Lemon Basil Chickpea Salad

This is a great appetizer topping. We like to use a French baguette, cut into ¾”slices, toasted and then slicered in the Nicer Slicer. Toasting a good quality French bread gives it a lovely nutty flavor and slicering makes the petite slices which handle the spread nicely.

Author: J. Kenji Lopez

Ingredients
4-5 toasted slicered French bread or 2-3 toasted slicered bagels
2 cups cooked (or canned) chickpeas
½ cup of diced celery
2 tablespoons of vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of tahini
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
handful of chopped basil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
¾ teaspoon of salt
Ground pepper to taste
Cherry tomatoes

Instructions
In a food processor, pulse 1½ cups of chick peas so the texture is crumbly. Move the chickpeas to a bowl and combine with lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper.

Next place the last ½ cup of chickpeas in the food processor with the mayonnaise, tahini and lemon juice and blend until smooth.

Add the smooth chickpea mixture and chopped celery to the bowl and stir completely until all ingredients are combined.Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve on toasted slicered French bread or bagels. Optional: top with halved cherry tomatoes.