Chickpea Recipes

It’s no secret I’m a fan of chickpeas – they’re a great addition to soups, stews, salads, sandwiches, you name it. Not only are they a good vegetarian protein source, but they can also bump up the textural contrast in a dish. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, though, you know that I’m not a fan of mushy food. Sometimes I’m craving something crispy in a salad, and chickpeas’ soft texture won’t satisfy me.

Enter: roasted chickpeas. They still have all the protein and heartiness of regular chickpeas, but they’ve become an irresistible salty, crunchy ingredient. Even better, they’re a great healthy vegan snack on their own!

Roasting chickpeas is simple! Start with three basic ingredients: cooked or canned chickpeas, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt. Then…

25+ Best Chickpea Recipes!

These 25+ Best Chickpea Recipes are healthy flavorful bursting with global flavors. Whether you are looking for Chickpea dinner recipes, Chickpea soups or stews, Chickpea salads or chickpea salads we have you covered! Here’s our favorite Chana Masala Recipe.

Prep: 30min

Total: 1h30min

Yield: 6

Nutrition Facts: servingSize None, calories 318 calories, Sugar 9.4 g, Sodium 423 mg, Fat 8.4 g, Saturated Fat 2.9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 48 g, Fiber 9.8 g, Protein 14.9 g, Cholesterol 10.2 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, (soaked in water 12-24 hours or see notes) or sub 4-5 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
• 2-3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil. (GHEE elevates this to the next level of goodness!!!)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (whole)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 large shallots ( or sub one large onion)
• 4 fat garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 1/2 -1 jalapeno or 1 serrano chili, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon chili powder or paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (and their juices) or 14-ounce can tomato puree, (although fresh tastes better here)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (taste, use more if dry chickpeas, less if canned)
• 2 cups water if using dry, soaked chickpeas (or 1/2 cup water if using if canned or fully cooked chickpeas)
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar if needed

Instruction:

1. If using dry beans, soak chickpeas in a bowl with 6 cups water, for 8-12 hours on counter, or up to 24 hours in the fridge. Drain. (See notes for quick instant pot “soak”)
2. Set Instant pot to Saute function. (See notes for stovetop.)Heat ghee and add whole bay leaves and cumin seeds and fennel seeds stirring 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden.
3. Add shallots (or onions) Saute until golden and fragrant, stirring often. Add garlic, ginger and diced chili, saute 2-3 minutes.
4. Add all the spices- garam masala, ground cumin, coriander, chili powder, fenugreek, turmeric.
5. Give a stir then add the tomatoes and their juices, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
6. Once the tomatoes start to break down add the water (if using dry chickpeas), salt, and drained chickpeas. Give a good stir, scraping up any browned bits ( to prevent burn error).
7. Set Instant to High Pressure for 25 minutes. (SEE NOTES!!!) Naturally, release for 15 minutes then manually release.
8. Taste and adjust salt. If it tastes bitter, add a little sugar or honey ( 1-2 teaspoons) to help balance.
9. If you want it more flavorful, stir in another teaspoon of garam masala, or if you want extra richness, a splash of coconut milk is nice.

Chickpea Recipes: Best Chickpea Salad

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is one of our favorite chickpea recipes!

Prep: 20min

Total: 2min

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin seeds*
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 4 Medjool dates (pitted and diced)
• 3 Persian cucumbers (sliced into thin half moons)
• ⅓ cup chopped roasted red peppers
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• 3 ounces goat cheese
• ¼ cup fresh mint
• ⅓ cup roasted chickpeas (optional)

Instruction:

1. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
2. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin seeds until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and crush them a bit (a mortar & pestle is easiest for this). Add them to the bowl and stir.
3. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, dates, cucumbers, red pepper, and parsley to the bowl and toss. Transfer to a serving platter and dollop with the goat cheese, sprinkle with mint, and top with the extra roasted chickpeas, if desired. Season to taste and serve.

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Make crispy roasted chickpeas for a protein-packed vegan snack. I also love them in salads or on sandwiches and bowls!

Prep: 5min

Total: 25min

Yield: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
• Sea salt
• Paprika

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.
3. Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt.
4. Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!
5. Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.
6. Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.

Chickpea Curry, an (almost) perfect one-pot meal

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