The Best Vegetarian Beach Sandwich

The BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich | Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe #sandwich #beach

This is the BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich EVER! Level up your beach day with a curried chickpea salad sandwich on ciabatta, with a black pepper hot honey butter! (You don’t want to miss that butter!) This is the perfect beach sandwich that holds up well all day, and won’t get soggy. And even if you’re nowhere near the ocean, try this sandwich for a lake day, picnic, or hike!


My Best Beach Sandwich recipe was a sleeper hit of 2024! Not only with readers (making it one of my top recipes this summer), but with me and my cousin. She told me, half-joking, that she dreams about that sandwich at night. She may be exaggerating a bit, but it really is THAT good.

And while The Best Beach Sandwich can be made vegetarian, I wanted to create a recipe that was vegetarian in its own right. Enter this curried chickpea salad sandwich with black pepper HOT HONEY BUTTER. Yes, I know I’m using a top of caps in this post, but this sandwich is SO SO good. Even if you’re not a fan of curry flavors, you’ll still love this chickpea salad. The spices of the salad are balanced by the sweet and spicy hot honey butter, and the arugula adds an element of zingyness and freshness. It is quite literally the perfect balance of flavors. I KNOW you’ll love this one, enjoy!


For more delicious sandwiches, try the Best Vegan BLT (or this Heirloom Tomato BLT) or these Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Wraps!

The BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich | Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe #sandwich #beach
The BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich | Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe #sandwich #beach
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The Best Vegetarian Beach Sandwich

This is the BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich EVER – a curried chickpea salad sandwich on ciabatta with a black pepper hot honey butter!
Course Lunch, Sandwiches
Keyword arugula, black pepper, butter, chickpeas, ciabatta, cilantro, hot honey, raisins, scallions
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 456kcal

Ingredients

Chickpea Salad

  • 2 15 oz Cans Chickpeas or about 3 cups
  • 1/3 Cup Diced Celery
  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Scallions
  • 1/4 Cup Raisins
  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley or Cilantro or both

Dressing

  • 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Curry Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Hot Paprika
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter

  • 6 Tbsp Salted Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Hot Honey
  • 1/2 Tsp Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper or more

Arugula Salad

  • 2 1/2 Cups Arugula Packed
  • Drizzle of Good Olive Oil
  • Squeeze of Lemon Juice
  • Sprinkling of Maldon Salt or regular sea salt

The Bread

  • 4 Large Ciabatta Rolls

Instructions

  • To begin, make the chickpea salad. Add the chickpeas to a mixing bowl, then using a potato masher or heavy spoon, crush the chickpeas until they're in smaller chunks. DON'T mash them into a purée – you still want some large-ish chunks of chickpea.
  • Add in the chopped celery, chopped scallions, chopped herbs, and raisins, and stir.
  • Make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients into a bowl, and mixing well. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.
  • Add in the dressing to the chickpea salad and stir well. Set aside while you assemble the rest of the sandwich.
  • To make the hot honey butter, use room-temperature butter. Or, soften butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds. You do not want to use melted butter.
  • Combine the softened butter, hot honey, and black pepper and stir until evenly combined.
  • Take out your ciabatta rolls or other firm, crusty bread and cut them in half. Spread on the hot honey butter on each piece. Then, layer on the chickpea salad on one half of each sandwich, at least until it is 1" tall. Then, using a spoon, spread out the chickpea salad.
  • On top of the chickpea salad, add on enough arugula to cover the salad. Drizzle over a little bit of olive oil on the arugula, and squeeze a little bit of lemon juice. Sprinkle with Maldon salt or sea salt.
  • Close up the sandwiches, and cover them in parchment paper or foil.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • It’s weird to give people instructions on how to assemble a sandwich, because I’m assuming if you’re on a food blog, you probably know how to make a sandwich by now :D So, you don’t have to follow my instructions exactly. Just assemble the sandwiches how you like.
  • You MUST use ciabatta or another firm bread like a baguette for this recipe. Regular sandwich bread is too soft.
  • Once made, these sandwiches will keep for 2-3 days. Just keep them in the refrigerator or cooler until ready to serve.
  • Make this recipe vegan by using vegan butter and vegan mayo!

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 986mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1179IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
https://wellandfull.com/2025/08/the-best-vegetarian-beach-sandwich/
Tried this recipe?Let me know @wellandfull or tag #wellandfull! :)
The BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich | Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe #sandwich #beach

The Best Vegetarian Beach Sandwich FAQs

Best sandwich bread for the beach?

This recipe calls for ciabatta bread, which I highly recommend sticking with. DO NOT use regular sandwich bread – it’s too soft and won’t hold up well at the beach. On the other hand, crusty, firmer breads like ciabatta or baguettes will do just fine in the summer heat.

What sandwich won’t get soggy?

Making sandwiches with a lot of water-dense ingredients, like tomatoes or watery lettuce, can lead to a soggy sandwich. In this recipe, the chickpea salad isn’t exactly dry, but there is very little water content. In addition, the layer of the black pepper hot honey butter also helps prevent the bread from getting soggy.

How to pack sandwiches for the beach?

I recommend wrapping the sandwich segments in parchment paper, tied with twine or rubber bands. You can also use aluminum foil to wrap the sandwiches.

How to keep sandwiches fresh at the beach?

Keep your sandwich in your cooler until you’re ready to eat it!

Why are you hungrier at the beach? Why do sandwiches taste better at the beach?

Nothing works up your appetite like swimming in the ocean, being out in the hot sun, and playing beach games! It makes delicious, filling sandwich like this taste even better.

The BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich | Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe #sandwich #beach
The BEST Vegetarian Beach Sandwich | Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Black Pepper Hot Honey Butter | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe #sandwich #beach

P.S.

For more plant-forward recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on PinterestInstagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!

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Well and Full 2024

Hi friends! I’m Sarah, and welcome to Well and Full. Here, you’ll find seasonal, plant-forward recipes and lifestyle inspiration rooted in New England charm.

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