This Vegan Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich is packed full of flavour and super satisfying.
Are you a bit unsure about curry-flavoured mayonnaise-based sandwiches? I was, too. There was something about them that seemed a bit old-fashioned, in a bad way.
But then I made this Vegan Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich and changed my mind! I really can't get enough of this delicious plant-based twist on Coronation Chicken (or whatever else you'd call a curried chicken mayonnaise salad) - it's rich and creamy and subtly spiced with a little fruity sweetness.
So here's how I made a few adjustments to switch up a traditional curried chicken mayonnaise sandwich:
- Coconut oil-fried diced onion for extra flavour
- Mashed chickpeas in place of of chopped chicken - the chickpeas are hearty, have a meaty texture and work really well to soak up all the delicious flavours
- Blended up cashew nuts in place of mayonnaise - much healthier and just as rich and creamy without being too cloying. You can, of course, use your favourite shop-bought (vegan) mayonnaise instead if you'd rather
- Lemon juice for freshness and a little zingy citrus flavour
- Mango chutney for fruity, nectar-like sweetness - you can substitute with any other sweetener if you don't have this
- Desiccated coconut for extra tropical fragrance
Other delicious, optional add-ins include raisins, flaked almonds and pistachios.
The chickpea curry salad part can be made in advance and stores for up to a few days, making it ideal for meal prep, and it keeps well in a sandwich for several hours, so it's perfect for packed lunches too!
For more delicious plant-based sandwiches and wraps, check out my:
- Lazy Falafel Lettuce Wraps
- Mediterranean Chickpea “Tuna” Pittas
- Vegan Egg Mayonnaise Salad
- Tofu Katsu Sushi Lettuce Wraps
- Chickpea Mayo Coconut Bacon Lettuce Wraps
- Hummus Toasted Sandwich
- Lazy Samosa Lettuce Cups
- Vegan “Crispy Duck” Lettuce Wraps
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Helpful tools to make this Vegan Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich:
food processor
blender
hand-held stick blender
Vegan Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich (GF)
Ingredients
For the chickpea curry salad*:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or sub vegetable or rapeseed oil)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder, to taste
- 400 g (14oz) tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 50 g (⅓ cup) raw cashew nuts** - soaked overnight in cold water or in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon mango chutney (or sub agave or maple syrup)
- Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped (or sub 1 teaspoon dried coriander)
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
- Salt + pepper, to taste
To serve:
- Pitta bread, flatbread, sandwich bread (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- Lettuce leaves
- Red pepper, cut into matchsticks
Instructions
For the chickpea curry salad:
- Heat up oil in a frying pan and add onion once hot
- Cook for around 10 minutes until soft and slightly caramelised
- Add curry powder and fry for about a minute until fragrant
- Mash chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until broken into rough pieces (you can alternatively use a pestle and mortar)
- Add the chickpeas to the frying pan and fry for a further couple of minutes until heated through
- Transfer into a bowl and set aside
- Place cashew nuts in a blender or food processor (a hand-held stick blender also works well) and whizz until completely smooth, adding little splashes of water until you achieve your desired consistency - it should be fairly runny but not too watery
- Add the blended cashews to the bowl with the chickpeas and add lemon juice, mango chutney, coriander, desiccated coconut and salt + pepper to taste
- Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings as necessary
To serve:
- Serve in pitta bread, flatbread, sandwich bread, along with salad such as lettuce and sweet red peppers if desired
- The chickpea curry salad will keep for up to a couple of days covered in the fridge, and keeps well in a sandwich for several hours
Notes
- Golden raisins
- Flaked almonds
- Chopped pistachios
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Leslie
Made this for lunch today and loved it! The curry really adds something special.
Rhian Williams
Thank you!
Kate
Absolutely fantastic! I recently went vegan and have been on the hunt for easy, quick, satisfying sandwich recipes to take with me to work/school. These exactly hit the spot 🙂
Any recommendations on how to up the spice factor in it? Also, do you think next time I could sub soy or coconut yogurt for the blended cashews or would that throw off the balance? Thanks for the recipe!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much! To add more spice, you could add some cayenne chilli pepper or some hot sauce, maybe sriracha. And yes soy or coconut yogurt would work as a sub!
Emily
Can’t wait to try this for an upcoming road trip! If I’m subbing veganaise, what would be the amount?
Rhian Williams
Thank you! I'd say about 1 tablespoon, but you can taste and add more!