These delicious Chickpea Salad Melts are my vegetarian version of a tuna melt. The chickpea salad is easy to make, and these hearty sandwiches can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.
To me, tuna melts are one of those comfort foods that always seem to hit the spot. I was craving one recently, so I decided to make these vegetarian Chickpea Salad Melts, and they did not disappoint. Even my husband was impressed! They’re hearty enough for dinner, but they’re also perfect for lunch.
I’ve made a few tuna-style dishes using chickpeas in the past and they work really well. They’re mild in flavor and have a nice texture. If you would rather have something with lower carbs, you can use crumbled-up tofu instead.
Chickpea Salad Melts Recipe Ingredients
- Chickpeas – I used one can of chickpeas for this recipe. You can easily double it and add two. Crumbled extra firm tofu would be a good alternative to chickpeas if needed.
- Celery – Celery adds crunch and goes so well in chickpea/tuna-salad-type recipes.
- Onion – I love adding raw red onion, but any kind can be used. You can even use green onion if you want a milder taste.
- Pickles – For me, pickles are a must in all (vegetarian) tuna salad recipes. They add crunch, saltiness, and a nice vinegar flavor.
- Dill – The pickles will add a dill flavor, but extra fresh dill is nice, too. You can skip it if you like; I just had some already, so I threw it in. If you don’t have fresh dill, you could add some dried dill, but it can be pretty strong, so don’t add too much!
- Lemon Juice – The lemon juice is optional but adds some nice acidity.
- Dijon Mustard – I love mustard, so I always add a bit of Dijon to recipes like this. Mayo can be pretty heavy, so it helps cut the richness while adding great flavor.
- Mayonnaise – I used vegan mayo for this recipe because I prefer it, but any mayo can be used. You could also use tahini instead of mayo for the creaminess.
- Salt and Pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add other spices if you like.
- Cheese – I used a couple of slices of sharp cheddar, but you can use any cheese you like. Sliced cheese makes things a bit less messy, but shredded cheese is ok, too.
- Bread – Use any kind of sandwich bread you like. I used a regular store-bought wheat bread. You could also make these into open-face melts and use one big slice of bread.
I didn’t add kelp flakes to this recipe, but I have added them to “tuna” recipes in the past to give them a fishy taste. If you like, you could add 1-2 Tablespoons of kelp flakes to the chickpea salad.
Why Your Body Will Love These Melts
- Digestive Health – Chickpeas offer an abundance of fiber, which benefits the digestive system, helps fill us up, and keeps our bodies feeling full for longer.
- Chickpeas are super(food!) – Chickpeas contain saponins, which help fight cancer, and calcium, iron, and other nutrients that contribute to bone health. Chickpeas help the brain and nervous system function properly and contain vitamins A, C, E, folate, and magnesium.
How To Make Vegetarian Tuna Melts
- Start by making your “tuna” chickpea salad. Add your rinsed and drained chickpeas to a medium-sized bowl and use a fork to mash them. I leave a few of them whole but prefer the texture when most of them are mashed.
- Next, add the remaining chickpea salad ingredients and mix everything together well, until the mayo is completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat a large pan over medium-low heat. You can either cook them with cooking spray or butter. I like to butter one side of a slice of bread, lay it butter-side down on a cutting board, top it with cheese slices, and then top it with a couple of spoonfuls of chickpea salad. You can make them as small or as large as you like.
- Add the remaining slice of bread to the top and gently butter the top of that slice. Add chickpea melts to the pan, I like to do cheese-side down so it melts more quickly. You can also place the lid on the pan for a minute or two to help the cheese melt. Cook each side for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.
- Let cool for a minute or two, slice in half, and enjoy! These are great served with a side of chips, fries, veggies, or a salad.
Chickpea Salad Melt Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten-free? If you use gluten-free bread, the recipe will be gluten-free.
- Is this recipe vegan? Use vegan mayo and vegan cheese to make these sandwiches vegan.
- How long will the chickpea salad leftovers last? Chickpea salad should last about 4-5 days if stored in an airtight container.
