toasted sourdough bread

Instructions

  • Combine mayo, yogurt, curry, salt, pepper, honey, and lemon in a medium bowl. Stir together well.
  • Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to dressing along with other ingredients. Optionally, you can lightly mash the chickpeas if you prefer that texture over whole chickpeas. I usually mash a few but leave most whole.
  • Taste the salad and adjust to your liking. Maybe an extra pinch of salt, etc.
  • When making a sandwich, toast bread and use a slotted spoon to scoop out chickpea salad, leaving any extra liquid behind.
  • Keep leftover chickpea salad in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 724kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 703mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 601IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Main Dishes, Salad, Sandwiches
Cuisine: Indian

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Tag @crunchtimekitchen

Curried Chickpea Sandwiches

Storage Advice for Curried Chickpea Sandwiches

Chickpea Sandwiches with Cherries

This Curried Chickpea Salad mix will make about 6 sandwiches which you probably won’t need all at once! No worries! The salad actually improves after a day or two in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container and it stores beautifully.

When you are making a sandwich out of it, make sure to use a slotted spoon to let any extra liquid drain off from the salad.

After about 4 days, the salad will start to break down and the cherries will go first. Once they get wilted, it’s probably time to discard it. So eat it within the week.