13 Things To Do With Canned Chickpeas (Besides Making Hummus)
Chickpeas might be one of the most transformable foods out there. Their texture is firm on the outside but creamy on the inside, and you can alter this consistency in multiple ways. You can blend them into a smooth paste, mash them into a coarse crumble, or roast them into crunchy orbs. You can even use them to replace common ingredients when you cook or bake, such as flour, roux, cream, or even protein powder. Plus, they have a delicious yet gentle taste, allowing them to be combined with many different flavors.
Aside from their interesting uses, chickpeas — also known as garbanzo beans — are packed with nutrients. According to Healthline, this legume provides significant amounts of protein, fiber, folate, and manganese. Ultimately, whether you have too many cans of chickpeas in your pantry or just want to find new ways to experiment with them, this is the place to be. Keep reading to discover what to do with your legumes.
1. Use them as a flour replacement in desserts
You can use canned chickpeas as a flour substitute in cookies, blondies, or banana bread recipes. The consistency of canned chickpeas makes these baked goods end up with a pleasant, tender texture. Although people often use chickpea flour, not everyone has a bag or has time to make it from chickpeas, so it is an easier option to use canned chickpeas. Since these legumes will replace the flour, this swap will allow you to make your sweet treats gluten-free. It will also add an extra protein boost to your desserts.
Recipes like vegan cookie pie use canned chickpeas as their base. The addition of flax seeds and oats helps to make the texture of the dough more coarse. Don't worry: your dessert won't end up tasting like garbanzo beans. The other ingredients in your recipe should help mask any mild savory notes.
On the other hand, the earthy qualities of these legumes should help enhance other ingredients in your nutty recipes, such as peanut butter cookies or almond cookie bars. This substitute doesn't necessarily work in more complex recipes, like sponge cake, where you have to be very gentle with the batter. But if you stick to simple recipes, it could work out beautifully.
2. Add them to stews and soups
If you make soups or stews from scratch, a sure way to add substance to the meal is if you add a can of garbanzo beans. Just give them a good rinse before you do — you can always save the aquafaba for a different project. Chickpeas pair well with vegetable stews made with ingredients such as carrots, onions, potatoes, and celery. Additionally, they taste wonderful alongside stewed meat, whether you make a classic beef stew or something more unique, such as tripe and chickpea stew with chorizo sausage.
Chickpeas are also welcome in your chili, whether you need a kidney bean substitute or simply want to make your chili extra packed with beans. Many Indian curry recipes also utilize chickpeas. One such dish, called Chana Masala, uses chickpeas as a central ingredient. However, your curry doesn't have to center around chickpeas. You can simply add them to an existing curry recipe. Chickpeas not only add texture but also harmonize with the warm spices in the dish.
3. Make burger patties
Because of their texture, garbanzo beans are suitable for making vegetarian burger patties, similar to the way that black beans are used. You can also add numerous types of vegetables into your chickpea patties, like sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, celery, or garlic. However, you will need a binding agent, such as eggs, oats, or breadcrumbs. This mesquite chickpea burger recipe uses oats to ensure that your burger doesn't fall apart when you cook it.
If you don't want chickpeas to be the main ingredient in your burger patty, you can always use them as an addition to other burgers, such as those made from turkey or chicken. No matter what kind of burger you incorporate your chickpeas into, you either need to pulse them in a food processor or manually smash them with a tool. Otherwise, you can't properly mix them with the other components and shape them into true patties.
4. Transform them into a crunchy garnish
Although many recipes utilize chickpeas for their soft buttery texture, these beans can also transform into tiny crispy spheres that work as the perfect garnish or snack. To achieve this texture, coat the chickpeas with oil and seasonings before you cook them in the air fryer, oven, or toaster oven. The goal is to make them darken and lose some moisture, so don't pull them from the heat unless their exterior is no longer soft.
Once you finish cooking them, you can use them in all sorts of dishes. You can create a homemade trail mix with ingredients with nuts, pretzels, Cheez-Its, and ranch seasoning mix. You can use them to top soft dishes that benefit from a crispy garnish, like puréed soup. They also make salads heartier while upgrading their presentation, so you can't go wrong when you toss a few of them onto your favorite salad. Although you can cover and store these, they are best when you enjoy them within a day or two of when you make them.
5. Use them as a sauce thickener
Because of their subtle flavor, garbanzo beans are useful for thickening different sauces. For this application, their light color comes in handy, because chickpeas won't drastically change the color of whatever recipe you're incorporating them into. However, the beans' best contribution to sauces is their ability to add a rich and hearty essence. If you purée some chickpeas with broth and seasonings using an immersion blender, then add it to your mixture, it might help your sauce to thicken.
The reason why this works is that garbanzo beans are starchy, according to Healthline. Starches can be used to thicken foods, which is why people often use flour, rice, or even mashed potatoes in a similar fashion. If you have plenty of cans of chickpeas lying around, consider using them for your next sauce that is on the more watery side. This is worth a try.
6. Make chickpea salad sandwiches
You can make chickpea salad sandwiches with a similar dressing to tuna salad sandwiches in order to make a vegetarian version of this classic recipe. Garbanzo beans are the perfect legume for this since they have a slightly meaty texture and taste.
Start by creating a dressing from mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and dill. Next, toss your drained, washed, and slightly mashed chickpeas in the mixture. If you want some crunch, add bits of celery, apples, onions, walnuts, or bell peppers.
You could also add chickpeas to your egg salad sandwich. For this, make the egg salad filling as usual. On the side, partially mash the chickpeas to give them a spreadable yet coarse texture. Finally, mix them into the egg salad. No matter which salad sandwich you choose, these recipes taste best when you allow the filling to rest in the refrigerator before you serve it, so the sandwich turns out nice and cold rather than room temperature.
