One of my favorite ways to make a recipe gluten-free is to swap in chickpea flour. Yes, chickpea! Go beyond hummus and falafel and find out what makes this ingredient so versatile in the kitchen.
What Is It?
Chickpea flour is made by grinding whole dried chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans). You may have also heard it called besan or gram flour, which should not be confused with the wheat graham flour.
Chickpeas are pulses opens in a new tab and a good source of protein and fiber, which makes chickpea flour a wonderful nutrient-dense choice for cooking and baking. Chickpea flour is used all over the world and is especially prominent in Indian cuisine, where it is used for a wide variety of dishes from breakfast to dessert. In fact, if you enjoy Indian food, chances are you’ve already had chickpea flour!
Baked Cumin-Chickpea Fry Recipe opens in a new tab
How To Use Chickpea Flour
I like to use chickpea flour to make chocolate chip cookies and breakfast pancakes (simply swapping it 1-for-1 with regular flour) but it’s also wonderful for savory recipes.
Here are some other great ways to use chickpea flour:
Make socca, a gluten-free chickpea flatbread opens in a new tab.
Swap with regular flour to make a delicious sweet and nutty cornbread.
Try Indian pakoras, vegetable fritters coated in chickpea flour.
Use to thicken soups and sauces instead of all-purpose flour or cornstarch.
Create chickpea flour “tofu” opens in a new tab, a turmeric-spiced substitute for the soy favorite.
Coat chicken with chickpea flour for a gluten-free chicken parmesan.
Combine with spice blends like za’atar or harissa opens in a new tab to make your own flavorful crackers.
Make your own gluten-free pancake mix opens in a new tab.
Use to make a tasty and delightfully different take on pizza dough.
Do you use chickpea flour? Share your recipes in the comments!
