Chickpea Recipes
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Israeli-Style Hummus
A little baking soda softens the chickpeas for an ethereally smooth texture. Israelis like a strong tahini presence in their hummus, but you can use less if you like. The tahini will seize up when added to the lemon juice mixture—this is perfectly normal. Thin out with ice-cold water, stirring well with a whisk. The hummus will have the best flavor and will thicken considerably once cooled.
We suggest building a hummus bar for your guests and enjoying the Israeli way: Spread in a shallow bowl, and piled with toppings. The next three recipes are a great place to start.
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Chickpea Cookie Dough
This gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and no-bake nostalgic indulgence is totally safe to spoon straight from the food processor—in fact, we encourage it. Chickpeas may sound unconventional, but they pack protein and lend a pleasing nutty texture and flavor. For a variation, form the mixture into balls and freeze to make cookie dough truffles.
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Pasta with Chickpea Sauce
Onions, carrots, and garlic cook in olive oil until buttery soft, then get blended with chickpeas and water to form a deeply savory puree that coats pasta beautifully. It’s a satisfying dish that just happens to be vegan. Try to let the blender run for a minute or two when pureeing the ingredients; the smoother the sauce, the better the dish. A flourish of fresh herbs at the end brightens and freshens the dish; you can use all parsley or all basil if you don’t have both on hand.
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Chickpea Panzanella
Fresh and fast, this meatless main redefines the art of convenience cooking. We toast the bread in the oven, but if you already have the grill cranked up, this salad easily transitions to an outdoor dish. If your bakery carries whole-grain ciabatta, use it for a nutrition boost.
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Chili-Lime Roasted Chickpeas
Crunchy roasted chickpeas are a cinch to make and take only about 40 minutes from start to finish. They make for a satisfying salty snack that’s high in protein and fiber. To ensure the crunchiest texture, pat the chickpeas dry before tossing with oil. You can play around with other spices for different flavor combinations—try smoked paprika and cumin, Madras curry powder, or even cinnamon and powdered sugar.
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Smashed Chickpea Salad Toasts
A little reminiscent of both tuna salad and egg salad, this combo of coarsely mashed chickpeas, mayo, pickles, celery, and onion is all at once creamy, crunchy, and toothsome. We like serving it as an open-faced tartine or toast, but you can also sandwich it between two bread slices or serve it with whole-grain crackers. For a vegan version, choose a vegan mayo, and you’ll be good to go.
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Chickpea-and-Mint Green Beans
Canned chickpeas, cumin, and mint amp up the flavor of fresh haricot verts in this simple weeknight side that's ready in just 20 minutes.
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Summery Chickpea Salad
This fresh seasonal salad is ridiculously easy to put together and quite versatile. Serve our suggested amount as a side salad with grilled steak, chicken, or fish, or eat a double portion as a main dish. You can also stick with the serving size listed here and add canned oil-packed tuna or sliced rotisserie chicken breast for a filling lunch. Leftovers fare well as is, tucked into tacos, or added to whole-grain salad bowls.
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Fried Chickpea and Arugula Pita Sandwiches with Lime Tzatziki
With flavors reminiscent of a falafel, these pita sandwiches take less work, are tasty with lots of texture, and an easy weeknight meal to put together.
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Greek Cucumber and Chickpea Breakfast Salad
Dill absolutely makes this salad, offering a fresh, herbaceous boost that livens up the canned chickpeas. It’s a satisfying bowl of crunchy, creamy, chewy textures.
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Savory Chickpea Waffles
We swap sugary pancake syrup for a poached egg and use chickpea flour in place of refined for an extra punch of protein. Enjoy for a quick breakfast or dinner.
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Chickpea-Rosemary Crepes with Pepper Relish
Chickpea flour has more protein than wheat flour, a bonus for vegetarians. Make the crepes in advance for speedier prep, and garnish with additional rosemary, if desired.
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Eggs with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Tomato
If you can find them, use farm-fresh eggs to make this quick one-skillet supper really shine.
