37 All-Star Chickpea Recipes for Easy Pantry Lunches and Dinners
Our best chickpea recipes include all-star mezze, side dishes, and mains—easy lunches and dinners that we turn to again and again. Why? Because the chickpea is a protein powerhouse, and its range is vast. We consider canned and dried garbanzos as a fresh canvas with significant sustenance. Whether you blend cooked chickpeas with nutty tahini and olive oil to form a velvety hummus, crisp canned ones in an air fryer to add hearty crunch to a salad, or blend soaked uncooked chickpeas into an herby fritter, this trusty legume will not let you down. Below you’ll find inspiration for using up the dried chickpeas in your pantry—and lots of quick meals that transform the canned chickpeas into something hearty with minimal cook time. Scroll down to find your new favorite use for all the garbanzo beans in your life.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton1/37Chickpea Salad Sandwich With Creamy Carrot-Radish Slaw
Looking for easy, quick chickpea recipes with a bit of freshness? This vegetarian sandwich brings together feta, cilantro, parsley, and cucumber for a refreshing and nutritious meal with minimal prep time.
Photo by Jonathan Lovekin2/37Creamy Hummus
We can’t imagine life without hummus in the fridge. And while the store-bought stuff is fine, the ultimate version starts with Yotam Ottolenghi’s approach—and dried chickpeas. Once it’s silky and smooth, play hummus dress-up however you like: add roasted red bell pepper, roasted butternut squash, or simply olive oil. But first, here is the base hummus recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne3/37Yogurt Soup With Orzo and Chickpeas
This cozy chickpea soup requires just a few pantry staples. If you’ve got it, don’t skip the tangy sprinkle of sumac and a good swirl of extra-virgin olive oil on top.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/37Roasted Cabbage Steaks With Crispy Chickpeas and Herby Croutons
In this dinner party-worthy dish, cabbage finally gets its opportunity to take on a leading role, thanks to a topper of roasted crispy chickpeas, which are seasoned with cumin and coriander, and crunchy croutons that are roasted with fresh herbs and garlic.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton5/37Chickpea-Potato Chaat
For a low-effort but flavor-loaded veggie dinner, toss a can of chickpeas with boiled potatoes, cilantro-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and yogurt, then top with chiles, onions, tomatoes, and chaat masala.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Chris Morocco6/37Baked Feta and Greens With Lemony Yogurt
Warm feta cheese, crispy chickpeas, hearty greens, with a lemony yogurt sauce become a fork-and-knife entrée in about 30 minutes. Throw in some fluffy pita or naan for good measure. This is pure comfort food.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell9/37Red-Wine-Braised Chicken With Chorizo and Chickpeas
Photo by Susan Brooks-Dammann/Stocksy United10/37Instant-Pot Italian Chickpea Stew With Pesto
Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can make this Italian chickpea dish with less total time in the kitchen. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? We’ve got those, too.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow11/37Chickpea-Mushroom Veggie Burgers
This vegan chickpea burger recipe combines quinoa, mushrooms, tahini, miso, garlic, and paprika—but the best part is that you can freeze a stash of them so you always have veggie burgers on hand.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson12/37Lemony Pasta With Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Arugula
Photo and Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin13/37Spiced Chickpea Scramble
You'll only need 3 Eggs and a Can (of chickpeas) for this non-recipe, which requires minimal prep and lets you lean on whatever you have to use up in your pantry and fridge for the spicing and toppers.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks14/37Tomato Tart With Chickpea Crumble
Late summer is when a simple tomato tart with a side salad and mustard vinaigrette hits the spot. Add some pistachios and chickpeas for a filling weeknight dinner.
