15-minute Chickpea Curry with Kale (Gastroplant)
Chickpeas are a powerhouse ingredient. Packed with protein, fibre, and a mild nutty flavour, they work in so many recipes. If you have half a tin sitting in the fridge or a batch of home-cooked chickpeas to finish up, you’ve got the makings of quick, filling meals and snacks. Get inspired to make the most of every last chickpea!
Chickpeas are choking hazards for young children (mash for people with swallowing difficulties). Read more on food safety for people and pets.
It’s best to just bin scraps from alliums (onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives) and rhubarb/citrus scraps, as acids could harm compost creatures.
Classic Homemade Hummus
One Pot Hummus Pasta (This Savory Vegan)
Blend leftover chickpeas with a spoon of tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of olive oil. Hummus comes together fast and always tastes best fresh. Add a pinch of cumin or smoked paprika for a twist. Use it as a spread for wraps, dip for veggies, or toast topping.
You’ll skip shop-bought tubs once you try making your own at home. In the Middle East, hummus is always made fresh and served warm, not like those plastic pots of greasy ice-cold hummus in supermarkets.
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
Spread chickpeas on a baking tray, toss with rapeseed or olive oil, salt, and your favourite spices. Roast in a hot oven until dry and crunchy, shaking the tray halfway. Great flavours include smoked paprika, curry powder, or garlic granules. Roasted chickpeas are a tasty snack, salad topper, or a crunchy soup garnish.
Vegan “Tuna” Salad
Mash chickpeas with vegan mayo, chopped celery, gherkins, red onion, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper. This creamy salad works in sandwiches, jacket potatoes, or with crackers. The texture from chickpeas makes it a satisfying and easy plant-based lunch.
Chickpea Pasta Sauce
Stir chickpeas into tomato pasta sauce in the last few minutes of cooking. They add protein and bulk, making your meal go further. You can mash them slightly with a fork to thicken the sauce or keep them whole for extra bite. Finish with fresh basil or parsley for a simple midweek dinner.
Make A Simple Chickpea Curry
Easy Quick Chickpea Curry (The Vegan 8)
Sauté an onion with garlic and ginger, add curry powder or paste, then throw in leftover chickpeas and a few handfuls of spinach. Simmer with coconut milk or chopped tomatoes until everything softens. Serve hot with rice or warm naan. Quick curries like this use up odds and ends while keeping the washing up to a minimum.
Spicy Mashed Chickpeas on Toast
This recipe for mashed chickpeas on toast (Real Life Nutritionist) will take your normal baked beans on toast love to a different level. To be fair, baked beans on toast is not a bad meal (though it’s better to use organic brands like SUMA and Mr Organic over you-know-who, as you’re then supporting local artisans).
Use The Brine Water for Vegan Meringue!
If you think the world’s gone totally barmy, it has! These vegan meringues (America’s Test Kitchen) are made from the leftover brine water from canned chickpeas. An accidental culinary experiment a few years back created aquafaba (Latin for ‘bean water’).
It was found that when mixed with sugar, whisking up the brine water creates vegan meringue, to make everything from lemon meringue pie to pavlova. They do take an hour to bake, but then keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Fill with The Coconut Collab’s vegan double cre&m and top with fresh berries.
Zero Waste Chickpea Shopping
If you love chickpeas, try buying dried ones from a zero waste shop. Soak overnight, then simmer for about an hour until soft (a multi-cooker is a good buy, if you cook a lot of dried pulses). Cook a big batch and freeze portions to use as needed.
This saves money, cuts down on tins, and gives you more control over the texture. Dried chickpeas work out cheaper and fresher than canned, and you can flavour them while they cook.
When recycling tins, you don’t need to crush them. But always pull the tab back over the tin (this helps to prevent creatures accidentally getting stuck in them).
