Recipe: A Trio of New Chickpea Salad Recipes... without Eggs

The Egg-Free Salad That Ruffled My Cousin's Feathers

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“You sent this to an egg man?”

That was the one-line response from my dear cousin just moments after I sent out the March 2, 2025 column, You Don’t Need Eggs for the Best ‘Egg’ Salad of Your Life. My cousin, Jason, whom I love like a brother, owns a business that sells a LOT of eggs, along with other foodstuffs to foodservice operators. He took playful offence—as he loves to do with me—and couldn’t resist poking fun at my choice of words.

I had a good chuckle.

But his comment made me pause.

I realized I had fallen into a common trap among vegetarians and vegans—trying to replicate animal-based dishes with plant-based ingredients while still calling them by their original names. Think about it: ‘burger,’ ‘egg’ salad, almond ‘milk,’ ‘cheddar-style cheese’ and so on. I even wrote an article about this very issue before called A Mindful Plate: Embracing the Power of Plants. I didn’t even take my own advice!

And his comment also reminded me of a vegan restaurant I visited many years ago, long before I fully embraced plant-based eating. Their menu was full of dishes with meat names, even though everything was vegan. I remember feeling confused at first, trying to decode what I was actually ordering.

So, in light of my cousin’s teasing—I’m officially dropping the ‘egg’ from my chickpea salad from here on out.

Now, on to more important matters:

Did you make the chickpea salad? Do you have leftovers?

If so, let’s get creative! Here are three delicious ways to repurpose the chickpea filling into something new and exciting!

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🍠 Stuffed Sweet Potato with Chickpea Salad

This easy meal is hearty and satisfying, with a delightful sweet-and-savoury contrast. It makes a great light supper alongside a side salad. Honestly, I should make this more often since I always have sweet potatoes and chickpeas in my pantry!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Wash and prick small sweet potatoes or yams with a paring knife (this prevents them from exploding in the oven!).

2. Roast in a 375°F (190°C) oven until tender, about 40 minutes, depending on size.

3. Split open the potato and fluff the inside with a fork.

4. Scoop chickpea salad over the top.

5. Add toppings like fresh or blanched broccoli, grated carrot, diced peppers, pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

6. Finish with a sauce! Salsa is great, or if you remember the cashew crema from The Slow Cooker Bean Chili with Cashew Cream, it would be a perfect drizzle before serving.

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🥑 Avocado Toast with Chickpea Salad

If you love avocado toast, this one’s for you! It’s a variation on the Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe above. You’ll love how the creamy avocado pairs beautifully with the chickpea salad, making for a quick, nutrient-packed lunch or snack.

Instead of warm sweet potatoes, toast bread (a local grainy sourdough is really awesome), lay over sliced or mashed avocado then top with the chickpea salad, some other fresh veggies, nuts or seeds and serve with a spoonful of salsa or cashew crema. Oh la la!

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🥙 Chickpea Wrap with Crunch

A curried chickpea wrap from Momentum Cafe.

Our café customers love it anytime we serve chickpea salad, and last week, we served a Curried Chickpea Wrap that was a huge hit. The combination of creamy, lightly mashed chickpeas and crunchy toppings made for a satisfying meal.

Here’s how we made it:

• Piled a generous amount of chickpea salad seasoned with curry powder onto a whole wheat wrap

• Added a handful of fresh baby greens

• Layered on fresh sliced tomato and red onion

• Finished with a sprinkle of salt and pepper (crunchy finishing salt is great!)

Rolled it up, and boom! A flavour-packed lunch, especially with a bowl of soup.

Want to mix it up? Try adding a drizzle of hot sauce or swapping in a different seasoning blend for a new twist.

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Now it’s your turn!

Do you have a favourite way to repurpose chickpea salad? Let me know in the comments or reply to this post. I’d love to hear how you get creative in your kitchen!

Happy cooking! 🌱
CJ
xo

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