This vegan chickpea salad makes a quick lunch that can be whipped up any time of the year. I’ve experimented with lots of variations, but this combo of kimchi and fresh veggies is one of my favorites. It makes a great sandwich, but also can be enjoyed on crackers, wrapped up in a tortilla, or simply eaten by the spoonful. Omit the bread and the recipe is Gluten-free.
Down in the recipe you may see some new names you haven’t seen before. Kala Namak is one of them. Kala Namak is a pungent, sulfuric salt that is commonly used in Indian cuisine. It brings out the flavor of the chickpeas and compliments this dish quite well. You can find it for pretty cheap online. I have yet to find it in my local grocery stores, but you may test your luck at your local international food store. Alternatively, you can get it here!
Wildbrine kimchi is definitely one of my favorites. There’s so many out there and it can get overwhelming going to the grocery store and seeing all the different varieties. One of the reasons I love this brand is it’s more affordable than a lot of the others, it’s vegan (no fish sauce or dried shrimp), and I could literally drink the brine it’s in.
PLEASE get yourself a good loaf of bread to eat this salad with. Just do it. Nothing beats a fresh loaf paired with this. I have made this salad for many people and it’s always been a loved dish! It’s filling, great for road trips, picnics, beach days, literally anything! Enjoy :)
Chickpea And Kimchi Salad Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 large leaf of dino kale (also known as dinosaur, Lacinato, or Tuscan kale) destemmed and finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (leave out seeds if you don't want spice)
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1 clove garlic, very finely minced or mashed (almost to a paste)
- 1/4 c Veganaise or similar vegan “mayonnaise”
- 1 tsp Dijon or stone ground mustard
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp kala namak (black salt) or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 slices good quality sourdough bread, toasted
- 1 avocado sliced
- About 2 tablespoons vegan kimchi, drained and chopped. Use more if you like.
- 4-6 thin slices of cucumber
Instructions:
- Put the chickpeas in a medium bowl and mash them slightly with a fork or potato masher. Leaving a few in tact for texture.
- Add the celery, red pepper, kale, jalapeno, green onion, dill, and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the Veganaise and mustard. Season with nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. At this point, the chickpea salad can sealed and stored in the refrigerator for up
- to 2 days.
- To assemble the sandwiches, stack up the toast with chickpea salad, sliced avocado, cucumber and plenty of kimchi.
- Serve immediately.