Looking for the best chickpea recipes to add to your plant-based routine?

Whether you’re craving quick salads, cozy soups, hearty mains, or crispy snacks, this list of 40 recipes with chickpeas will show you just how versatile this legume can be.

If you love plant-based recipes, try our anti-inflammatory meals and low-calorie recipes.

Chickpea recipes.

Our love for chickpeas started back in 2019, the same year we founded this blog.

Louise and I were searching for simple and affordable recipes that fit our meatless Monday routine.

Canned and dried chickpeas quickly became our kitchen superheroes.

From viral marry me chickpeas and Mediterranean falafel to meal-prep friendly chickpea pasta salad, we make these recipes of repeat.

One afternoon, while experimenting with dried chickpeas for the first time, we forgot to soak them.

In a rush, we tried every trick in the book, including boiling them with baking soda.

The result? A mushy, hilarious mess that somehow turned into the creamiest hummus we had ever made. We still laugh about it today ๐Ÿ™ˆ.

Since that incident, chickpeas have been at the heart of so many of our favorite recipes.

In fact, we have more than 50 recipes on this blog with chickpeas. Try for yourself, and pick your favorites from the list below.

1. Falafel

Falafel balls in a bowl with fresh parsley.

We will show you how easy it is to prepare falafel, cook it in oil or an air fryer, and serve it with tahini sauce and pita bread.

2. Chickpea pasta salad

Easy Chickpea Pasta with a silver spoon

You’ll love this chickpea pasta salad because it’s an excellent recipe for meal preppingIt’s drizzled with mustard dressing and topped with creamy avocado.

3. Creamy hummus

Hummus recipe on a plate with lemon and pita bread on the side

A must-make chickpea recipe on this list is our velvety, creamy hummus. You can make it with canned or cooked dried chickpeas.

TIP: if you don’t have tahini at home, try this notahini hummus instead.

4. Quick chickpea salad

Chickpea salad recipe with cherry tomatoes on the side and a hand

This chickpea salad is easy, fulfilling, and nutritious. It is one of our favorite potluck and meal prep recipes.

5. Air fryer chickpeas

Turkish red lentil soup with fresh parsley and roasted chickpeas

Air fryer chickpeas are quick, healthy, easy to make, and delicious when topped on creamy soups like eggplant, cauliflower, and Turkish lentil soup.

6. Tahini salad

Tahini salad with chickpeas

Our tahini salad recipe is excellent as a side dish, but you can quickly turn it into a main by combining it with roasted chickpeas or falafel.

7. Chickpea quinoa salad

Chickpea quinoa salad with feta on a white platter

This quinoa chickpea salad offers a nutritious, naturally vegan, gluten-free meal to please the pickiest eaters.

8. Chickpea fritters

Chickpea fritters with tahini sauce and fresh parsley and a hand dipping a fritter

Try these chickpea fritters, where the combination of red onions and nutritional yeast adds umami richness to every bite.

9. Carrot salad with chickpeas

carrot raisin salad with chickpeas and almonds

Carrot raisin salad is a classic, but with this recipe, we tweak it slightly by adding chickpeas. 

The result is a vibrant and colorful salad recipe with the perfect balance between savory, sweet, and tangy.

10. Mashed chickpea salad

Vegan tuna on toast with sliced cucumber

Vegan tuna is a quick and easy recipe made with mashed chickpeas and vegan mayonnaise.

It’s perfect for filling a sweet potato as an appetizer or as a vegan tuna salad.

11. Chickpea stew

Chickpea stew with yogurt and chili oil on a plate with flowers

Make a wholesome and rich chickpea dinner with this Mediterranean chickpea stew: an easy one-pot recipe with staple ingredients.

It’s perfect as a tasty and easy everyday dinner or as a make-ahead meal.

12. Masabacha

Hummus masabacha with shatta sauce and a silver spoon

Here is a modern and healthy recipe for a plant-based appetizer or dinner with family and friends.

13. Couscous salad

Couscous salad with yogurt dressing

Chickpea is a beautiful pairing with healthy grains, such as barley, farro, and couscous.

This couscous salad is easy, crunchy, ready in 20 minutes, and made with fresh vegetables.

14. Farro salad

Farro salad with tomato

Farro salad is a perfect meal for summer and autumn and a wholesome vegan lunch. Add fresh veggies, olives, and chickpeas for a proteinrich, vitamin-packed meal.

15. Spinach stew

Chickpea Spinach Stew on rice with lemon

This delicious and fiber-rich meal is easy to make for a quick meatless dinner or as a side for dinner.

Pair it with a dollop of yogurt and basmati rice for a complete and satiating plant-based meal.

16. Orzo salad

orzo salad in a large bowl

Our orzo salad is a light, healthy, and tasty dish that is effortless to make with simple, fresh ingredients.

Pair it with canned and rinsed chickpeas, and it’s a perfect starter, summer salad, and dinner idea.

17. Fatteh

Fatteh with yogurt, chickpeas and herbs

Youโ€™ll love this Fatteh recipe because it combines different flavors and textures that are magical together.

A bed of creamy chickpea hummus is topped with crispy oven-baked pita chips and tender cumin-infused chickpeas.

18. Cauliflower salad

roasted cauliflower salad

Roasted chickpeas quickly and easily add healthy protein and a tasty crunch to this creamy cauliflower salad.

19. Curry chickpea salad

Curry chickpea salad with cucumber and a hand

Curry chickpea salad is a refreshing creamy recipe with tahini, mango, and cooked chickpeas. It’s perfect as a make-ahead meal, for potlucks, and as a lunchbox meal.

