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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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.
View the Recipe
2. Napa and Kale Slaw with Crunchy BBQ Cauliflower & Pickled Jalapeño Ranch
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 ;)
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
4. Green Goddess Bowls with Farro & Pepita Lime Sauce
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.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
6. Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas & Garlicky Arugula Cream
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.
View the Recipe
7. Twice Baked Potatoes with Buffalo Chickpeas & Cauliflower
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.
View the Recipe
8. Braised Harissa Eggplant with Chickpeas
This spicy and flavourful stew features velvety pieces of fried eggplant, chickpeas, tomatoes, and herbs. This is a very pantry-friendly recipe as well.
View the Recipe
9. Chickpea & Cauliflower Old Bay Veggie Burgers with Cashew “Mayo”
Less than 10 simple ingredients are needed to make these satisfying veggie burgers.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
11. Herbed Chickpea Flour Pancakes
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.
View the Recipe
12. Frothy Spiced Cold Brew
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.
View the Recipe
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."
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
17. Broccoli Rabe & Chive Pesto Orecchiete with Sunflower “Parm” and Smoky Chickpeas
Tons of flavour in this ten-ingredient pasta that's topped with smoky paprika roasted chickpeas.
View the Recipe
18. Buffalo Chickpea Chili with Mushrooms
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.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
21. Sweet Potato Sunshine Salad
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.
View the Recipe
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.
View the Recipe
23. Kale & brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw with Pine Nut “Parm”
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 ;)
View the Recipe
24. Harissa Chickpea Bowl with Potatoes, Lemony Tahini & Greens
Flavours of harissa paste are built up in a simple chickpea stew and served with roasted potatoes, greens, and a simple lemon tahini sauce.
View the Recipe
25. Butternut Minestrone with Sage, Chickpeas & Chard
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.
View the Recipe
26. Lemony Spring Pasta Salad with Vegetables & Herbs
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!
View the Recipe
27. Pesto Orzo Salad with Roasted Vegetables & Chickpeas
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.
View the Recipe
28. Lemony Chickpea Soup with Spinach & Potatoes
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.
View the Recipe
29. Farro Chickpea Skillet with Tomatoes, Kale, Cardamom & Lime
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.
View the Recipe
30. Simple Chickpea Soup with Rosemary & Garlic
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.
View the Recipe
30 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!
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.
This looks delicious!! Cannot wait to try it, it has all of my favorite ingredients and flavors!
Thank you very much for this awesome recipe. It would like to try these recipes and serve to my guests.