Another delicious lunch option for y’all is this recipe for a Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich, along with a bit of a food blogging rant. First things first, this sandwich is also a favorite of ours that came about after being in lockdown, and cooking thousands of meals at home. I didn’t keep notes on the “why” for this recipe but pretty sure we were tired of boxed mac and cheese or tuna sandwiches which was an usual grab and eat back then. Either way, it came about as a food we like to stuff in our faces, as it is fast to make and super yummy. Did I just say yummy?
When I was making this sandwich the other day, I started thinking about the early days of food blogging, and how fun it. Anyone else here remember that? We shared stories about our lives, and how a recipe came to be. I actually met some really wonderful humans during that time and we have become close friends. Without our food blogs, and the shared interest of food, as well as the internet, we would not have ever met.
I belong to a group of seasoned ladies who all have wonderful blogs that are full of delicious, and need I say well-tested recipes. All of us talk about “making it big” but hating selling our souls. I still hold on to that thin thread of “I love my blog, and am going to keep doing it for me and no one else”. It works for me. But my lovely group of friends struggle to make this wild wild food blogging a career. Shaking my hand at Google because they are the ones to blame for taking the fun out of it. Now we have to write a post and recipe to conform with all their SEO rules, blah blah blah. Where is that good old fashioned human interaction?
I was recently looking for a recipe, and went to Google. I am a fairly seasoned home-cook and can immediately tell while reading a recipe if it will work or not. I went with one of the top recipes from a new to me famous food blogger, and decided to give it a whirl. It was for meatballs. After scrolling through pages of content from lists of ingredients to how and why I should be making these meatballs, I find the recipe.
The first thing I noticed is there is no binder. How are my meatballs going to stick together? I second guess myself since there are many shiny yellow stars alongside the recipe, I am probably okay. Right? So I make the recipe. I fry the meatballs and watch them melt into the pan. Now, I am a very seasoned home cook, how did this recipe that came up on the first page of Google with many yellow stars get to where it is at? I knew in my gut I needed that binder. Did everyone else who made that recipe who gave it fives add the binder that I should have added? It really got me thinking of recipes.
Remember when we picked up a magazine or a cookbook, and there might be a little something about the recipe to humanize it, and then the recipe would be there. Everyone that decided to make it, just read the recipe and made it. We didn’t need to have a what, why, how and when for everything. EVERYTHING!!! Most people, even those I know who do not cook, can read a recipe, follow the instructions and make it fairly easily. Is anyone else feel like there is just too much scrolling to get to the guts of a recipe? Is anyone else missing human connection, knowing something about the person who made the recipe or why they are sharing it? UGH!
What is Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwiches?
Basically, think about this sandwich idea as being an eggless egg sandwich of sorts. Similar texture, lightly choppy and creamy all in one.
Why you should make this Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich?
You should make it because it is so delicious and loaded with flavor from fresh dill, mint and flakey herbed harissa. Did I say how easy it is to make? It is super easy.
How you should make this recipe?
Toss all the ingredients, except the bread, into a bowl and mix it up really good. Then smear onto some bread or eat it as it. Your choice.
I hate mayo. I hate chickpeas. I hate dill and mint! Harissa is too spicy. Can I use a substitutes?
Sure, you can do whatever you like, but the recipe won’t be the same as this one. Just remember that if it doesn’t work for you. You hate mayo, use plain yogurt, sour cream or cream fraiche. You cannot substitute the chickpeas, after all, it is a smashed chickpea salad sandwich. Not a lover of dill or mint, then try parsley or cilantro, something green that will add a bit of “freshness”. Harissa is too spicy for you, well, have you tried the NY Shuk Harissa Flakes? They are never too spicy. If you really don’t like spice, then leave it out. If you don’t like sprouts on top of your sandwich, then use some lettuce or skip it.
Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Kind of like an egg salad sandwich but not one. This smashed chickpea salad sandwich is loaded with fresh herbs such as mint, dill and green onions. A sprinkle of harissa flakes makes it even more interesting.
Ingredients
- 13 ounces of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
- 2 green onions, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- 1 teaspoon NY Shuk Herbed Harissa Flakes
- 2 - 3 tablespoons mayo - depends on how creamy you like your sandwich.
- your favorite sandwich bread
- sprouts or lettuce -optional
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread them out on a baking sheet on top of a paper towel and let sit for 30 minutes. Removes the moisture from washing and the ingredients stick better.
- Place the chickpeas into a medium sized bowl and smask with a fork or potato masher, leaving some larger pieces and some creamy.
- Add the onions, mint, dill, harissa and mayo. Stir to combine.
- Smear a little more mayo onto the bread, and top with the salad. Add the optional sprouts.
Notes
We like to use sprouts on top but lettuce is great too.