These no-cook smashed edamame salad sandwiches come together with just 15 minutes of prep! Finely diced carrots, celery, and red onion add fresh flavor and texture to the salad while vegan mayo keeps it creamy. These vegan sandwiches are a great lunch option paired with your favorite toppings.
A Quick, No-Cook Vegan Sandwich You’ll Actually Want to Eat!
Chickpea salad sandwiches are such a popular vegan and vegetarian sandwich option but I kinda hate them because I actually DO NOT like chickpeas. I know, I know, a vegetarian who doesn’t like chickpeas is crazy! But, we just don’t get along (and not for lack of trying). I decided to create my own version with shelled edamame and some early spring veg instead and the results were incredibly delicious. The finely chopped veggies and herbs give it a similar flavor profile while upping the plant diversity in this no-cook recipe. You can make it with vegan or regular mayo depending on your preferences and go crazy with the sandwich toppings to completely customize it. I truly hope you enjoy this one because it definitely just earned a top spot on my permanent rotation!
Key Ingredients
The ingredient list for these vegan sandwiches is pretty simple! Shelled edamame forms the bulk of the salad while carrots, celery, red onion, chives, and dill lend flavor and texture. Vegan or regular mayo and touch of Dijon mustard hold everything together while salt and pepper season. You can serve this no-cook smashed edamame salad on your favorite bread, fold it into a wrap, or scoop it up with chips or crackers. If you’re making it a sandwich like I did, don’t forget your favorite toppings! I kept it simple with soft and tender butter lettuce for the photos.
How to make Smashed Edamame Salad that Will Hold Together on Your Sandwich
Mashing the edamame really well is key in getting everything to stick together! If left whole, the surface of the edamame is super slippery and the salad won’t hold together as well on the sandwich (and will just tumble right off when you pick it up!). The other key is to add enough mayo which will add moisture and help everything stick together as well.
I love chopped red onion in this edamame salad but sometimes the pungency of raw onion doesn’t sit well on my palate. I like to cut the pungency a bit by soaking the chopped onion in ice water for a few minutes while I smash the edamame and chop everything else. If the pungency doesn’t bother you, feel free to skip this part!
The herbs should be finely chopped while the red onion, celery, and carrot get a fine dice (see above). This is key in making sure you get a little of each in every bite! This, along with mashing the edamame REALLY WELL helps the salad hold together on your sandwich. You’ll have to use a little muscle with the potato masher but if you don’t mind doing extra dishes, you can pulse the edamame in a food processor until thouroughly mashed.
All that’s left is to mix everything together! Start with just 3 tablespoons of mayo then mix. If it seems a little dry or you want more based on your taste preferences, add another tablespoon. This will work with both vegan mayo and regular mayo. Keep in mind that vegan mayo is typically a little thinner. I highly recommend tasting the salad at this point and adding more salt/pepper as needed because NOBODY likes an underseasoned dish.
Topping and Serving Suggestions
Since there are so many fresh flavors in the smashed edamame salad, I like to keep toppings minimal with some lettuce and a dill pickle on the side. If it’s in your budget, I think avocado would be really great here! In the summer, a couple of slices of thick, juicy tomatoes would also be delicious.
If I’m eating these sandwiches for lunch, I typically pair them with a dill pickle and some chips. Feel like making your own pickles? Try my quick-pickles! If you also feel like making your own chips and have the extra time, try my baked zucchini chips. They’re so dang good! For a little refreshing pick-me-up, try serving these vegan sandwiches with this strawberry grapefruit mocktail.
Smashed Edamame Salad Sandwiches (vegan)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
These no-cook smashed edamame salad sandwiches come together with just 15 minutes of prep! Finely diced carrots, celery, and red onion add fresh flavor and texture to the salad while vegan mayo keeps it creamy. These vegan sandwiches are a great lunch option paired with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
- 1 1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
- 3–4 tablespoons vegan mayo
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Sea salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 6 slices bread
- Your toppings of choice such as lettuce, avocado, pickles, etc.
Instructions
Add the diced red onion to a small bowl and cover it with ice water. Let it sit for 5 minutes then drain and pat dry. This will help lessen the pungent bite so if this doesn’t bother you, feel free to skip this step!
If your shelled edamame is frozen, cover it with boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and run under cold water until it has cooled down. Drain well and pat dry.
Add the shelled edamame to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Or, add it to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Make sure it is well-mashed because this well help the salad hold together better on your sandwich. Add the red onion, celery, carrot, dill, chives, 3 tablespoons of vegan mayo, Dijon, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If the salad looks dry or you prefer a bit more mayo, add another tablespoon.
Serve the smashed edamame salad on bread with your favorite spread and toppings such as lettuce, avocado, and pickles.
The edamame salad tastes great as soon as it is made but the flavor will develop more if left to chill in the fridge overnight. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days for the best results.
Notes
- I found that this recipe was enough for 3 sandwiches for me but this will vary slightly based on the size of the bread you use.
- You can use vegan or regular mayo for equally delicious results! Keep in mind that vegan mayo is a little thinner, especially once mixed with the veggies and salt.
- You can use dried dill and chives if you prefer. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of each and allow the salad to sit in the fridge overnight for the best tasting results.
- Not sure what to do with the rest of your red onion? Pickle it! Feel free to use the brine from the pickled radishes in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch
These smashed edamame salad sandwiches are so fresh and flavorful! I love the creamy texture paired with the crunch, and the fact that they’re vegan makes them even better. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed them!
These sound so fresh and easy. I love a quick no-cook lunch, and the crunch from the veggies with that creamy filling sounds perfect. Definitely saving this to try!
Can’t beat a no-cook lunch! Hope you enjoy this one 🙂
We have some edamame lovers in this house, and this sandwich was a huge hit! It was so flavorful and easy to throw together for a quick lunch. Thanks for the lovely recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! It’s my favorite lunch these days 🙂
I was looking for something different and this hit the spot! It was crunchy and herbaceous, I absolutely loved it!
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! This has been my go-to lunch lately 🙂