11 Amazing Chickpea Substitutes

Are you in need of a substitute for chickpeas? Look no further! In this post, we will explore the top alternatives that you can use in your recipes.

Whether you have dietary restrictions or simply want to try something new, we’ve got you covered with the best chickpea substitutes that will add flavor and texture to your dishes. Let’s dive in and discover some exciting options!

What Do Chickpeas Taste Like?

Chickpeas have a nutty and creamy flavor with a slightly grainy texture. The flavor can be described as earthy and slightly sweet, with a mild taste that is not overpowering.

The texture of chickpeas can vary depending on how they are cooked, but they are generally firm and have a slightly grainy or mealy mouthfeel.

Chickpeas are also known for their versatility in cooking, and they can be used in a variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, curries, salads, and dips like hummus.

11 Ingredients TO Use As Chickpea Substitutes

Basically, You can use Northern Beans, Kidney Beans or Lentils to substitute for chickpeas. Because they have similar taste and nutrition compared with the same amount of chickpea.

Moreover, Edamame, Split Peas, Cannellini Beans are not a bad choice. But you have to know the exact amount to replace before using it. Let’s check more detail of all kind in this article.

1. Lentils

Lentils are part of the legume family, which is lenticular, perhaps that is why they are named Latin Lens Culinaris. They are also one of the oldest food sources, dating back to more than 9,000 years.

Some common types of lentils include black lentils, red lentils, yellow-brown lentils, yellow lentils, lentils Macachiados, green lentils, and many other varieties. It also tastes as fat as chickpeas but has a more pleasant aroma.

Lentils are consumed more often in Asian countries, especially India. This is understandable as India has the largest number of vegetarians and lentils can be a substitute for meat in providing the necessary protein.

These beans are good for dieters because they contain a lot of protein, making them feel full after a few bites.

Moreover, it is also beneficial for vegetarians because the protein contained provides enough nutrition for the body to function, thereby eliminating the need for fish or meat consumption.

Lentils also have vitamin B1, many minerals and high fiber content, which those with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and smooth skin can benefit from.

2. Northern Beans

North beans are larger than navy beans, but slightly smaller and have a more nutty flavor than the kidney-shaped cousin cannellini.

It also has a lighter flavor than a chickpea; therefore, if you don’t like the strong taste of chickpeas, you can try to replace it with Northern beans.

With a nutty flavor, peas are often used to make soups, stews, and salads. The health benefits of Northern beans are not inferior to chickpeas. Northern Beans also provide a variety of nutritional benefits for your health.

3. Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are a type of bean in general, scientifically known as Phaseolus vulgaris, a family of peas native to Central America and Mexico.

Kidney beans have a fatty taste similar to chickpeas, but not as strong. Kidney beans also have many patterns and colors like white, black, red, purple, dotted, striped and so on.

4. Roasted Edamame

Roasted edamame is a type of bean native to Japan, very tasty and has a high nutritional value. The plant is rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, and fiber.

It is good for the intestines, smoothens the skin on the face and also works to prevent some cancers. 

Roasted edamame is quite similar to Vietnamese soybeans. Edamame beans need to be harvested before being too old, and must be picked early in the morning so that they remain green.

Afterward, people will freeze the beans or their dishes freeze the beans or their dishes to preserve for later use. Roasted edamame can be eaten raw or boiled, and it is the main ingredient used in many dishes.

Note that the time and temperature when boiling is important, if you cook too long, the beans will turn yellow and the content of minerals and vitamins will be greatly reduced.

5. Split Peas

Split peas are mainly grown in temperate and semi-tropical regions. The fruit is harvested when grown to maturity. At that time, their seeds are green, soft, and sweet.

Split peas can also be harvested later in the form of dried beans, when they are light green to yellow, less sweet and bitter.

Split peas are a great addition to your menu because in addition to their high concentration of vitamins and minerals, they also provide carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin that are good for the eyes.

