An ancient 'superfood' sent from heaven
Wondering what to do with that can of chickpeas that's been sitting in your pantry for months? We've got the answer! In fact, we've got 30 answers. The simple chickpea is actually one of the most versatile ingredients out there, particularly if you're looking to boost your meals with some plant-based protein. It's also a great substitute in vegan baking. Indeed, the possibilities are endless for this humble legume!
Click through the following gallery to see 30 of the best ways to innovate with the chickpea.
The same goes for vegetarian meatballs. The blended chickpeas bind well, so the meatballs can hold their own in a marinara sauce!
Chickpeas are a great addition to most salads. They work particularly well with other Mediterranean ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, black olives, and herbs.
Chickpeas make a great base for burger patties. Try blending them with roasted sweet potato, garlic, and spices for a delicious burger substitute.
If you're trying to reduce your meat intake, why not swap your taco filling for spicy chickpeas?
This classic dish usually consists of eggs poached in a well-spiced tomato sauce. Chickpeas can be merged effortlessly to make it a more substantial meal.
Chickpeas and curry are a match made in heaven! They go particularly well in a Thai yellow curry, but really you can add them to most curries that normally contain meat.
Blended chickpeas can be added to sauces to make them creamy and delicious without needing any cream or dairy products!
Amazingly, someone discovered that mashing chickpeas with vegan mayo, chopped nori seaweed, and some other ingredients creates a vegan sandwich filling very similar to tuna!
Hearty and healthy Buddha bowls are all the rage at the moment. Spiced chickpeas are the perfect addition. The rest is up to you!
If you visit a traditional restaurant in Lisbon, Portugal, you're bound to find this chickpea salad on the menu. It combines the legumes with the traditional Portuguese salted cod, olive oil, and onions.
For an easy and delicious Middle Eastern side dish, combine chickpeas with couscous, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and pomegranate seeds.
It's impossible to do a list of chickpea recipes without mentioning hummus. It's a classic!
A spanakopita is a Greek pastry usually filled with spinach and feta cheese. The cheese can be replaced by adding blended chickpeas instead.
This traditional Moroccan dish includes a hearty and flavorful tomato soup with chickpeas for extra protein.
If you want to recreate a traditional Sunday dinner but are trying to avoid meat, you can make a fantastic chunky meatloaf with chickpeas as the base. It makes a wonderfully comforting winter meal.
Roasting chickpeas in spices until they're crispy is a great option to replace unhealthy salty snacks.
Chana masala is a traditional Indian dish that combines chickpeas with tomatoes and a variety of delicious spices.
Chickpea flour is a gluten-free flour alternative that's growing in popularity. It can be purchased in some supermarkets, or made at home by blending raw (dried) chickpeas until they're turned into a powder.
This flour has many uses! For instance, it works great in crepes and pancakes. It's an excellent healthy choice, as it's high in protein, iron, and other vitamins and minerals.
Chickpea flour can also be used to coat fried foods such as vegetable pakoras, or any other kind of fritters.
It can also be used to make a variety of flat breads. Chickpea flatbreads are common in Indian, Italian, and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Chickpea flour can be used to make a wholesome, chewy chocolate chip cookie that's good for the gluten intolerant (and everyone else). Of course, you came aim for making other kinds of cookies too!
These delicious chewy brownies are made by blending cooked chickpeas, almond flour, nut butter, and cocoa powder.
You can make delicious and 'healthy' truffles by blending cooked chickpeas with cocoa powder, nut butter, coconut flour, and maple syrup.
Another growing health food trend is aquafaba. Aquafaba is basically the slimy liquid that canned chickpeas are stored in! It can also be produced by cooking raw chickpeas in water at home.
Aquafaba is commonly used as an egg substitute, as its texture is very similar to egg whites. If you combine chickpea flour with aquafaba and a few other flavorings, you can make an incredibly convincing vegan omelette!
Aquafaba can also be blended with oil, vinegar, and mustard to create an amazing vegan mayo. Add minced garlic for a delicious vegan aioli.
When aquafaba is whipped, it turns white and fluffy, exactly like egg whites. This makes it perfect for meringues! Say hello to healthier vegan lemon meringue tarts.
See also: 10 natural superfood powders to add to your diet today
30 amazing things you can do with chickpeas
This magical legume can be turned into almost anything!
FOOD Recipes
Wondering what to do with that can of chickpeas that's been sitting in your pantry for months? We've got the answer! In fact, we've got 30 answers. The simple chickpea is actually one of the most versatile ingredients out there, particularly if you're looking to boost your meals with some plant-based protein. It's also a great substitute in vegan baking. Indeed, the possibilities are endless for this humble legume!
Click through the following gallery to see 30 of the best ways to innovate with the chickpea.