Chickpea Salad Melts (Vegetarian Tuna Melts) (2024)

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 seems to hit the spot. I was craving one recently so I decided to make these vegetarian Chickpea Salad Melts and they did not disappoint. My husband was even 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 are mild in flavor and have a nice texture. If you would rather something with lower carbs, you can use crumbled up tofu instead.

Chickpea Salad Melts Recipe Ingredients

• Chickpeas – I just 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 just goes so well in type of chickpea/tuna salad recipes.
• Onion – I love adding raw red onion, but any kind of onion can be used. You can even use green onion if you want a more mild 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 always nice too! You can skip it if you like, I just happened to already have some so I threw it in. If you don’t have fresh dill, you could add a little bit of 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 little bit of dijon to recipes like this. Mayo can be pretty heavy so it helps to cut the richness a little bit. It also adds great flavor.
• Mayonnaise – I used vegan mayo for this recipe, just because that is what I prefer, but any kind of mayo can be used. You could also use tahini instead of mayo for the creaminess.
• Salt and Pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add other spices if you like.
• Cheese – I used a couple slices of sharp cheddar cheese but you can use any kind of cheese you like. Sliced cheese makes things a little less messy, but shredded cheese is ok too.
• Bread – You can use any kind of sandwich bread you like. I just used a regular store-bought wheat bread. You could also make these into open face melts and just 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.

How To Make Vegetarian Tuna Melts

1. 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.
2. Next, add in all the remaining chickpea salad ingredients and mix everything together well, until the mayo is completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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? If stored in an airtight container, chickpea salad should last about 4-5 days.
• Can these chickpea salad melts be made ahead of time? They can but they may get soggy. I refrigerated mine overnig
• ht 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

Crispy Tofu Sandwiches

Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Vegetarian ChickN Parmesan Sliders

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