In one cup of peas contains 30 milligrams of ALA, 130 milligrams of essential fatty acid, omega-6 and linoleic acid. Although low in fat, they are important fats that are good for the body.

6. Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans are primarily made up of carbs and fiber, and they are also a rich source of protein. It has a naturally sweet taste like chickpea and is suitable for cooking vegetable-based soups.

A cup of boiled cannellini beans (177g) contains approximately 15g of protein, which is 27% of the total calorie content. In fact, cannellini beans are one of the richest protein sources of plant sources.

7. Green pea

Green peas, also known as garden peas, are small and spherical seeds. They are a popular vegetable and have been part of the human diet worldwide because they are also excellent nutritious and antioxidants.

Furthermore, green peas contain almost all the vitamins, minerals that you need.

Both green peas and chickpeas are high in dietary fiber and potassium. Green Peas can be a neutral taste with a bit, while chickpeas have the classic beany flavor most of the time.

If you want to replace chickpea in your dish with a more delicious taste pea, maybe green beans can be the choice you should consider. You can use it with meat or fish, especially in soup.

Green pea also helps us to prevent and treat several chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

8. Black beans

Black beans are turtle beans because of their complex and black shell but the white center. It was widely grown in the Americas, but then it became famous all over the world.

When you cook black beans at a high heat level, they are very soft, have a moderate sweetness and a smooth texture. As a result, they were used widely in recipes like soup or salsa.

As usual, you should soak black beans before cooking for several hours, while chickpeas may take a little longer to cook than black beans if you use dried beans.

Although these beans differ from black beans in color, taste, and texture, chickpea also was used to alternative black beans in plenty of recipes such as stews or casseroles.

You should notice the seasonings called for in the recipe and adjust them based on these guidelines because both beans have a strong affinity for garlic and cumin.

Black beans are sold commonly in grocery stores in both dried and canned forms.

9. Soybeans

Soybeans, as soya beans or soybeans, originated in Southeast Asia, then they are grown in China and Japan. They have green skin when they are young and ivory yellow when they are ripe.

Soybeans don’t have outstanding taste. It is a bitter and rough texture. Therefore, they are often used as the main ingredients to make sauces or noodles.

In the recipe calls, if they call “soybeans,” it means the “white” ones (or tofu), which are more of a yellowy-beige color. In comparison, chickpea is of a creamy and nutty flavor. You can use soybeans anywhere you would use chickpeas, including soups and salads.

The common feature is that we can use soybean instead of chickpea. Both of them have essential nutrients, phenolic compounds, especially isoflavones, and no cholesterol.

10. Mung Beans

The mung bean also named the green gram, is a plant species that belongs to the legume family. The mung bean is grown in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Indian.

Mung beans can be in dishes like curries, soups, or salads. In addition, Mung beans have a middle sweet flavor and are mostly used in the paste for desserts. They can be used when they sprout.

At this time, mung beans will have a fresh and crisp tasting. When cooked, they are slightly sweet and nutritious.

About chickpeas, they are beige, creamy, and said to be nuttier in terms of flavor. It’s also more common for us to eat mung bean sprouts compared to chickpeas.

You can also use bean sprouts instead of because bean spouts are mostly similar to Mung bean sprouts.

Both mung bean and chickpea have similar nutritional content and benefits, so they are used commonly in cooking in almost every country in the world.

11. Peanuts

Peanuts, also called groundnut or earth nut, were widely grown in the tropics and subtropics for many thousand years. They are usually planted in spring and harvested in late autumn.

Peanuts have a thin, red outer shell, white or ivory inside, often used to eat directly or processed into other dishes such as roasted, salted, chocolate-coated, and peanut butter.

They are also typically used to press into oil used in food processing technology. Their taste is very greasy and delicious that you can hardly resist. 

We can use peanuts to substitute for chickpeas because both of them are well-known sources of plant-based proteins, high in calories, dietary fiber, similar amounts of sugar, and low in trans fat.

Peanuts have significantly more Vitamins E, iron, a good source of Niacin, Phosphorus than chickpeas.