20. Microwave sweet potato with chickpeas

Microwave sweet potato with couscous topping

Top your microwaved potato with crispy chickpeas, sliced black olives, and tahini sauce for a light and quick dinner.

21. Mediterranean farro salad

mediterranean farro salad with chickpeas

In just over 30 minutes, you can have a delicious, healthy, and satisfying Mediterranean farro salad.

TIP: Make this grain bowl and mealprep your next lunches or dinners.

22. Chickpea soup

Chickpea soup with hands and red nails holding the bowl

This chickpea soup with canned chickpeas, potato, and Italian herbs is a perfect make-ahead meal.

23. Chickpea curry

Chickpea Curry with white rice and cilantro

Chickpeas are a wholesome and delicious addition to creamy curries; try this version with an aromatic Indian spice mix and a rich coconut sauce.

Serve your curry on basmati rice and store potential leftovers in the fridge for up to five days.

25. Pasta e Ceci

Pasta e Ceci in a bowl with a hand holding a spoon

This Italian pasta classic is creamy, healthy, and packed with tomato flavor.

It’s a familyfriendly meal cooked in one pot and a tasty cooking method with canned chickpeas.

26. African peanut stew

African peanut stew with spinach and sweet potato in a white bowl

This peanut stew recipe does not use meat; we use chickpeas to make it an easy 30-minute high-protein vegetarian meal.

Indian chickpea recipes

27. Chana Dal

28. Cauliflower curry

29. Chana masala

30. Chana saag

31. Vegetable curry

vegetable curry served with rice, lime and cashews
Vegetable curry is a chickpea recipe we make on repeat

Tips for Chickpea Recipes

  • How to store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheated in the oven, microwave, or air fryer before eating.
  • How to freeze: You can also freeze warm meals from this list for up to 3 months. First, let them cool down, then transfer them to a freezer-friendly container, leaving some space for expansion.
  • How to reheat: Thaw in the microwave or a pot on the stovetop. Before serving, garnish with fresh herbs. Always check each recipe for exact storage guidelines.

If you tried these chickpea recipes or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!

Recipes with chickpeas.

Chickpea Recipes: Mashed Chickpea Salad

5 from 6 votes
Mashed chickpea salad is an easy chickpea recipe that uses mashed garbanzo beans and a few other simple ingredients to recreate the flavor of tuna salad.
You can expect a savory umami-packed flavor with a touch of brininess and tanginess pleasantly reminiscent of the sea without being fishy.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Snack, Starter
Cuisine: International

Ingredients 

  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • โ…“ cup vegan mayo
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon nori sheet blended into flakes or finely chopped. You'll need 1 to 2 nori sheets.
  • ยฝ medium red onion chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1 handful fresh parsley or dill, chopped
  • ยฝ lemon the juice
  • 1 tablespoon pickles or capers, chopped
  • 2 pinches salt or more to taste
  • 2 twists black pepper

Instructions 

  • Drain and rinse 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas and transfer them into a container with shallow edges such as an oven dish.
    Mash them with a sturdy fork or potato masher.
    Tip: It's easier to mash the chickpeas in a container with low edges like an oven dish rather than in a bowl.
    mashed chickpeas in a baking pan
  • Add โ…“ cup vegan mayo, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mustard, and 1 tablespoon nori sheet (blended or finely chopped).
    Then add ยฝ medium red onion, 1 stalk celery, 1 handful fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon pickles (all chopped) and the juice of ยฝ lemon.
    Season with 2 pinches salt and 2 twists black pepper.
    all ingredients for vegan tuna in a container
  • Mix with a fork until all ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust for salt.
    vegan tuna just made by mixing all ingredients
  • Serve in a sandwich, on toasted bread, on a baked potato, or eat as is as with a side of lettuce leaves as a salad.
    baked sweet potatoes stuffed with chickpea tuna

Notes

Nutritional information is an estimate for 1 serving of vegan tuna out of 4 servings.
STORAGE & MAKE AHEAD
Make ahead: You can make vegan tuna up to 3 days ahead.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three days.
Freezer: We donโ€™t recommend freezing, but if you do so, do it in a freezer-friendly container, then thaw in the refrigerator. Do not freeze multiple times.
NORI SHEETS?
Nori Sheets are added to give a sea flavor to the vegan tuna. If you don’t have or don’t like nori seaweed you can omit it.
The best way to add nori is to blend the sheets in a blender at full speed until the sheet turns into dust or flakes. You can store the leftover nori flakes into an airtight container for months, and use it sprinkled on salads or other meals.

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 93mg, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 203IU, Vitamin B6: 1mg, Vitamin C: 10mg, Vitamin E: 1mg, Vitamin K: 21ยตg, Calcium: 17mg, Folate: 13ยตg, Iron: 1mg, Manganese: 1mg, Magnesium: 8mg, Zinc: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @theplantbasedschool on Instagram. We love hearing from you โญ๏ธ ๐Ÿ’š.

If you liked these chickpea recipes, you might also enjoy:


Nico and Louise in front of the Consolazione church in Todi

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Weโ€™re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) ๐ŸŒฟโœจ.

Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.

5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Chickpeas are definitely a favorite of mine, and these recipes sound absolutely delicious! I love how versatile they areโ€”whether in soups, salads, or wraps, they add such great flavor and nutrition to any meal. Iโ€™m excited to try some of these new ideas, especially with all the global flavors. Thanks for putting together this amazing collection of chickpea recipes!

    1. Fantastic, so happy that you find them useful and a source of inspiration ๐ŸŽ‰

      This was exactly why we made this list. All the best, Louise