- Can these chickpea salad melts be made ahead of time? They can, but they may get soggy. I refrigerated mine overnight in a ziplock bag and re-heated for a few minutes in a pan and they were still pretty delicious.
- How many melts does this recipe make? This recipe makes enough chickpea salad for about 4 good-sized sandwiches.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes?
Balsamic Sweet Pepper and Boursin Sandwiches
Avocado Pesto Chickpea Sandwiches
Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Vegetarian ChickN Parmesan Sliders
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Chickpea Salad Melts (Vegetarian Tuna Melts)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Chickpea Salad Melts are a delicious vegetarian version of the classic tuna melt! They’re easy to make and perfect for lunch, but hearty enough for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced pickles
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Small squeeze of fresh lemon juice, optional
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise, vegan or regular, you can always add extra if it seems a little dry to you
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 slices preferred bread, I used whole wheat sandwich bread
- 8 slices preferred cheese, I used sharp cheddar
Instructions
- Start by making your chickpea salad. Add your rinsed and drained chickpeas to a medium sized bowl and use a fork to mash them. I leave a few of them whole, but prefer the texture when most of them are mashed.
- Next, add in all the celery, pickles, onion, dill, lemon juice, dijon, and mayo and mix everything together well, until the mayo is completely incorporated with all the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat a large pan over medium-low heat. You can either cook them with cooking spray or butter. I like to butter one side of a slice of the bread, lay it butter side down on a cutting board, top with cheese slices and then top with a couple of spoonfuls of the chickpea salad. You can make them as small or as large as you like.
- Add the remaining slice of bread to the top and gently butter the top of that slice. Add chickpea melts to the pan, I like to do cheese side down so it melts more quickly. You can also place the lid on top of the pan for a minute or two to help the cheese melt. Cook each side for about 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.
- Let cool for a minute or two, slice in half and enjoy! These are great served with a side of chips, fries, veggies or a salad.
Notes
Nutritional information will depend on what kind of bread and cheese you use, so just use the below information as an estimate.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Vegetarian, Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
This salad mix is AMAZING. So delicious and flavorful! I cooked mine in a cast iron skillet with a little grated sharp cheddar mixed in to the salad, and a slice of
Havarti. Canyon Bakehouse Heritage Style Whole Grain gluten free bread gives grilled cheese sandwiches a very good texture. Spread butter on the inner and mayo on the outer side of the bread. But the salad is good on its own if you don’t make it a grilled cheese melt sandwich.
Hi Elizabeth, thank you so much for the kind review!! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! Your meal sounds delicious! 🙂
This is definitely a unique recipe that I figured my family would either love or hate but it was a win! The flavors and texture work really well together to make this vegan “tuna” melt. I excluded the celery and used yellow mustard instead of Dijon and everything was great.
I’m so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed these “tuna” melts!! That makes me so happy 🙂
This was delicious! Will be adding to our lunch rotation. Even our 2.5 year old liked it!
That is so great to hear, Jen!! Glad everyone enjoyed them 🙂
6 months ago I would have said “ewww,” garbanzo beans! Tried this recipe tonight, and OMG, it was so good! thankyou so much for posting this! I haven`t eaten meat for years, and recently gave up dairy, so always looking for new recipes!
That’s so nice to hear, Nancy!! Glad you enjoyed it and glad you found a chickpea recipe that you enjoyed! 🙂
Your recipes are consistently blocked by the overload of your ads..frustrating.
Why are the fat, sodium, cholesterol and calories so high.
Hi Carole, honestly I don’t quite trust the nutrition tracker that I use because it seems off a lot, but I currently haven’t figured out a better solution. I would recommend inputting the information into a nutrition website that you trust, if that is something you need to be tracking. I am working on a better solution though!
I ‘think’ as I look at the nutrition information it is for FOUR servings, not one as you have 8 slices of bread (serving 4 people). So, divide everything by 4 and I believe you will have accurate info. I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I will and will return with a review! It looks fab!