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 dip, with a bit of a kick thanks to both pickled and fresh jalapenos! Jump to Recipe
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.
Recipe Card
Jalapeno Popper Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
Dip ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (118.29 g) 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 (453.59 g) can of chickpeas or 1.5 cups cooked
- ¼ cup (25.25 g) chopped celery
- ¼ cup (37.25 g) 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
- Blend all the dip ingredients until smooth in a blender. Add a tbsp water if needed.
- Mash the cooked chickpeas in a bowl until mostly mashed with a few whole ones left.
- Add in the rest of the chickpea salad ingredients including the tofu dip and mix really well. Chill for 15 mins
- Taste and adjust salt and flavor as needed. Add something sweet like dried cranberries or raisins If you like or toasted cashews.
- To assemble, prepare sandwich bread or wrap. Add a good helping of chickpea sandwich mix. Top with pickled jalapeños.
Video
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
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:
For the dip, blend the tofu, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder and nutritional yeast until smooth. Add a tbsp or so water if needed.
Mash chickpeas in a bowl until mostly mashed with a few whole chickpeas here and there for some chew.
Add in the other salad ingredients, so the celery, jalapenos, bell pepper, and green onion and mix really well.
Add the creamy dip and stir well until combined. Chill for a bit.
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.
David Noel
Richa,
This was fantastic. Such an easy recipe to throw together for my work week lunches. I love the spice of the jalapeños. The flavors come together so well with this. Thank you for a great recipe!
Vegan Richa Support
so happy to hear! thank you for making it
Stacey
Beautiful recipe as usual! I used extra firm tofu as I had that on hand. I doubled the recipe to have for my lunches all week and added extra lemon juice. I’ll be alternating in lettuce wraps and open faced on some toasted 16 grain bread, topped with more Pickled jalapenos and Cucumber. The flavors are wonderful after mixing but even better after they chill. A nice light Cheesy flavor with crunch & a subtle kick. Thank you Richa💗
Vegan Richa Support
yay! thank you
Genna H
I made this for lunch this week and it was so good!! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe. I had no idea that you could get the same type of “mayo” creaminess from silken tofu in a chickpea salad.
Vegan Richa Support
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Angela Fortezza-Soto
I made it with the 1/4 cup of cashews and did not get anywhere enough dressing to make my chickpeas look like that. They were barely coated and had no jalapeño flavor. If you increase the serving size, that 1/4 cup does not change. Did I do something wrong or is there a mistake?
Richa
The main recipe changes. That’s the widget implementation. The ingredients listed change based on serving, the alternate options don’t. For double the chickpeas, you will obviously need double the sauce
Carolyn Barnett
Richa,
I am so fond of salad/sandwich filling recipes as, like everyone else, I am so busy during the day that I forget to prepare for lunch or even dinner! I am then left with making a peanut butter sandwich while the omnivores that I cook for have a nice dinner. So, to prevent this, I made this wonderful jalapeno popper chickpea recipe and it was sooo delicious!! I just loved it and wanted to eat the whole recipe in one sitting!!! (I restrained myself). I added the dried cranberries to the recipe as suggested and I think it just made the recipe. The combination of spicy and savory with the tart sweetness was just irresistible!I made a very pretty presentation of this salad mix placed in endive leaves for a party and it was so yummy and elegant. HOSTESS SUCCESS!! I have never made one of your recipes I have not absolutely loved. I have both of your books too! Thank you thank you
Shaheen
This is the best & very nice recipe of sandwich
Thanks a lot mam
Vegan Richa Support
Thanks Shaheen! iM happy that you liked it
Kirsten
I loved the dip! I’d call it a dressing. I even used it in another recipe instead of vegan mayo, so much healthier and adds protein!
Vegan Richa Support
Hooray!
Rachel
Jalepeno popper flavor is so spot on! Yum. I would make the tofu sauce as just a dip. Thank you!
Vegan Richa Support
it’s a classic. thank YOU
Bhavana mali
Honesty speaking mam almost for 2 minutes i was not able to take my eyes from the sandwich image beacuse its looking so yummy and then i went through the recipe it’s super easy and unique. Will definately try this.
Vegan Richa Support
wow! let me know how it turns out for you
Tally
SO good! I used raw jalapeños for crunch and added half of a minced shallot instead of onion and garlic powder. I also added some minced cilantro and roasted the chicken breasts because I think that adds more flavor.
Vegan Richa Support
sounds scrumptious – thank you kindly for your feedback
Danielle
Yummy. We didn’t have any bread in the house, so I microwaved few red potatoes and served the salad on them. Perfect dinner for a warm evening. I doubled the recipe so we can eat the leftovers on our chopped salad tomorrow for lunch.
Thank you for the recipe.
Mims
This is FANTASTIC! I make chickpea tuna salad alot, and this is my favorite variation by far. The popper dip is incredible, I doubled the batch and used the dip as dollops on savory oats, vegan sushi, taco bowls, Cuban black beans and plantains. Yum! So easy to .. especially for the hot summer days.
Richa
Yay! Great idea !
Emily
This was so phenomenal. We made a quadruple batch for the picnic this weekend!
Richa
Awesome
Bob
Making this today, looks great. I was concerned about such a high sodium content, 1/4 tsp of salt is only 500 mg, but each serving is much higher at 637mg, perhaps it was from the canned chickpeas?
Richa
Yes the widget uses the default canned , I changed it to low sodium canned and it’s 500 now. Pickled jalapeño also shows 400 mg sodium but that also probably depends on the brands
arj
I watch sodium too, so I used my own cooked beans, but if I use canned, I try to buy low-sodium and rinse either way. I also rinse the pickled jalapeños.
Trina
Made this tonight. Delicious. I served my portion inside a half of red pepper and for family on bread.
Thank you,
Trina
Ryan Matzen
Looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try it!
Richa
Thanks!