8 Delicious Chickpea Substitutes

With the intensity of this component, have you ever wondered whether there are any chickpea replacements available?

Maybe you haven’t tried cannellini beans, lentils, black beans, peas, or soybeans yet.

Chickpeas have a long history of providing a remarkable nutritional profile as well as a memorable traditional beany taste punch in practically any dish.

It is mostly revered for its high protein content, which makes it an excellent substitute for meat in a variety of vegetarian and vegan meals.

Nonetheless, you’ll be surprised at how much you’ve been losing out on the other options, I promise.

What Is Chickpea?

The chickpea is an annual legume of the Fabaceae family.

It is a star in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, whether used in hummus or crushed into flour falafel.

Chickpea is also an important element in Indian cuisine, appearing in soups, salads, stews, curries, chana masala, and many other dishes. Its culinary diversity is almost unlimited.

Chickpeas have a nutty flavor that remains on your tongue for a long time, in addition to the legume family’s trademark beany flavor.

This legume is abundant in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and provides several health advantages, including illness prevention, weight control, and digestion.

Enough with the chickpea! We may continue discussing a dish you don’t have on hand, or we can speak about other really distinct beans for your next dinner.

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8 Best Chickpea Substitutes

1. Green Pea

Green peas may be used in lieu of chickpeas, whether fresh, tinned, or frozen.

Because of their sweet and salty undertones, they make a fantastic addition to savory foods, salads, vegetables, stir-fries, soups, and stews. You’d enjoy them as porridge, too.

Green peas are a popular food high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants that assist good blood sugar regulation, digestion, and the prevention of chronic illnesses.

Their flavor may not get you closer to chickpeas, but half bread is better than none, right?

2. Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans and originally cultivated in Argentina, are an excellent replacement for chickpeas in situations where chickpeas cannot be used for whatever reason.

Cannellini beans are one of the simplest and least costly methods to include more plant-based, nutritious protein in your diet.

They have soft meat and a mellow nutty, earthy taste that makes them ideal for salads, soups, and even stews.

They are high in nutrients, like chickpeas, and may be cooked with vegetables, fish, and meat.

If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you know how difficult it is to locate such a pasta side dish.

You’ve just discovered one: cannellini beans.

These beans go well with roasted cauliflower pasta, roasted eggplant pasta, white sauce pasta, vegan pasta primavera, and white wine pasta.

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3. Black Beans

This black turtle bean is also a legume, and the terms may be used interchangeably.

They are well-known in Mexican and Caribbean cuisines and are easily found in any grocery.

When black beans are cooked, they become soft, creamy, and mild.

One of the things you’ll like about this sweet bean is that it doesn’t have a strong taste.

Its smooth texture and high protein content make them great for salsa. Fresca, did you know that salsa is made using fresh tomatoes rather than canned?

They may also be used to top baked potatoes, tacos, or grilled avocado, or spooned into a quesadilla or tortilla.

Remember to season your bean with cumin, oregano, garlic, cilantro, or chiles for more flavor.

4. Peanuts

You’re probably wondering whether I’ve gone insane or if I’m simply fascinated with nuts, but bear with me.

Without a sure, peanuts seem to be an odd option for a bean. But did you realize that peanuts aren’t truly nuts?

Interestingly, they are a part of the Legumes family, which includes the chickpea.

They taste more like peas when eaten uncooked. The earthy or woody scent will be detected more via smell than taste.

They are best when roasted or converted into peanut butter. They are suitable for use in cakes, nibbles, confectionary, and sauces.

Moreover, they have high fatty acid content, as well as a strong melt-protected protein and antioxidants.

Peanuts promote platelet formation, memory, and attention, as well as the proper functioning of the brain system and internal organs.

But be cautious! Peanuts may induce allergies if taken in large quantities.

5. Hazelnuts

Although it may seem absurd to substitute hazelnuts for chickpeas based on their appearance, they have comparable flavors.

The distinct nutty, roasted, and slightly earthy flavor of hazelnut, along with its crispy texture, may elevate any chickpea meal from average to spectacular.

Hazelnuts are mostly grown in Spain, Turkey, Italy, and the United States.

It may be roasted, eaten raw, or crushed into a paste to flavor baked items such as cakes, cookies, tarts, and biscotti.

They’re also great in savory foods like salads, pizza, pesto, and seafood.

I once attempted making hazelnut butter with it and was blown away by the outcome. It turned out well and spreads like peanut butter.

The nutritious profile of hazelnuts is what makes them the most popular nut.

Hazelnuts are very high in calories and abundant in nutrients and good fats.

It also contains phosphorus, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, and zinc, all of which help minimize weight gain, defend against cell damage, lower cholesterol, increase insulin sensitivity, promote heart health, and many other benefits.

If you have a nut allergy, you cannot force yourself to consume this meal. Use the other options or sunflower seed instead.

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6. Lentils

Lentils are another proteinous, delicious legume rich in folate, fiber, and potassium that provides several health advantages including regulating blood pressure and cholesterol.

Because of the increased iron and vitamin B1 content, they also aid in the maintenance of a stable pulse.

Lentils, like other beans, have a mild, earthy taste and are often offered dry.

Its taste is not as strong as kidney beans’, but they are starchy and absorb flavors from other ingredients as they cook.

They resemble little stones or lenses. And they may be used to substitute meat in soups, stews, burgers, salads, and other dishes.

7. Soybeans

Soybean, often known as soya bean, is one of the most significant legumes in the world. It functions similarly to chickpeas in terms of producing vegetable protein on a large scale.

Although it has the flavor of a regular white bean, it may also be used in chickpea dishes. These are legumes that are endemic to Eastern Asia.

Soya beans include a significant quantity of carbohydrates, lipids, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals, in addition to protein.

Did you know that one cup (172 g) of boiling soybeans has up to 29 g of protein, which is more than pork?

Soybeans, like other whole beans on this list, provide a lot of health advantages.

They may aid in the prevention of cancer, the relief of menopausal symptoms, the improvement of bone health, and the general maintenance of excellent health.

But, you can’t simply chuck raw soya beans into most of your recipes. I’m sure you’d want to soak it overnight in order to make soy milk, which is needed to make tofu and vegan cheese.

Tofu may be diced, baked, crumbled, and more. It will be an excellent substitute since it complements most tastes and cuisines.

8. Mung Beans

Mung beans are little green beans that are similar in form and texture to black beans and are part of the legume family.

Since mung beans have a little sweet and nutty taste, consider adding them into sweets and salads.

You may also use them to create pizza, drink soup, curry, and other dishes.

Mung beans have such a high nutritional content that they have become one of the most popular Legumes.

Filled with protein, fiber, slow carbs, vegetable fats, and B vitamins, these legumes must be exercising their nutritional muscle.

They’ll work well as a chickpea alternative, particularly in rice dishes. Of course, you are free to season it with whichever spices you choose.

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Conclusion

If you need some personal suggestions among these 8 chickpea substitutions, I’d say cannellini beans, black beans, mung beans, and lentils are the finest options.

The nicest thing about these beans is that they are adaptable, tasting and acting similarly to chickpeas in terms of flavor, use (both in stews, soups, and salads), and nutritional value.

As a result, if you’re a vegan, these are your alternatives to meat for high protein.

Chickpeas, we hear, are the alphas in vegan cooking. Yet, these replacements will rescue the day when all hope is lost for chickpeas.