Chickpea flour is also known as garbanzo bean flour or simply besan and is made from ground, dried chickpeas. It has a neutral flavor which is a little bit nutty and is a perfect ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes.
It is also an incredibly healthy alternative to wheat flour being much lower in carbs yet having much higher levels of fiber and protein, so you really can’t go wrong with using chickpea flour as the mixture for some fantastic recipes.
Here are some delicious ways you can use the soft and unique nutty texture of chickpea flour today.
1. Baked Pakora
This traditional Indian fritter is made from vegetables and spices that are coated in a crispy batter made from the chickpeas to make it as crunchy as possible.
This succulent and slightly spicy food mixture works great as a side dish or as an appetizer, especially with some light dipping sauce.
2. Zucchini Fritters With Avocado Crema
These gluten free zucchini fritters are covered with chickpea flour to make for a crispy and tasty coating with an extremely soft core that is made all the more sweeter thanks to the creamy avocado crema which is as creamy as it is scrumptious, definitely a welcome addition to nearly any dish.
3. Savory Chickpea Flour Falafel Pancakes
Filled with fresh herbs and made with protein rich chickpea flour, while you can make omelets in a similar way, we like to make pancakes with this recipe since they gain an incredibly unique and deep taste that just can’t be replicated in any other breakfast options, perfect as a hearty and healthy start to the day.
4. Chickpea Flour Crepes
These vegan friendly crepes substitute the eggs for chickpea flour creating a much more authentic taste that adds so much more nutritional value to these light and delicate appetizers.
Crepes are essentially what you get when mixing a pancake and a tortilla and go great served alongside some berries, cream cheese or even chocolate for something a little thicker.
5. Vegan Peanut Butter Bars
These thick and crunchy peanut bars are so easy to prepare, you probably have all the ingredients you need to make them lying around the house right now.
Not only does the chickpea flour add even more protein to this already nutrient-dense snack, it also adds a bit more nutiness to make for a delicious gluten free treat that you can be sure will become a house favorite in no time.
6. Vegan Egg Muffins
The reason chickpea flour is able to be used instead of eggs for many recipes is because when it is hydrated and cooked, it tastes almost exactly like it, especially with these breakfast muffins where you can barely tell the difference.
With packed veggies of your choice included in the mixture, this is a light and refreshing start to the day that does away with the eggs entirely.
7. Chickpea Flour Gravy
This gluten free gravy is so sweet and addictive, once you try it once you’ll be wondering how you ever went without adding it to every meal imaginable.
The chickpea flour allows the gravy to be as smooth and delicate as possible and considering it can be stirred up in just 5 minutes, this is a must make recipe to add to any side dish for the holiday seasons.
8. Curried Sweet Potato And Chickpea Patties
If you’re a fan of spice but don’t want too much heat to start off the day, these chickpea patties are coated in a lightly spiced curry sweet potato mixture that is as crunchy as it is delicious.
While you can add just about any veggies to these patties, we highly recommend broccoli or carrots to add to the crunch factor of these exquisite appetizers.
9. Crunchy Veggie Tacos
If you have a good bulk of chickpea flour at your disposal and want to make a meal that you can be sure the whole family will love which also puts vegetables at the forefront, these tacos exchange the eggs for chickpea flour and are finished off with just a little bit of creamy cilantro yogurt sauce to soften them and makes the taste as smooth as possible.
10. Chickpea Fries
There are so many benefits to making fries with chickpea flour that it’s hard to list each and every one.
On top of being packed with protein and gluten-free, it also makes the fries a lot thicker so you won’t need to make as many for one portion, and who doesn’t love that?
Either braise the fires in olive oil to make them a tasty appetizer or make them a bit crispier with some salad thrown on top for a crunchy and healthy delight.
11. Sea Salt Chickpea Crackers
Not only are these crackers easy to make simply requiring 5 ingredients including the chickpea flour, they also possess an incredibly rich and flavorful sea salt touch that really makes them stand out.
With them being free of any gluten, dairy, soy or even sugar, these are an excellent substitute to regular crackers that we all love snacking on from time to time.
12. Chickpeas On Toast With Stir Fried Greens
Whether you want to prepare a tasty dish for a quick lunch before you head out, a delightful after-meal appetizer or even a meal for you and your friends to enjoy while camping, chickpeas on toast is so easy to prepare and tasty that it’s perfect for virtually any occasion.