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Chickpea Chili
Chickpeas give an unexpected twist to classic chili. On second thought, nearly all of the flavors in this recipe give an entirely different flavor to the typical Tex-Mex staple, but it will soon become a classic.
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Crunchy Chickpeas
Low and slow is the key to drawing out all of the moisture without burning the chickpeas or seasoning. It may seem tedious, but removing the skins before roasting is essential to obtain the deepest level of crunch on this tasty snack, which is a much healthier alternative to deep-fried chickpeas. As they cook, the spices mingle and mellow for a rounded flavor. You'll surprise and delight the crowd with how satisfyingly crunchy these light nibbles are. Use leftovers for salads, snack mixes, or to top casseroles, soups, and stews.
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Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup
Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.
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Chickpea Ravioli with Basil Pesto and Hazelnuts
This vegetarian pasta doesn't skimp on flavor or protein. Make extra pesto and freeze to use on other dishes such as grilled shrimp or Caprese salad.
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Cauliflower and Chickpea Quinoa with Tahini Drizzle
Roasting adds an earthy depth of flavor to the veggies, but you can save time by keeping them raw—just toss right into the quinoa.
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Toasted Chickpea and Apricot Salad
This sweet and savory dish is a perfect place to incorporate seasonal fruit. Plums are delicious – and beautiful – in place of apricots.
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Bison Chili With Chickpeas and Acorn Squash
This chili is a new take on the classic cold-weather, one-pot meal. It's amped up with rich ground bison, that takes the place of ground beef, and chunks of sweet acorn squash.
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Smoky Farro and Chickpea Soup
This hearty one-pot meal couldn't be easier, and it makes for simple cleanup. Look for pouches of precooked farro either on the grain aisle or in the frozen food section of your supermarket.
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One-Hour Spanish Chickpea Soup
Dried chickpeas are typically soaked overnight and then simmered for up to two and a half hours to become tender. These, though, go into the pressure cooker dry and come out tender in just one hour! Use high-quality, cured Spanish chorizo (and not the fresh or raw Mexican version) for the best flavor and texture in this earthy, satisfying soup.
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Penne with Chickpeas, Feta, and Tomatoes
Salty feta, sweet cherry tomatoes, and nutty chickpeas combine for a hearty Greek-inspired pasta dish. Use oregano instead of basil, if you prefer.
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Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives
Look for stone-ground polenta or grits for this dish. Admittedly, they take a bit longer to cook, but the results are worth it, adding a creamier texture and hearty, nutty flavor to the dish.
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Tomato Soup with Roasted Chickpeas
Roasting the chickpeas with garlic, ham, and cumin gives this soup incredible flavor, and topping it with parsley and almonds ensures delicious texture in every bite.
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Warm Brown Rice and Chickpea Salad with Cherries and Goat Cheese
Fresh cherries add a meaty bite and tart-sweet flavor. If you can't find fresh cherries, add 2 tablespoons boiling water to 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries. Let stand 10 minutes; drain and chop.
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Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine
This simple stew, boldly flavored with exotic spices and packed with vegetables, is endlessly adaptable. You can try it any time of year with seasonal vegetables, adjusting the liquid and cooking time accordingly.
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Chickpea and Red Pepper Zucchini
Red pepper adds subtle heat and vibrant color while the chickpea gives this side a satisfying crunch.
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Chickpea Salad with Provençal Herbs and Olives
Take a quick jaunt to the south of France with this fiber-rich, no-cook salad. Fresh herbs and the powerful flavor of olives mellow the earthiness of chickpeas, making a dish that tastes lighter than it looks. Make the salad a few hours ahead if you can; the longer it marinates in the dressing, the more flavorful it will be. This dish completes a vegetarian meal nicely when paired with a quick meatless main like pasta or grilled portobellos.
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Chickpeas with Spinach
"This vegetarian dish is easy and requires very little oil. Add ground red pepper if you'd like it spicier. I like to serve this dish with Indian flatbread and yogurt."
