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35 Vegan Chickpea Recipes

Created by Laura Wright
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5 from 6 votes

A roundup of 30 delicious vegan chickpea recipes. I hope that this roundup offers you recipe inspiration for flavourful and hearty vegan main courses, soups, stews, salads, bowls, and there's even a refreshing beverage in the mix. Lots of easy and quick recipes in this roundup, all hearty with plant-based protein and fiber from chickpeas.

4 photos in a grid show 4 different vegan chickpea recipes: a pan of vegan "butter" chickpeas-style curry, a chickpea and cauliflower veggie burger, a grain bowl with chickpeas and harissa, and a lemony chickpea soup with chunks of potato and spinach.
Image shows a hand storring chickpeas in a braiser-style pot. The image is taken at a 3/4 angle and the chickpeas are slightly submerged in broth.

Vegan chickpea recipes have been crucial to my plant-based life! Chickpeas have been one of my favourite ingredients even before I started posting recipes on this blog. They’re versatile, hearty, delicious, and easy to find at lots of grocery/food stores. I love cooking dried chickpeas from scratch (love getting mine from Flourist), and I share my process for cooking them below! I also lean on the convenience of canned chickpeas all the time. Chickpea flour is also an amazing ingredient! You’ll find a couple recipes that utilize it here.

Amongst these vegan chickpea recipes you’ll find: so many main courses, hearty salads, soups, stews, and even a beverage that utilizes the canning liquid. The possibilities and deliciousness are endless :)

How I Cook & Store Dried Chickpeas:

  1. Once I got an Instant Pot, I stopped cooking chickpeas any other way. I soak them in water overnight and then drain and rinse them the next day. I then transfer the chickpeas to the Instant Pot and cover them by about 2 inches of water. I set the the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” on high for 26 minutes. Once that’s up, I let them sit for another 10-12 minutes before manually releasing the pressure. From here, I throw in a good amount of salt and stir.
  2. Storing chickpeas in the fridge: I let the chickpeas cool completely in their seasoned cooking liquid and then pack them into jars, topping them up with the cooking liquid before putting a lid on top. This setup will keep in the fridge for a week.
  3. Freezing chickpeas: To freeze, I drain the chickpeas once they’re cool and transfer them in 2 cup increments to a Stasher bag or other reusable bag/container. Once they’re sealed up, I place them in the freezer where they’re good to go for 6 months. Thaw the chickpeas overnight in the fridge when you plan to use them!

1. Avocado Chickpea Salad

Avocado Chickpea Salad Lettuce Wraps - The First Mess
This tangy salad is delicious stuffed into lettuce/radicchio leaves or in between a couple slices of bread. So hearty and flavourful with lots of herbs and citrus.
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2. Napa and Kale Slaw with Crunchy BBQ Cauliflower & Pickled Jalapeño Ranch

An overhead shot of a napa and kale slaw topped with chickpeas, crunchy sauce-coated cauliflower, red onion slices, and halved cherry tomatoes. All is coated in a creamy dressing and served in a wide white bowl.
This is the heartiest and most flavourful salad in existence! The crisp little bites of chickpea are so good, and the dressing alone is just a total, immersive flavour experience ;)
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3. Seven Spice Chickpea Stew with Tomatoes & Coconut

This is such a pantry-friendly dinner and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. That creamy hit of coconut is so delicious with all of the spices.
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4. Green Goddess Bowls with Farro & Pepita Lime Sauce

An overhead shot of two grain bowls featuring cooked farro, steamed broccoli, chickpeas, and a creamy green sauce on top.
I love a hearty grain bowl with chickpeas in the mix, and this one definitely hits the spot. The creamy sauce is so delicious with toasted pumpkin seeds, lime, spices, and garlic.
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5. Grilled Broccoli and Pepperoncini Pasta Salad with Basil

This is a satiating and flavourful pasta salad with some smoky charred broccoli, slightly spicy pepperoncini peppers, olives, basil, and a fresh lemony oregano dressing.
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6. Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas & Garlicky Arugula Cream

An overhead shot of a baked spaghetti squash half with the strands pulled loose. The squash is stuffed with chickpeas, baby arugula leaves and a creamy, pale green sauce. The squash is shown on a matte black plate.
I love this meal that's conveniently stuffed into a squash half! The garlicky arugula cream is so delicious on a bunch of different meals. Pasta, grain bowls, as a dipping sauce for crispy cauliflower etc.
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7. Twice Baked Potatoes with Buffalo Chickpeas & Cauliflower