If you choose to mix in a few stir fried greens, this heraty recipe becomes so healthy it can easily become your go-to when you’re in a rush, and we definitely wouldn’t blame you if it does.
13. Italian Chickpea Bread
This take on the Italian Liguria leaves out the corn and instead simply uses a mixture of chickpea flour with some dried rosemary, salt, ground black pepper and of course a dash of Italian seasoning to make a bread base that crumbles slightly with each and every bite, definitely a must try when paired with some soup.
14. Green Banana Pakoras
These slightly spicy pakoras are served alongside some incredibly delicious chutney which also helps to ramp the heat up just a little bit to turn the banana flavor into an entirely different taste and texture, especially with the batter made from a mixture of the chickpea flour, chili powder, salt and baking powder and since one serving can feed up to 6 people, it’s certainly a crowd pleaser.
15. Tomato-Petco Socca
Low in calories, low in carbs and entirely egg free, once you create this crunchy and delicious base you’ll be using it instead of regular pizza dough in no time. The chickpea flour helps to make the base soft but also with a bit of a nutty texture.
Throw on some tomatoes and maybe even a little sweetcorn and you have yourself an incredibly healthy alternative to regular pizza.
16. Ginger Salad
Ginger salad is not only one of the lightest meals out there that is packed full of nutritious value and an excellent way to start the day or to have during an afternoon break, by using pickled ginger such as in this recipe, it allows the flavor to become just a bit more prominent and delicious with every bite, especially with the softness of the chickpea flour mixed in.
17. Besan Burfi
Also known as ‘chicken fudge’, besan burfi is an Indian delicacy that can be made in huge bulks with just a handful of ingredients including the chickpea flour, coconut milk, roasted cashews and some sweetened flaked coconut.
When ready, make sure to leave this delicious dessert to rest for about an hour so that it reaches room temperature and you can cut it into pieces for everyone to enjoy.
It is recommended to make a small bowl to begin with if you’re making besan burfi for the first time as when you actually start mixing together the ingredients and the final product is almost ready, they will come out in large bulks which is what makes them so good for gatherings and parties.
18. Crispy Spinach Chaat
Another Indian dessert that is just bursting with a mixture of unique flavors, although this recipe is deep fried to allow it to be a bit crunchier, it still doesn’t absorb a lot of oil and will still feel light and refreshing with each and every bite.
This recipe is excellent when you have just a little chickpea four leftover but want to make a tasty and crunchy solo dessert to enjoy.
19. Missi Roti
These delicious bread appetizers actually use a combination of chickpea and wheat flour along with a few spices and some healthy greens packed into the middle to make for an excellent breakfast alternative to the standard pancakes with syrup that we are all so used to by this point.
Not to mention missi roti has so many nutritional benefits including being packed full of protein, being extremely low in calories and a great option for weight loss that is still delicious as a choice for breakfast and is sure to get you out of bed in the morning.
20. Eggless Tomato Omelet
This is another recipe that switches out the eggs for some chickpea flour to make a much softer and less sickly breakfast option or even an appetizer with this low fat and gluten free omelet that is packed full of nutritious tomatoes, onions and a few Indian herbs and spices to make for a delicious mixture that your friends will be begging to know the recipe to once they even get a hint of it’s delicious smell and taste.
21. Oats Uttapam
The reason this recipe is so beloved as a light snack to enjoy throughout the day or even as soon as you wake up is because it can be made instantly with the key ingredients being a delicate mixture of oats, rava and chickpea flour.
That really is all you need to prepare this elegant and slightly spicy morning and afternoon snack.
While you can use quick cooking oats for a faster method of making this recipe, you can also use rolled oats for a slightly different texture, the choice is entirely up to you.
22. Spring Vegetable Bhaji
These deliciously crispy bhajis are as delicious as they sound and perfect for the spring time when we want something light, refreshing but also tasty before the warmer weather kicks in.
Packed full of a tremendous amount of veggies, the chickpea flour in this recipe gives the batter a nice crunch which isn’t too distracting from the soft and nutritious core.
23. Healthyish Fried Chicken
We all love the addictive taste of some rich and crispy fried chicken, however many of us can worry about the calorie count as we enjoy it, which usually means they are more of a guilty pleasure.
