Best Vegan Chickpea Recipes (& cooking tips)

Don’t know what to do with that can of garbanzo beans in your pantry? You’re sure to find a few favorite vegan chickpea recipes here! From roasted chickpea snacks and hummus to salads and main dishes. I have all of your chickpea needs covered! Most of these easy recipes are gluten-free, too.

20 Best Vegan Chickpea Recipes text overlay

What are Chickpeas?

Chickpeas are probably the most versatile member of the legume family. We’ve been enjoying them for many years here in the U.S., and they’ve been part of Middle Eastern cuisine for thousands of years.

A health coaching client once told me that he really wanted to make chickpea salad, but he couldn’t find them at the store. They did have garbanzo beans, though. Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same thing. They are sometimes known as gram, Egyptian peas, chana, and chole.

You can blend them together to make a savory dip, mash them for a tasty salad, and roast them for a crunchy snack. You can also turn mashed chickpeas into falafels and burgers. And of course, you can add this little bean to soups, stews, curries, and stir-fries, too. I share my favorite vegan chickpea recipes at the bottom of this post.

How to Cook Chickpeas

Canned chickpeas are good to go right out of the tin. Just open the can, drain the liquid (be sure to save it though!) and give them a good rinse. You can eat them right away or add them to your favorite recipe.

Chickpeas cooked from dried beans are much tastier than canned, in my opinion. They’re much more economical, too.

When cooking dried garbanzos, you should first place them in a colander and check for things that aren’t beans, like pebbles or tiny sticks. Then you need to give them a good rinse.

It’s best to soak your chickpeas in a bowl of water for 4 to 8 hours before cooking them. If you don’t have time to soak them, don’t worry – you can still cook them, but they may take a little longer.

Stovetop Cooking Method

Place one cup of dried chickpeas in a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any foam that may form on the top of the water. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and allow the pot to simmer uncovered for an hour or two. The times will vary depending on how long they were soaked, how old the beans are, and how high your altitude is. One cup of dried chickpeas will make about 2 cups of cooked beans.

If you want to add salt to your chickpeas, don’t do so until the very end of cooking. Adding it too soon will result in beans with a tough texture.

Slow Cooker Cooking Method

If you have a slow cooker, you can place your chickpeas and water in it and cook them on low for 8 hours.

Instant Pot Cooking Method

You can also cook dried chickpeas in your Instant Pot. Place your dried chickpeas and water in your Instant Pot. If the beans are soaked, you will need to cook them for 40 to 45 minutes. Soaked beans should cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Then use the natural release for 20 minutes.

Vegan Chickpea Recipes - chickpeas in wooden scoop

Health Benefits of Chickpeas

In addition to being super tasty, chickpeas are super healthy, too!

A 1-ounce serving contains 3 grams of protein.
They’re packed with fiber.
Chickpeas are also a good source of folate, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.
They’re a low glycemic food, so they may help control blood sugar levels.
The fiber found in chickpeas may help with digestion.
Since chickpeas are a great source of many minerals, they may help prevent certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Easy Vegan Chickpea Recipes

Easy vegan chickpea recipes span breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a few snacks and desserts in the mix! Enjoy garbanzo beans in hummus, roasted chickpea snacks, salads, soups, chili, curries, stir-fries, and more!