7. Stuff them in a taco
Garbanzo beans are the perfect way to add substance to tacos. You can roast your chickpeas so that they turn crispy on the outside, then combine them with taco meat. We recommend using chicken or beef tacos because chickpeas complement the flavors of those meats best. These legumes taste phenomenal with the typical taco meat seasonings, which is usually a mix of typical chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and more.
Alternatively, if you want an entirely meat-free taco, partially mash the chickpeas so they're still chunky, then throw the crumbly legume pieces in the sauté pan and let them brown. You can also bake some cauliflower pieces to add extra heft to your meal. As for seasoning, you can take the traditional route or experiment with different seasonings and sauces. Feel free to toss your cauliflower and garbanzo beans in buffalo or chipotle dressing, for an interesting flavor profile.
8. Mash them with avocado
You can make a fusion recipe of guacamole and hummus when you combine fresh avocado and mashed chickpeas. This basic yet delicious spread has a nutty yet earthy essence. You don't need oil or tons of seasonings for this mash, just a dash of salt, pepper, and some lemon juice. Additionally, don't worry about breaking out the food processor. You only need a fork to press the ingredients and create a spread. From there, you can use it to make chickpea-avocado toast. For this application, you can use essentially any topping that you would use on regular avocado toast, whether you like pickled onions, feta cheese, or pine nuts.
But this spread doesn't have to be limited to avocado toast. Smear it on the inside of a tortilla when you make burritos or quesadillas to bulk them up. It also works with grilled cheese, breakfast sandwiches, or Italian subs. The only downside is that if you use chickpeas this way, the spread doesn't last too long, due to the speed with which avocados go bad.
9. Fry up some fritters
Falafel is made primarily from chickpeas, along with other ingredients like onions, fresh herbs, and spices. You can enjoy homemade falafel in a pita pocket, dip it into a sauce, or use it as a salad topping. Aside from the well-known falafel, you can make other types of chickpea fritters using different filling ingredients.
Fritters are a delicious way to use bland canned veggies. Feel free to use this idea to transform your canned garbanzo beans, corn, mushrooms, or whatever else you have on hand. Your fritter batter should consist of a simple combination of flour, baking powder, eggs, and spices. You can even use cheese to make the flavor more complex. Make your batter, then drop each fritter into a hot, oiled pan. Allow both sides to brown so the center thoroughly cooks, then use the savory cakes as a snack or a side for your favorite meal.
10. Use them in a casserole
Chickpeas are perfect for dump-and-bake casseroles. Since canned chickpeas are already cooked, all you need to do is reheat them. These legumes work in rice, potato, or pasta casseroles, helping to add some heft to the meal's overall texture. However, you can always include these beans in more complex dishes, like baked eggplant, chickpea, and green chile casserole. The garbanzo beans provide plenty of fiber, vitamins, and protein — according to WebMD — which is beneficial for a meatless meal.
You can also make an extra filling version of shepherd's pie when you mix chickpeas into the meat and vegetable filling. Although the meaty mixture is typically hearty on its own, it becomes even more satisfying when you add the legumes. If you don't like the idea of whole garbanzo beans in the dish, you can always mash them with potatoes for the casserole's topping, which gives it an exciting twist.
11. Grill them
Grilling chickpeas is a unique way to cook them. This method is appetizing because it imparts the legumes with a pleasant smoky flavor. Of course, it's not a good idea to place loose chickpeas on a grill; they're so small they will immediately fall through the grates. Luckily, you can cook them in foil, since foil withstands high temperatures. If you've ever cooked vegetables, fish, or other meat in a similar fashion, you know how delicious it is. To try it out, first assemble the foil packet. Make sure to make your packet large enough to fold the excess up and seal the edges. Then, drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.
Gather up any vegetables that you want to include in the pouch. Some delicious options are carrots, squash, onions, and peppers. You could also choose to grill the garbanzo beans by themselves — it's up to you. Toss the chickpeas, oil, and seasonings with any other components before you transfer them to the pouch. If you're a fan of butter, you can skip the oil and scatter butter cubes atop the chickpeas. It should take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to cook. However, the length of time will depend on whether or not you're adding other food to the packet.
12. Blend them into smoothies and shakes
The thought of chickpeas in a shake might seem somewhat bizarre, but hear us out. Garbanzo beans have a relatively mild flavor compared to other legumes. Therefore, it is easier to disguise them if you make smoothies or shakes with ingredients like bananas, peanut butter, chocolate, or mint. Certain powerful-tasting ingredients are your best friend here. When you blend them up, the garbanzo beans will make the beverage exceptionally creamy and thick, which many people prefer.
Try to add about ¼ cup to ½ cup of chickpeas to your shake or smoothie. See how much it improves the texture while giving you fiber simultaneously. But there's more: you can add them to protein shakes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that for every 1 cup of canned chickpeas, there are about 14.7 grams of protein. This means that you can use the legumes as a complete or partial substitute for protein powder in shakes or other blended drinks.
13. Marinate them
If you want your chickpeas to become saturated with flavor, you can marinate them like you would marinate meat. Before you begin, thoroughly rinse the chickpeas so you have a clean slate. You can experiment with ingredients, but olive oil, vinegar, and plenty of herbs and spices are a good base. You can utilize red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar to give it a tangy kick. Regarding seasonings, oregano, salt, pepper, parsley, and cayenne will be suitable.
While you can technically use garlic and onion powder, you get the best flavor when you mince these ingredients from fresh produce and toss them with garbanzo beans. Cover the whole thing with food wrap and allow the chickpeas to soak overnight, or at least four hours for the best outcome. Keep them in the refrigerator while you do so. You can serve them cold, as a side dish, or heat them with other foods, like vegetables or meat, once they're ready.