--Rajita Elhence, Middleburg, Heights, OH
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Feta-Baked Hummus
This tahini-based Middle Eastern dip lends itself to endless variations. Feta, parsley and cumin come together to make hummus unlike anything you've ever had before.
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Sesame-Ginger-Chickpea-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sesame, especially toasted sesame oil, is a key flavor in many Asian cuisines. It makes sense that tahini would fit here too, especially as a finishing touch for roasted sweet potatoes with Sriracha.
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Chicken and Chickpea Tagine
Hearty canned chickpeas hold up beautifully in the slow cooker, where they're combined with fragrant spices and just a little stock. Since the chicken cooks on top of the chickpea mixture and is not submerged in liquid, it can cook longer without suffering texturally.
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Sweet Potato and Chickpea Cakes with Avocado Salsa
Onion and spicy jalapeño serve as a flavorful contrast to the sweet potato in these quick and easy cakes.
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Bulgur with Steak and Chickpeas
Serve for: Dinner
Tangy lemon juice, smoky cumin, and sweet honey add tremendous flavor to this meaty dinner concoction. Serve with a simple green salad for a complete meal.
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Chickpea Curry with Basmati Rice
Look for garam masala–an Indian blend–in the spice aisle; Spice Islands and McCormick make it.
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Crispy Chickpea Salad with Grilled Prawns
Too cold to grill but craving this delicious seafood salad? Broil the shrimp skewers, or cook them on the stovetop in a grill pan.
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Curried Chickpea Stew with Brown Rice Pilaf
This curry hails from the Indian region of Punjab. The cardamom pods puff up to almost twice their size and float to the top, so they're easy to find and discard before serving. In just one serving, you pack in lots of whole-grains and close to 10 grams of fiber, thanks to brown rice, chickpeas, tomatoes, and plenty of onion.
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Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas
Put a global spin on your holiday meal with this flavorful dish. Serve as a vegetarian entrée or as a hearty side, but do serve it one way or the other!
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Chickpeas and Spinach with Smoky Paprika
Do not make this until you’ve located real sherry vinegar (nutty and complex) and Spanish smoked paprika (almost bacon-y).
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Chickpea, Red Pepper, and Arugula Salad
If you prefer petite leaves for your salad, choose baby arugula.
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Chickpea Bajane
Bajane is a Provençal term for the midday meal. Chickpeas are a staple in Provence, where they are often stewed and served with pasta and vegetables. In this version, chickpeas, leeks, carrots, fennel, and spinach are served atop protein-rich quinoa.
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Middle Eastern Chickpea Miniburgers
Serve each burger on a whole-grain slider bun with lettuce, crisp radish slices, roasted red bell pepper, and canola-based mayonnaise. Two burgers per person!
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Marinated Chickpeas
You can make this dish up to three days in advance; the longer the chickpeas marinate, the more flavor they acquire. But they're so good you might run into the same problem as From Virginia Beach: "LOVE this recipe. My only regret was that it was gone so fast the flavors didn't get to marry as well as they could have."
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Mashed Chickpea Pitas
Pair this sandwich with a mixed green salad or cup of soup for a light dinner.
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Cumin-Spiced Chickpeas and Carrots on Couscous
Make the garbonzo mixture ahead of time. Reheat on the stovetop and serve with couscous (it cooks in just a few minutes) when you're ready to eat.
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Spicy Chickpea Samosas with Raita
The preparation is worth it for these crispy and flavorful samosas. The combination of spice with buttery, flaky phyllo dough pairs well with the cold, tangy raita.
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Chickpea and Hearts of Palm Salad
This salad holds up well and would make a good take-to-work lunch. For a bruschetta topping, omit the chickpeas and finely chop the remaining elements.
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Chickpea Salad with Cilantro Dressing
Chickpeas are a popular component of Southwestern cooking, as is the herb cilantro. To allow time for the flavors to develop, allow this salad stand for an hour before spooning it over the lettuce leaves.