25 Best Uses For Canned Chickpeas

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a versatile legume used in cuisines throughout the world. They are available dried, canned, and ground into flour. Unlike dried beans which need soaking and boiling, canned chickpeas are ready to eat and add convenience to your food preparation. There is no shortage of creative and mouthwatering ways to use canned chickpeas, especially because, with their mild flavor, they go well with many vegetables and other ingredients.

Using chickpeas in hummus, salads, and stews are well-known ways to eat them, but there are other creative ways to use chickpeas that may be quite surprising, such as being an excellent plant-based substitute for meat and cream. In fact, one cup of drained and rinsed chickpeas contains 13 grams of fiber as well as 14.5 grams of protein. These ideas for using canned chickpeas will help you discover the delightful possibilities of this humble legume.

If you've always bought store-bought hummus before, never fear — making homemade hummus is pretty simple. You'll just need a food processor, and you can save time by using canned chickpeas. There are some complicated recipes, but simplicity often yields the best result. For a classic hummus, just blend your drained and rinsed chickpeas with tahini paste, a little garlic, lemon juice, and salt. 

This simple creamy hummus recipe includes olive oil as well. Drizzle olive oil on top before serving, or sprinkle paprika and garnish with chopped parsley for a pop of color and flavor. Here's a tip: It may be tedious, but popping the chickpeas out of their skins before blending will give you an unbelievably smooth result.

Sauces, gravies, and soups are often thickened with flour, cream, or butter, but for a low-fat or gluten or dairy-free alternative, pureed chickpeas work well to add body. Blended chickpeas can be used in most savory soups or stews (or just add whole canned chickpeas, which will soften even more while cooking and can be broken up and stirred with a spoon to the same effect). These will add delightful creamy thickness to any soup that is overly watery. You can use this trick to thicken any dish and even use it to substitute creamy ingredients like the mayonnaise in this creamy coleslaw dressing.

Beans or legumes are often used to make plant-based meatloaf, and chickpeas are no exception. Chickpeas are sturdy and hold up well when mashed and mixed with cooked veggies. This loaf doesn't taste like meat, but even carnivores will be surprised by the hearty texture and flavor. Mash the chickpeas and mix with sautéed aromatics like onion, garlic, celery, veggies like sautéed carrots, herbs such as thyme, and nuts for more body if desired. 

You can bind this with an egg and breadcrumbs, or for a vegan or gluten-free version, stir in a flax egg and oat flour instead. Top with a sweet and smoky maple tomato glaze made with tomato paste or ketchup, balsamic or apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup.

Buddha bowls are healthy, colorful, and delicious meals that arrange legumes, grains, vegetables, and dressing in a single bowl. The possibilities are endless with this versatile meal, and canned chickpeas work well for the protein section of the bowl. Try a warm and comforting winter version with roasted vegetables and roasted chickpeas or a summer bowl with carrots, green beans, and zucchini. 

Avocado is a great healthy fat. Choose a grain like couscous, rice, or quinoa, and don't forget the dressing. Get creative with dressing choices like honey mustard with yogurt, tahini and lemon with garlic, avocado and lime, or a classic vinaigrette.

The French street food socca and farinata, an Italian version, are savory flatbreads made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pancakes inspired by these foods can be made at home with canned chickpeas instead of flour. For a savory version, blend the chickpeas first and add water, olive oil, and salt to make a batter. Add sliced veggies like zucchini or bell pepper or herbs like rosemary or mint if desired. 

Cook in a skillet like regular pancakes or pour the batter into an oven-safe dish and bake. For a more traditional breakfast pancake, blend chickpeas with milk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda, and top with maple syrup after cooking in a skillet.

Chickpeas and curry are a delightful combination, and many people are familiar with the Indian chickpea curry called chana masala. This instant pot chana masala recipe has all the goodness of warm, aromatic Indian spices and nutritious, filling chickpeas while saving you time in the kitchen. 

To make it, first sauté onion and garlic with cumin and mustard seeds. Then add a spice mixture of coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne pepper before adding rinsed and drained chickpeas, broth, and canned tomatoes and covering the pot. Cook under pressure for just eight minutes and let it sit for fifteen minutes before uncovering, stirring in lemon juice and cilantro, and serving with naan, pita bread, or rice for a complete meal.

It turns out that the humble liquid in canned chickpeas, which most people pour down the drain, can be transformed into vegan meringue to use in recipes such as pies and cakes. This liquid is called aquafaba (which means "bean water" in Latin), and it's basically free. 

Whipped aquafaba creates a foam that traps air and, especially when combined with cream of tartar, forms the same stiff peaks egg whites do, making baked goods fluffier while also giving them more structure. You can use aquafaba to substitute whole eggs as well since it works to bind ingredients together (with the added bonus of reducing waste at the same time).

Canned chickpeas lend themselves well to healthy and colorful Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Make a Mediterranean chickpea salad with chickpeas, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onions, olives, and feta cheese, and top with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. A light vinaigrette or citrus dressing also works well, or try this lemony dressing with Dijon mustard and herbs to complement the chickpeas. 

Finish by sprinkling some fresh herbs like mint or parsley on top for flavor. You can add a grain like couscous, rice, or quinoa for a complete meal. The same ingredients can be assembled inside a tortilla for a Mediterranean version of a wrap.

Chickpeas and pasta are a match made in heaven, especially when there's tomato sauce involved. When eaten with vegetables, the protein-rich chickpeas contribute to a balanced meal. Pasta e ceci, a classic Italian favorite, originates in Central and Southern Italy and is made with short pasta shapes like casarecce, ruote, tubetti, and lagane. In this version of pasta e ceci, chickpeas are simmered with garlic, onion, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and plum tomatoes and served with al dente pasta and Parmigiano. 

Try making an American pasta salad with chickpeas, olives, cubed mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil, or create a Greek-inspired warm pasta dish with cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and olive oil.

Chickpeas can be a beneficial addition to many kinds of salads, from a simple garden salad to a Mediterranean salad to a couscous or quinoa bowl topped with chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a zesty dressing. They add protein and fiber and help make the dish more filling. Try a Southwestern salad by combining chickpeas with black beans, corn, red onions, and a creamy avocado lime dressing. 

A refreshing summer salad could contain chickpeas with sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, fresh green beans, radishes, and bright, fresh herbs like basil or mint. This aromatic Moroccan chickpea salad includes garlic, Dijon mustard, marjoram, oregano, and paprika for a flavor punch. Kalamata olives, dried apricots, and pistachios are stirred in for even more flavor.

Canned chickpeas can even be used in waffle batter. Chickpea waffles can be made as a more traditional sweet version eaten for breakfast or as a savory version to enjoy at any time of day. These savory falafel waffles with Armenian cucumber slaw are a unique take on the classic dish. Chickpeas, flour, milk, veggies and a variety of herbs and spices are combined to make the batter. 

After cooking, the waffles are topped with a slaw featuring Armenian cucumber, carrots, and parsley, and a harissa yogurt sauce made from Greek yogurt, harissa paste, lemon juice, and salt is drizzled on top for a final mouth-watering result. Please pass the seconds.

Believe it or not, you can even make vegan mayonnaise with aquafaba, the liquid inside cans of chickpeas. Mayonnaise is traditionally made with oil and eggs, and the same qualities that make aquafaba a whipped and foamy egg replacement for baked goods help it transform into a unique mayonnaise too. You'll need a blender running on high for this process. 

Blend aquafaba with vinegar, mustard, and salt. You can even add honey or maple syrup for a touch of sweetness. Then, very slowly, over the course of a couple of minutes, pour in oil like sunflower, canola, or olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Amaze your guests.