An overhead shot of baked potato halves stuffed with chickpeas and small cauliflower florets that are coated in a bright orange, Buffalo-style hot sauce. Each half is topped with chopped parsley leaves and celery leaves.
Only 10 ingredients needed for this mega-flavourful vegan main course. The chickpeas and cauliflower are bathed in spicy Buffalo sauce before being nestled into a fluffy and salt-crusted baked potato.
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8. Braised Harissa Eggplant with Chickpeas

BRAISED HARISSA EGGPLANT WITH CHICKPEAS - The First Mess
This spicy and flavourful stew features velvety pieces of fried eggplant, chickpeas, tomatoes, and herbs. This is a very pantry-friendly recipe as well.
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9. Firm Veggie Burgers with Chickpeas & Cauliflower

Less than 10 simple ingredients are needed to make these satisfying veggie burgers.
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10. Rosemary Mushroom & Chickpea Ragout on Toast

This is the best warm lunch when you're craving comfort. Less than 10 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes.
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11. Herbed Chickpea Flour Pancakes

Herbed Chickpea Pancakes with Zesty Lemon Tahini - The First Mess
These savoury pancakes are directly inspired by pudla, a staple of Gujarati cuisine. They are easy to customize, so delicious, and make such a satiating quick lunch.
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12. Frothy Spiced Cold Brew

FROTHY SPICED COLD BREW - The First Mess
This beverage uses the liquid from canned, unsalted chickpeas aka aqufaba! Combined with spices and coconut sugar, it makes a seriously fun "cold foam" to top iced coffee with.
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13. Creamy Lemon Orzo with Chickpeas & Broccoli

This is a hearty and crowd-pleasing main that's ready in 40 minutes with 10-ish ingredients. Such a flavourful winner of a meal! Even better with a sprinkle of homemade vegan "parmesan."
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14. Vegan “Butter” Chickpeas

This is a totally plant-based take on butter chicken/murgh makhani, a spiced, rich, tomato-based curry. We use cashews and a good amount of refined coconut oil to get that "buttery" quality and silky texture. This dinner recipe is ready in 40 minutes.
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15. Vegan Butternut Galette with Shallots, Apples & Black Pepper Crust

Chickpea flour helps us get a super flaky and delicious vegan pastry for this comforting main course. Its super savoury flavour is just right here, along with the Dijon mustard, rosemary, and thyme.
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16. Cauliflower Rice & Roasted Chickpea Salad with Apples & Avocado

This is an older recipe, but still super popular! It's a fun salad-y take on cauliflower rice with lots of flavour from the crisped up chickpeas, herbs, and creamy cubes of avocado.
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17. Broccoli Rabe & Chive Pesto Orecchiete with Sunflower “Parm” and Smoky Chickpeas

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE AND CHIVE PESTO, SUNFLOWER PARM & SMOKY CHICKPEAS - The First Mess
Tons of flavour in this ten-ingredient pasta that's topped with smoky paprika roasted chickpeas.
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18. Buffalo Chickpea Chili with Mushrooms

Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Chili with Mushrooms - The First Mess
This spicy and hearty chili comes together with 10-ish ingredients and is extra good with a dollop of cool vegan cashew "sour cream" on top.
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19. Vegan Summer Garden Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Chard

This simple pasta is perfect for all of those abundant summer crops. Flavourful and easy to make with any type of pasta that you prefer.
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20. Loaded Shawarma-Spiced Fries with Lemony Tahini & Crunchy Veg Salad

This is the loaded fries situation of my dreams. Creamy tahini sauce on perfectly spiced potato wedges, all topped with a crunchy vegetable and chickpea salad.
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21. Sweet Potato Sunshine Salad

moroccan-ish sweet potato sunshine salad // thefirstmess.com
I went with lots of Morrocco-inspired flavours in this sweet potato salad and the results are so flavourful. Warm spices, date vinaigrette, chopped pistachios, and lots of chopped fresh mint and cilantro.
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22. Smoky Chickpea, Lentil & Cabbage Soup with Kale