This doesn’t need to be the case however and the solution is chickpea flour which helps make the batter far healthier while still retaining a lot of that crispy and rich coating that we all love tucking into.
24. Chickpea Pancakes With Greens And Cheese
When you use some melted cheese as a mixture inside a chickpea flour base, it creates such a delightful sensation to bite into that it immediately makes you wonder why you never thought to use this mixture before, especially as part of a protein packed pancake stuffed with greens that is as edible for lunch as it is for the breakfast when you really need a pick-me-up for the day ahead.
25. Savory Chickpea Flour Waffles
Now this is a savory waffle you won’t want to miss, especially with how much food you get in one batch.
The chickpea waffles are topped with a fried egg and smothered in some spiced-up tomato ketchup which adds just a bit more flavor to this already delicious breakfast option.
If you want something a bit more creamy, you can even opt to try using scrambled egg instead of fried if that’s more your style.
26. Lotus Root Fritters
Small, delicious and incredibly rich in fiber, potassium and Vitamins C and B6, lotus root is known for being slightly crunchy while also having just a hint of sweetness which is made all the more pleasant thanks to the inclusion of some chickpea flour as part of the base.
Finish these bitesize appetizers off with some cilantro based sauce to pack as much flavor into each and every bite as possible.
27. Chickpea Farinata
This classic Italian dish dating back to the period of the Maritime Republics is made from a delicate and sweet combination of water and chickpea flour that is then baked in a wood-fired oven to create a delicious golden crust base that is so delightful to bite into.
It’s soft and thin appearance can be deceiving as despite the limited ingredients, the flour gives the overall texture a bit of a nutty and almost slightly crunchy flavor which is what makes this pie stand out from all the rest.
Water, chickpea flour, extra virgin olive oil and fine salt, that really is all you will need to whip up this delicious breakfast or brunch snack.
28. Banana Nut Scones With A Maple Glaze
We couldn’t leave out the fan favorite, some doughy and chewy scones with a delicious maple glaze layered over the top to add even more favor to these popular treats.
This recipe however uses chickpea flour to make the base a little softer which is then packed full of walnuts to give you something to chew on every time you tuck in.
Of course we can’t forget the inclusion of bananas which ramps the flavor up a notch and isn’t too overpowering thanks to the coconut milk which helps even out all the flavors.
Summary
Chickpea flour is a healthy and delicious substitute for wheat flour that comes with so many benefits, it’s never a bad idea to incorporate it into a recipe.
Whether you’re looking for a way to add a bit more flavor and nutritional value to your favorite foods or you just want to find out about some new and delicious meals and snacks entirely, these recipes are some of the best ways you can start using the incredible texture and taste of chickpea flour today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just like all nuts, seeds, grains and pulses, chickpeas contain food phytate which can bind minerals and prevent their full absorption, which can make them a little hard to digest once you actually consume them.
Soaking chickpeas first can help not only make the minerals they contain more bioavailable, it also makes them far easier to digest so it is always recommended to do so, in fact, soaking some chickpeas overnight (At least eight hours) will result in a far quicker cooking time when you come to prepare them.
All you need to do is put the chickpeas in a bowl with tap water and cover them by a few inches to let the water work its magic.
You can safely store chickpea flour in a tightly sealed, airtight container for about six months at room temperature, however if kept in the refrigerator it will last far longer from between 1 to 2 years which is always worth doing if you like the idea of using it as a substitute for wheat flour for your recipes down the line or for a special occasion you know will sneak up on you.
You can also choose to freeze it where it will stay fresh for a few years if you have enough space and have a bulk of it that you know you will probably end up using down the line, after all it beats throwing it out when it can be used as a part of so many recipes.
If you have stored your chickpea flour for a decent amount of time and aren’t sure if it’s gone bad, the most accurate way to check is to test the smell. If it smells rancid or if it shows signs of mold, then you should throw it out right away.
28 Scrumptious Recipes That Use Chickpea Flour
Tired with sticking with the same old wheat flour as part of your favorite meals? Try out a few of these recipes that use healthy and delicious chickpea flour today!
Ingredients
Directions
- Pick a recipe from the list above
- Click the recipe name and visit the website
- Collect the ingredients and cook the food
- Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review
Recipe Video
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