Smashed Chickpea, Avocado, and Pesto Salad Sandwich
Updated March 26, 2019
Last week, I made Crispy Gnocchi with Pesto for dinner. Caleb loved it and wanted to eat the leftovers for breakfast. I am happy he loved what I made for dinner, but since he ate the leftovers in the morning, I didn’t have anything for us to eat for lunch. He is only three and already an eating machine. I don’t even want to know what our grocery bill will be once I have two boys in high school:) Yikes!
I did still have some leftover Spinach Basil Pesto in the fridge so I decided to make Smashed Chickpea, Avocado, and Pesto Sandwiches for lunch!
This sandwich might look familiar because it is based on my all-time favorite sandwich, my Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Salad Sandwich. I’ve been making that sandwich for years and it never gets old. It always hits the spot.
Well, this time I changed things up and added pesto to the mix since I had some in the fridge. I am SO glad I did because this version of my favorite sandwich is awesome! I love it just as much! The pesto adds a pleasant burst of flavor! I used our homemade Spinach Basil Pesto, which is my favorite, but you can use store bought pesto if you are in a pinch!
I like to put the smashed chickpea salad in between two slices of bread to make a sandwich, but it is also good with veggies, crackers, chips, toast, or on a bed of greens!
I made sure I made two sandwiches before I let Caleb have at it. I wanted to make sure I got one:) I don’t know if Caleb will ask to eat this Smashed Chickpea, Avocado, and Pesto Sandwich for breakfast, but he did like it for lunch and I think you will too! Enjoy!
Smashed Chickpea, Avocado, and Pesto Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2 tablespoons Basil Pesto
- Juice from ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Slices of bread I use whole wheat
- Spinach leaves if desired
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas on a paper towel or clean kitchen towel and remove the outer skins. Roll them around a bit and they will come off easily. You can leave them on, but I like to remove them.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas and avocado. Smash with a fork until well combined. It is ok if some of the chickpeas are chunky. I like the texture. Stir in pesto and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread chickpea salad on bread slices and top with spinach leaves, if using. Cut sandwich in half and serve!
- Note: I use our homemade Spinach Basil Pesto, but you can use store bought. If you need the sandwich to be vegan, use vegan pesto. This salad also makes a great dip. Serve with cut up veggies, crackers, or pita chips. Also, this salad is best eaten the day it is made because it will turn brown due to the avocado. Use gluten-free bread if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.