This soup is hearty, warming, and simple to prepare with lots of great smoky and garlicky flavour.
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23. Kale & brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw with Pine Nut “Parm”

Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw
Such a cozy take on a caesar salad! The Brussels sprouts and kale are shredded and coated in a creamy sunflower seed based caesar dressing. The smoky chickpeas give a slightly bacon-y vibe ;)
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24. Harissa Chickpea Bowl with Potatoes, Lemony Tahini & Greens

Harissa Chickpea Bowl with Potatoes, Lemon-y Tahini & Greens - The First Mess
Flavours of harissa paste are built up in a simple chickpea stew and served with roasted potatoes, greens, and a simple lemon tahini sauce.
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25. Butternut Minestrone with Sage, Chickpeas & Chard

Vegan Butternut Minestrone with Sage, Chickpeas & Chard - The First Mess
This is the most perfect hearty Fall soup! Soft bits of squash, hearty chickpeas, a rick tomato-y broth, cold weather herbs like sage, and lots of chopped chard make this soup so lovely with a crust of bread.
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26. Lemony Spring Pasta Salad with Vegetables & Herbs

Lemony Spring Pasta Salad (vegan + nut-free) - The First Mess
This cold pasta salad is so fresh with the lemony vinaigrette, blanched spring vegetables like asparagus, and a heavy hand of fresh herbs. Perfect for a picnic!
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27. Pesto Orzo Salad with Roasted Vegetables & Chickpeas

An up close, overhead shot of a pesto orzo salad with dices of roasted vegetables and chickpeas. The dressing is creamy and bright green. There is a wooden spoon sticking out of the dish of salad.
This hearty and flavourful salad is such a crowd pleaser! A nut-free arugula and basil pesto dresses cooked orzo, perfectly roasted vegetables, and chickpeas. So tasty and 10 core ingredients.
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28. Lemony Chickpea Soup with Spinach & Potatoes

An overhead shot of a creamy and thick lemony chickpea soup with spinach and potatoes in a white ceramic bowl edges with grey. A piece of whole grain bread is sticking out of the soup.
This soup is so simple to make and relies on 10 main ingredients–plenty from the pantry too. Half of the chickpea and potato base is blended to make this naturally gluten free soup extra creamy and satisfying.
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29. Farro Chickpea Skillet with Tomatoes, Kale, Cardamom & Lime

An overhead shot of a farro chickpea skillet with crushed tomatoes, chopped kale, and dollops of a vegan yogurt sauce on top. There is a black, wooden spoon sticking out of the skillet.
This skillet is so flavourful, hearty, pantry-friendly, and it cooks up in 30 minutes. We top this one pot meal with a tangy vegan yogurt sauce that’s fragrant with lime zest and juice.
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30. Simple Chickpea Soup with Rosemary & Garlic

An overhead shot of a bowl of pale orange chickpea soup that is topped with ground pepper, a few rosemary leaves, and drizzles of chili oil. A piece of crusty bread is dunked into the top towards the right of the bowl.
This soup is a true celebration of the earthy and creamy goodness of chickpeas! We lift the flavour up with smoky paprika, lots of fresh rosemary and garlic, and some miso at the end for umami. I love topping this with some chili crisp.
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31. Bloody Mary Quinoa Veggie Burgers

A slight 3/4 angle shot of a bloody mary veggie burger topped with a creamy sauce and some shredded kale on a white plate with a dark blue napkin nearby.
These zesty and savoury quinoa burgers also have chickpeas and ground up sunflower seeds in the base, making them extra hearty and satisfying.
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32. Veggie Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner with Chickpeas & Pesto Cream

An overhead shot of a veggie sausage sheet pan dinner with pesto cream sauce drizzled on top.
Chickpeas roast alongside fennel, cherry tomatoes, and sliced veggie sausages for a robustly savoury vegan sheet pan dinner. Perfect with a little crusty bread on the side for dipping into the sauce.
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33. Pizza Night Salad

An overhead shot of a pizza night salad in a wide, white bowl with wooden salad tongs. The salad contains: romaine, radicchio, chickpeas, olives, pepperoncini, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and a red wine vinegar and thyme dressing.
Chickpeas raise up the protein and satiety factor in this community favourite salad! The red wine vinegar and thyme dressing is sharp, garlicky, and spiked with pepperoncini pepper brine. I still eat this salad often, pizza night or not!
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34. One-Pan Harissa Eggplant, Pearl Couscous & Chickpeas

