Over the years, flour alternatives have gained popularity—from almond to oat, and cassava to chickpea—there are countless options available. Flour alternatives are ideal for those with gluten intolerances, and they have many nutritional benefits, which makes them a better option for cooking and baking. While some of these flours may seem new and innovative, they've actually been used in many cuisines for hundreds of years. Many Middle Eastern and Italian recipes call for almond flour, and chickpea flour has been a staple in Indian cooking for centuries.
Just like some other alternatives, chickpea flour is incredibly nutritious, and rich in important vitamins and minerals. Not only does it have less calories than traditional white flour, it contains substantial amounts of protein, fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese. Chickpea flour is also known to be better for digestion and may keep you fuller for longer periods of time.
The only downfall to most flour alternatives is that they tend to be more expensive than standard white flour. Thankfully, it's easy to make a batch at home, and all you need is one ingredient. Keep reading for five simple steps to whip up chickpea flour for less than $3.
Chickpea Flour Recipe
- Grab a bag of dried chickpeas and place them in a food processor. You may need to work in batches if you're using a big bag. Process the chickpeas on high speed until the mixture takes on a powdered form.
- Sift the chickpea mixture to remove the harder bits that did not process.
- Use a coffee or spice grinder to work through the batch of harder bits until it takes on the same powdered form.
- Sift through the chickpea mixture one more time. By now, you should have a big batch of perfectly ground chickpea flour.
- Store chickpea flour in an airtight container, and keep it in your pantry or cupboard.
How to Store Chickpea Flour
Once you've made your chickpea flour, you can use it everything from homemade cookies to veggie burgers. If you store it in an airtight food storage container, chickpea flour has a shelf life of approximately six months. If it's stored in the refrigerator or freezer, chickpea flour will stay fresh for about one to two years.
How to Use Chickpea Flour
Chickpea flour is more versatile than you might think. It can be used, in part, in decadent baked goods like banana bread and cupcakes, or in classic breakfast dishes such as pancakes and crepes. It's also the perfect substitute for white flour in savory staples like meatballs, pizza dough, and dumplings.
If you want to get a bit more creative with your chickpea flour usage, add a few tablespoons to a soup, sauce, or gravy to achieve a thicker, creamier texture. You can also use chickpea flour to help coat foods, such as homemade chicken tenders or fish sticks. The added protein boost doesn't hurt either!
How to Substitute Chickpea Flour
Since chickpea flour can be a bit milder and lighter than traditional white flour, substituting it in recipes that call for white (or all-purpose) flour can be a bit tricky, and the exact amount you need to use often depends on what you're cooking. Generally speaking, if a baking recipe calls for all-purpose or white flour, you can substitute up to half the amount with chickpea flour. Just note that it may take a few tries before the ratios are perfect.
FAQs
My Favorite Ways to Use Chickpea Flour
- Make the easiest vegetable fritters. ...
- Thicken soup. ...
- Make socca or farinata. ...
- Turn that socca into a dinner flatbread. ...
- Or make breakfast flatbreads.
Chickpea flour is known as garam flour or garbanzo bean flour and it is made by grinding dried chickpeas. A staple in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, chickpea flour is commonly found in Asian and Middle Eastern groceries, but you can also make it yourself at home with a spice grinder or coffee grinder.
Do you need to soak chickpeas to make chickpea flour? ›
I usually use dried chickpeas here to make my flour, however, for increased nutritional value you can sprout and then dry the chickpeas before grinding them into flour. To do this, add a cup of chickpeas to a large jar, loosely cover with some cloth and soak 12 to 24 hours, then rinse well.
Can I use chickpea flour instead of all purpose flour? ›
Chickpea flour is more versatile than you might think. It can be used, in part, in decadent baked goods like banana bread and cupcakes, or in classic breakfast dishes such as pancakes and crepes. It's also the perfect substitute for white flour in savory staples like meatballs, pizza dough, and dumplings.
Is chickpea flour healthier than all purpose flour? ›
Chickpea flour is full of healthy nutrients. It's a great alternative to refined wheat flour, as it's lower in carbs and calories yet richer in protein and fiber. Research suggests that it may have antioxidant potential and could decrease levels of the harmful compound acrylamide in processed foods.
Is chickpea flour hard to digest? ›
Researchers noted that because chickpea flour maintains the structure of its dietary fiber, creating a form of resistant starch, it takes longer to digest compared to wheat flour. This is similar to other types of “alternative flours” made from non-wheat sources, such as cassava, black beans, peas, and lentils.
Does chickpea flour taste like regular flour? ›
The biggest difference between chickpea flour and all-purpose flour is the taste. Chickpea flour has a distinctive taste, giving an earthy, slightly bitter, and nutty flavor to its bakes – this is great for savory dishes like Middle Eastern and Indian dishes such as falafel.
Is chickpea flour low carb? ›
Chickpea Flour Is 44% Lower in Carbs Than Regular Flour — Plus It's Packed With Protein. When it comes to pantry staples, all-purpose flour often reigns supreme. But while it's easy to incorporate into many dishes, it's not particularly nutrient-packed.
Is it cheaper to make your own chickpea flour? ›
While you can easily buy pre-made chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour), you'll find that making your own homemade flour is definitely cheaper, especially if you use a lot of this gluten-free flour.
How do you get the bitterness out of chickpea flour? ›
Remember to toast the chickpea flour in a dry skillet or oven beforehand to eliminate any bitterness in the final dish.
Toasting chickpea flour is easy; simply spread the desired amount in the bottom of a skillet, then heat over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring regularly.
What is chickpea flour best used for? ›
Perhaps the best known uses come from Italy and France, where it's fried and roasted into a variety of snacks and breads. In Southern France chickpea flour is cooked like polenta, cooled, sliced into logs, then fried into the addictive snack known as panisse. In Italy, they do the same thing and call it panelle.
Does chickpea flour taste better when cooked? ›
It is important to make sure the chickpea flour or gram is always well cooked before eating (both to get rid of the astringent aftertaste and to stop it giving you tummy ache - remember all legumes/pulses need to be well cooked!) and this also removes any bitter taste and gives you a nuttier flavour.
Does chickpea flour rise? ›
Chickpea flour is gluten-free, so it won't rise or form a light, spongy crumb like bread made with wheat flour, but it is suitable for pikelets, pancakes and muffins or to thicken a stew or gravy.
