How To Use Chickpea Flour is seventh in my 12-part series on gluten free flours. Don't dismiss all bean flours because of one flour blend you tried that had bean flour in it. Chickpea flour is delicious in savoury recipes like fritters, flatbreads and falafel so try some of these recipes.
The idea for this series is to learn to use the flours you like to make foods you enjoy. Depending on how you cook those choices will be different for every person. There are so many gluten free flours it can be overwhelming but, there are so many amazing foods to try you don't want to miss out.
After getting comfortable making muffins, brownies and cookies I wanted to know what cooks around the world were making with each flour I had.
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Bean Flour Facts
Chickpeas are a legume, the family that includes beans and peas, so chickpea flour is a bean flour. People love hummus, falafel balls and many dishes made with chickpeas so it has it's place. I encourage you to keep an open mind.
In South Asia, especially the cuisines of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, chickpea flour has been a staple for hundreds of years used in many different ways. I love exploring the foods of different cultures and am interested in learning about traditional ways different flours are used.
I've used chickpea flour for decades to make those delicious vegetable fritters called pakora. It was in my cupboard so when I saw an allergy friendly recipe contest I made the banana bread they included. This high fibre Double Chocolate Banana Bread made with chickpea flour and tapioca starch is moist and delicious. The chocolate disguised the taste and it was a keeper.
Gluten free recipes have come a long way in the last decade and I see home cooks baking muffins, cookies and quick breads using chickpea flour.
Buying Chickpea Flour
In the old days people talked about 'flour', like it was a single ingredient. In the gluten free world there are more flours than I ever dreamed of and you can't help but continue to learn.
Not only are there many different pea and bean flours but there are varieties of chickpeas. This means when you look for chickpea flour it may be labelled with a different name. Note that these are all chickpea flour, not a blend of several bean flours.
- Chickpea flour
- Garbanzo bean flour
- Gram flour
- Chana flour
These products may vary in taste but for my everyday style of cooking I've had success with any one I've ever bought. Certified gluten free chickpea flour can be found. I found these brands online.
Properties of Chickpea Flour
- Made from dried chickpeas it is pale yellow or beige in colour
- High in protein, fibre and nutrients with it's own unique taste
- Too much can give baking an unpleasant bean taste
In Indian food shops I only see the beige or pale yellow chickpea flour. In my research I learned there are many varieties of chickpea, some dark brown and even black chickpeas. These varieties are often labeled Bengal gram flour, just another type of chickpea flour.
As a gluten free cook this saying speaks to me and reminds me that the learning never ends.
"The more I know, the more I realize I don't know."
Albert Einstein
Best Uses for Chickpea Flour
- Gluten-Free Baking – Try it in crackers, muffins or cookies in combination with other gluten-free flours. There is a Persian Chickpea Flour cookie that is on my list to try (shout out to Gloria who sent me her recipe).
- Flatbreads & Crepes - Look at my recipes for socca or chickpea flour wrap for ideas.
- Pasta & Noodles – Can add structure in recipes when flour blends are too soft.
- Pancakes & Waffles – Adds protein and a slight nuttiness.
- Pizza Crust – A sturdy, high-protein base for gluten-free pizzas.
- Egg Substitute – Mixed with water, it replaces eggs in vegan recipes. Use equal amounts of water and flour.
- Thickener for Soups & Sauces – Works like a roux or cornstarch to add body.
- Breading & Coating – Crisps up when fried, perfect for pakoras or tempura.
- Fritters, Falafel and meatballs – Holds ingredients together and adds protein.
- Thickener for Soups & Sauces - Works like a roux or cornstarch to add body.
Watch on YouTube: How To Use Chickpea Flour
Recipes Using Chickpea Flour
Here's a small sample of traditional uses for chickpea flour that focus on its' unique taste and properties.
- Deep-fried vegetable fritters (pakora and bhaji), are a favourite East Indian appetizer and side dish in my house.
- Middle Eastern falafel balls and a delicious Falafel Bowl. If you haven't tried them you must!
- Socca, a popular fried snack food in the Mediterranean. I've made many versions of a socca pizza and I love the interesting interpretations I see all over the web.
- An easy, pliable chickpea flour wrap.
- Potential for gluten free interpretations of many traditional flatbreads. I added some to my Chinese Onion Bread to make it a little more sturdy and it worked.
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread is delicious and has no bean taste, an excellent high fibre snack for kids of all ages.
- Gordon over at Gluten Free Daddy posted this collection of 25 recipes made with chickpea flour, Garbanzo Bean Flour recipes.
- For more than the everyday cook would ever need to know, I found this excellent post by Neetu over at Simple Gluten Free Kitchen, titled Types of Chickpeas & Flours.
Dinner Club: An East Indian Menu
If you're an adventurous cook and intrigued by chickpea flour check out this East Indian menu and have friends for dinner. You could also make a Middle Eastern menu with a falafel bowl topped with za'atar chicken or pork. Chickpea flour will surely be included and it's a fun way to learn about other cuisines.
Happy cooking!
Learn the best uses for many different gluten free flours to improve your coking! This ebook gives you the essential tips for more than 20 flours with recipe suggestions for each one. It's all in one place with no ads. This is an ebook you'll actually open.
How To Use Gluten Free Flour: A 12-Part Series
This series is intended to provide a basic overview of ingredients for everyday home cooks, both new and experienced.
- How To Use Rice Flour in Gluten Free Baking
- How To Use Starch
- How To Use Millet Flour and Sorghum Flour
- How To Use Corn Flour, Cornmeal and Masa Harina
- How To Use Almond Flour and Quinoa Flour
- How To Use Binders in Gluten Free Baking
- How To Use Chickpea Flour
- How To Use Teff Flour
- How To Use Buckwheat Flour
- How To Use Coconut Flour
- How To Use Oat Flour
- How To Use A Gluten Free Flour Blend
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Luis
can you mix together, wheat and chickpea flour? interested in adding chickpea flour on pizza dough. what ratio should i use?
any info on the subject will be greatly appreciated.
thanks.
Luis
Cinde Little
Hi Luis! Yes you can use chickpea flour in your pizza dough made with wheat flour. I'd start with about 20-25% chickpea flour and see what you think. It's really helpful if you use the same recipe over and over, sometimes I even make 2 recipes at the same time to speed up my learning. Just keep good notes of what you did differently so you can repeat your successes. You get better at comparing the taste and texture as you experiment and eventually you'll get your perfect combination. Enjoy your pizza making!
Martha Davidson
Thank you for the gf Rhubarb muffin recipe. The best I’ve made to date! Love the simplicity of your recipes.
Cinde Little
Hi Martha! I'm so glad you liked the Rhubarb Muffin recipe. Keep making it and I'm sure you'll come up with some variations of your own. Enjoy!