You can enjoy chickpeas in meals, snacks, or even desserts. However, how you prepare them affects both their nutritional value and how easily your body digests them. Discover the healthiest ways to eat chickpeas for nutrients and flavor.
Canned chickpeas are a convenient way to enjoy cooked chickpeas. You can also steam chickpeas that have been presoaked.
Half a cup of boiled chickpeas contains 45 grams of carbs, 12 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of protein. It also provides 71% of the Daily Value (DV) for folate, 16% for iron, and 23% for zinc.
Tip: When you boil chickpeas, some vitamins leach into the water. This leftover water is called aquafaba. Aquafaba helps with foaming, gelling, and thickening, making it a great egg substitute. You can use aquafaba for egg-free or vegan baking.
How to eat: Add boiled or steamed chickpeas to soups, stews, salads, or other meals. You can also blend chickpeas into smoothies with fruits, vegetables, or nut butter for added protein.
Sprouted chickpeas are soaked in water and allowed to germinate. This process changes their nutrition. It makes protein and antioxidants easier for your body to absorb.
Sprouted chickpeas are also easier to digest. This is because germination reduces compounds that can cause gas and bloating.
How to eat: You can eat sprouted chickpeas raw in salads or grain bowls, or lightly cook them in soups.
In some countries, dry chickpeas are toasted until crisp, often seasoned with salt or spices. You can also roast boiled chickpeas in the oven until they become crunchy.
Roasted chickpeas make a great on-the-go snack because they have a low glycemic index. This means they don’t cause a sharp rise in blood sugar. However, store-bought varieties can contain added sugar and sodium
How to eat: Snack on roasted chickpeas, or sprinkle them on salads for added crunch.
Hummus is made by blending cooked chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a little olive oil.
Hummus is more energy-dense than eating boiled, roasted, or sprouted chickpeas because of the added oil and tahini. A ¼ cup of homemade hummus (about 60 grams) contains 108 calories, 12 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat.
How to eat: You can dip vegetables or crackers in hummus. It also makes a great spread for sandwiches or a flavorful addition to marinades.
Chickpea flour is made by grinding dried chickpeas until finely powdered. It’s rich in carbohydrates, fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins.
Chickpea flour has 10 grams more protein than all-purpose flour and 7 grams more than whole wheat flour per 100-gram serving. It is naturally gluten-free, but make sure to check for a gluten-free label to avoid cross-contamination.
How to eat: Replace part of the flour in baked goods with chickpea flour to increase protein. You can use it in pancakes, muffins, and breads.
Here are some simple, healthy chickpea recipes you can try:
- Sprouted chickpea salad: Lightly cook sprouted chickpeas, then mix with grains like brown rice or quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Chickpea pancakes: Mix chickpea flour, water, baking powder, and olive oil for simple yet delicious pancakes. You can serve them with savory toppings like avocado or eggs, or sweet ones like jam and honey.
- Chickpea vegetable stew: Chickpeas are a great protein source for plant-based stews. Cook them with vegetables like spinach, kale, carrots, and garlic, along with your favorite spices. You can serve the stew over rice or with bread.
- Beetroot hummus: You can blend beetroots into classic hummus for color, flavor, and added antioxidants.
- Spicy roasted chickpea snack: Use cooked or drained canned chickpeas, mix with olive oil, chili, garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt, then bake at 392.0 °F (200°C) for 20–30 minutes until crispy.
- Falafel: Blend soaked chickpeas with onion, garlic, herbs, and spices, then shape into small balls and fry or bake them. You can serve falafel in pita bread with vegetables and tahini sauce.