An overhead shot of one-pan harissa eggplant with pearl couscous, chickpeas, spinach, herbs, pine nuts, and dollops of vegan yogurt. The dish is shown in a cast iron braiser-style pot and a wooden spoon is sticking out.
Spicy harissa is brushed onto seared eggplant slices and then nestled into a well-seasoned mixture of pearl couscous, chickpeas, spinach, and herbs. Top with toasted pine nuts and enjoy this vegan one pan meal!
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35. Hummus Crunch Salad with Za’atar Chickpeas

An overhead shot shows a large serving bowl filled with hummus crunch salad, featuring: iceberg lettuce, matchstick carrots, parsley, za'atar chickpeas, crushed up pita chips, and a creamy hummus-based dressing. Salad tongs are nearby the bowl.
Iceberg lettuce, matchstick carrots, peppery parsley, and a creamy hummus-based dressing come together in this incredible salad that's topped with crispy za'atar chickpeas and crushed pita chips. So crunchy, and satisfying!
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36. One-Pot Rice and Veggies with Chickpeas & Dilly Tahini

An overhead shot shows one-pot rice and veggies with chickpeas and a drizzle of creamy dilly tahini sauce on top. The dish is garnished with fresh dill, chili crisp and sesame seeds. A serving spoon is sticking out of the pot.
Cooking time is 30 minutes in this veggie-packed vegan dinner with earthy chickpeas, plenty of spices, and a creamy dill tahini for drizzling.
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35 Vegan Chickpea Recipes: 7 Spice Chickpea Stew

Seven spice chickpea stew with tomato and coconut is an easy and healthy weeknight meal that's naturally vegan and gluten-free. Plus so many more vegan chickpea recipes!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings 4 (with sides)

Ingredients

Stew

  • 2 teaspoons olive or coconut oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
  • seven spice blend (see below)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup jarred/canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • ⅓ cup chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro (or a combination)

Spice Blend

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Notes

  • This stew has very few ingredients, so it’s ideal to use good quality tomatoes and fresh spices.
  • I made this during the day for the purpose of photographing/sharing it here, but when I reheated it for dinner, I added about 1 cup of chopped Swiss chard for an extra hit of greens

Instructions

  • In a deep skillet or a small soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is lightly shimmering, add the onions to the pan. Cook and stir the onions until translucent and quite soft, about 5-6 minutes. You want the onions to be quietly sizzling while they cook, so lower the heat if necessary.
  • Add the spice blend to the skillet and stir. Once the spices are quite fragrant and fully integrated with the onions (about 1 minute), add the tomato paste, mashing it with the back of your spoon into the spices and oil. Add the garlic and chickpeas and stir the mixture for 30 seconds.
  • Add the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes to the pan and stir, using the back of your spoon to scrape up any brown bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pan. Add the coconut milk to the skillet and season the stew with salt and pepper.
  • Bring the seven spice chickpea stew to a boil, and then lower the heat to a light simmer. Cook the stew for about 10-15 minutes, or until the flavours have melded to your liking. Garnish the top of the stew with the chopped parsley/cilantro. Serve stew hot with polenta, brown rice or any other accompaniment you like.
Author: Laura Wright
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Stew
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: 10 ingredients, all seasons, balsamic vinegar, canned tomatoes, chickpeas, chili flakes, chili garlic sauce, cilantro, cinnamon, coconut milk, coriander, cumin, fall, oregano, parsley, pulses, quick, smoked paprika, tomato paste, turmeric, winter
19/05/2021 (Last Updated 24/07/2024)
Posted in: appetizer, autumn, beverage, breakfast, chickpeas, gluten free, grill, holidays, Instant Pot, main course, nut free, quick, raw, refined sugar-free, roasted, salad, sandwich, sauce, spring, summer, vegan, winter

2 comments

5 from 6 votes (4 ratings without comment)

Recipe Rating




  • benjamin williams

    5 stars
    Thank you very much for this awesome recipe. It would like to try these recipes and serve to my guests. 

    Reply
  • Nicole Griffin

    5 stars
    This looks delicious!! Cannot wait to try it, it has all of my favorite ingredients and flavors!

    Reply

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